Reflections about God and grace from Jabez Ministries
Winter 2025
Hello Ministry Partners!
It’s been a while since a newsletter came out. In searching for ideas, it was suggested that I should highlight what makes Jabez Ministries different from other disability ministries.
It has always been to do with making disciples and leaders out of those who are rarely asked to contribute and usually seen more as objects of care and need, rather than image bearers.
I’m speaking from personal experience and the experiences of others with disabilities. It’s caused me to see that maybe we see the disabled body not as God sees it.
That’s was the starting point for developing how this ministry would work.
The work of Jabez Ministries mission is best summed up in these words by Joni Erickson-Tada:
“A disability ministry isn’t a disability ministry unless the disabled
are ministering”
In September 2012, Jabez Ministries began on the campus of GRCC at the invitation of the GRCC Christian Fellowship, a student group, to start a collaborative initiative to reach out to those students with disabilities who are trying to succeed academically and maintain their faith, or even find their faith for those have no church home.
Exodus 4:11 ESV
“Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
What’s often not spoken of is that God didn’t physically cure Moses either before or after he called him, but provided him with a community that healed him by recognizing his calling from The Lord. People that could speak for him where his mouth had difficulty.
Team Jabez is our ministry team. Consisting of persons with disabilities who are learning how to make disciples as they minister to others with their unique experiences and empathy.
The campus ministry is experiencing a fantastic response of students. We’ve had large turnouts whenever we had fellowship on campus. More and more, people are being discipled by persons with unique vision and skill that says it’s not about your ability, but discovering how God is equipping you.
Persons with disabilities are ministering.
they’re ministering to the campus of Grand Rapids Community College.
Inwardly, we’re grateful that God has called us to this ministry and has equipped us with stories of grace that we can share. Outwardly, we step out in faith according to our shared experiences as people with disabilities.
Thank you and Blessings,
In His Name and in His Service,
Rev. Peter J. Gordon
Pastor and Executive Director Jabez Ministries
Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
1 Chronicles 4:10
