Regional Conferences

Regional Conference 2019, Mumbai

GCC Hotel and Club, Mira Road, Mumbai, 23 & 24 October, 2019

Globally, there are 1 billion people with a disability and only 5-10% of these people have been touched by the love of Jesus. People with a disability represent the world’s largest minority group with 1 in 5 living in poverty in developing countries. They are one of the largest unreached people groups and are under-represented in our churches.

India is home to more people with disability than any other country in the world, an estimated 100 million people. They need to know and experience God’s love. As Christians are we reflecting this love? Are we missing out on the gifts that they would bring to our church and community?

Some Christian organisations are already involved with people with disabilities. Others are considering how to include those with disability in their current programs.

And many of our Indian churches are exploring how to involve people with disability in our congregations

But how can we do this better? What are the examples of effective disability ministry? What is the theology behind working amongst those with disability? How can we, the body, be blessed by the gifts of those with disability?

This conference intended to bring  together about 100-150 people to discuss some of these important issues. To learn together, fellowship together, and share ideas. The conference included theologians from various denominations, Christians from development agencies, Christian from community-based rehabilitation programs. Most importantly the conference focussed on learning from our friends with disabilities and their families.

Thematic areas:
• Inclusive churches
• Theology and disability
• Christian ethics and disability
• Families and disability
Networking Strategy:
• Special interest group meeting (topical)
• Networking afternoon event

Projected outcomes from the Conference:
We hope that bringing people of faith together will achieve the following outcomes:
1) Churches and pastors in India are facilitated to better respond to disability both in their church and their community. We hope that churches will be challenged to see their central role in responding to disability. To assist this process we will connect them with various resources to promote inclusion
2) Create a functional network of Christian programs working in disability including:
• Establishing a directory of Christian programs working in disability
• Facilitating referral links between churches-hospitals-health programs
• Establishing a channel for sharing ideas, resources and programs
• Establish local Christian disability alliances

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