The secular and religious reasons for church and community partnerships: A challenge to current thin

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The secular and religious reasons for church and
community partnerships A challenge to current
thinking

• Jeff McNair, Ph.D.
• California Baptist University

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The problem

• . . . Religion may serve as an important
  resource and ally in the therapeutic process.
  (Pargament Park, 1995)
• Although many parents of children with
  developmental delays talk about the pervasiveness
  of religion as a cultural theme in their everyday
  lives, this fact is not reflected in the
  literature.
• (Weisner, Beizer Stolze, 1991)

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Is there a religious interest?

• 60 of individuals with disabilities from
  religious families (McNair Rusch, 1998)
• 50 individuals with mental retardation attend
  church (McNair Smith, 2000, Kregel et al.,
  1986, Schalock, 1981)

• 81 of parents use religious beliefs to feel
  better
• 65 of parents say religion moderately helpful
  to most important thing that keeps me going (29)
  
• (Rogers, et al., 2002)

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Real integration

• If agencies are serious about embedding people
  with disabilities in the community as opposed to
  just having them live there, then they must
  assist people in making connections. A
  tremendous potential source of natural
  relationships for people . . . is the church,
  parish, synagogue or mosque. Some group home
  staff members have missed opportunities to enrich
  the lives . . . and increase the number of
  nonpaid relationships they experience by failing
  to be more open to and creative about, connecting
  people to neighborhood churches or reconnecting
  people to the church in which they have grown
  up.
• (Hoeksema, 1995)

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What do most people do?

• Normative structures in social experience
  (Rappaport, 1993)
• Structures experienced by most individuals in
  society
• Princeton Religion Research Center
• attended church in the last 7 days

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The Importance of Networks

• Its not what you know, its who you know!
• How is someone integrated?
• Parent/Family/Friend network
• 40-60 of people attend church regularly

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Mediating Structures (Berger Neuhaus, 1977)
Network
mediating structures
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Types of Networks

• State Supported Network
• Contrived Network
• Existing Network
• Self-developed Network

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State Supported Network



State agencies
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Contrived Network
circle of friends
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Existing Networks
Local churches
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Self-developed Network
Where everybody knows your name
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Why would a state agency take people to a
faith-based group?

• Durable
• Extensive
• Potent
• Natural
• Cost
• Bureaucracy
• Reduplication

• Sensitive to the individual case
• Network philosophy
• Accessible
• Integrated
• Responsibility
• Community position
• (based upon McNair, 2000)

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Why are churches natural places?

• How do many people become connected with a
  community?
• People come from families
• Contain community members
• Interactions are non-paid
• Help all their members
• Faith group guiding principles

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Benefits of Religious Participation

• Religious benefits
• Worship
• Understanding spiritual things
• Personal growth
• Social benefits
• Friendships
• Recreation opportunities

• Responsibility
• Opportunities for service
• Benefits of being a part of a network
• Vocation
• Independent living

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Spiritual Growth

• Greater understanding of right and wrong
• Increased reliance on God
• Behavioral changes
• Anger
• Language
• Compassion
• Service

• Perception of growth
• Participation in church traditions
• Baptism
• Communion
• Service

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Ensuring Spirituality Issues are Addressed

• On one level, not your role . . .
• Person/Family/Friend identifies
• On another level, is your role . . .
• Must ask the question, Are you interested?
• Tremendous potential benefits to people who
  choose to be involved so they . . .
• Must know they have the choice
• Must know the options they have
• Must be given the opportunity to try out programs

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For more information . . .

• The Center for the Study of Religion and
  Disability
• http//www.jeffmcnair.com
• To download powerpoint, go to
• http//www.jeffmcnair.com/Lectures/MTI.ppt