Individuals and Families living with any type of disability need support and programs
for the same reasons anyone else does - to stay well, active, and a part of the community.
Is your church meeting the needs of the least of these?
In 2020, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 54 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Roughly 407,236 people in the U.S. live with Down syndrome.
1 in 6 or 17% of children under the age of 18 have developmental disabilities.
Many families spend their entire life fighting for their children to not only have basic necessities in life (insurance, education, care, medical equipment, etc.), but they also fight for inclusivity in their church. This leaves us to wonder, why is it so hard for the church to include this people group? This is where we should experience the most love, the most acceptance, and the most Jesus has to offer.
Ministering to those with special needs is not a matter of “being called” to this type of ministry. Jesus commands us to serve the least of these.
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Then the king will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’” – Matthew 25:40-45
Much of Jesus’ ministry during his time on earth was ministering to the sick, poor, lame, blind….in other words, Jesus was intentional about ministering to individuals who had special needs.
We know that navigating even the slightest idea of a Special Needs ministry in your church can feel overwhelming. We know that sometimes it’s hard to know what to do next, there are so many variations of disability you might be thinking “it’s too expensive”, or “we don’t have enough volunteers”.
As a Pastor, my wife and I have built a Special Needs ministry in multiple churches I’ve pastored, and I spent 3 years working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Colorado where God led me to partner with special needs groups to build inclusivity for those with special needs who have an affinity for sports.
We have a son, Noah, who we advocate for every single day. This is an area of passion and purpose for us.