How to serve and serve along the underserved populations in the disability community within your church or ministry?
Romans 12 Defines Church Culture
We are to be a “living sacrifice.” (Romans 12:1) We are to avoid confirming to the world and be transformed in a renewing mind. (Romans 12:2) We are to think in “sober judgment.” (Romans 12:3) We are to use our God-given gifts to serve. (Romans 12:4) We are to hate what is evil and cling to the good. (Romans 12:9) We are to be devoted to burden each other in love. (Romans 12:10) We are to never lack zeal but be spiritually fervent in serving. (Romans 12:11) We are to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12) We are to share with other believers who are in need and practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13)
Background – Church Community and Disability
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Paul illustrates the dynamics of the Christian church. He uses the human body as a metaphor for the structure of the community. The passages underscore the significance of unity within our differences, however, with the necessity of acknowledging the worth and merit of each member in the body. The church is one body made up of many different people who are united in Christ. God gives each of us a spiritual gift to serve Him, to serve each other, and to serve the wider community.
Four Key Points
We are all different but not less. The church is a community of people wonderfully made–different, but no less. God has blessed us with different skills, experiences, and talents to glorify Him. (John 9:1-3; Matthew 5:16; Romans 19:1-4)
Each person is needed. The church is a community of belonging. God has created us to belong to Him and to each other within the church community beyond our differences. (Psalm 139:14; Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 1:5; Hebrews 4:12)
We are unified in Christ. The church is a community bonded together by the Holy Spirit to serve God, each other, and the wider community. (Ephesians 4:3-6; Philippians 2:1-2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Each person is respected. The church community is not of the world, but a place of value and love for one another in our wonderfully made differences. God makes no mistakes in His creation. (Genesis 1:31)
The Underserved and Aged Out Groups
How does the church address the underserved and aged out groups within their community? Both groups seemingly have no place of belonging in the church. The church community needs to rethink worship, group dynamics, and serving opportunities. The modern church, especially large churches, are too divided by many types of demographics. Why? The Bible shows us a different community. When Jesus was preaching to large masses, people flocked with their disabled loved one. (Jesus healed many.) In Acts, the church is one body, not a group of smaller groups. People worshiped, prayed, and lived together.
John Newton and William Cowper – Amazing Grace
John Newton, author of Amazing Grace lived out amazing grace in his relationship with William Cowper, a man who struggled with paralyzing depression. John encouraged William to write hymns because William was an extraordinary wordsmith. When William subsided into bedridden depression, John brought Wiliam and his bed to his own home. Weeks turned to months as John looked on William with compassion and bore his burdens. John received amazing grace but loved with amazing grace. John didn’t warehouse William in an asylum. He cared for him in the church. What has happened?
Belonging > Inclusion
The modern church has lost the metaphor of the human body. The community is divided by things like separate worship services, small groups, and many other dividing factors. Access ministry is very important, however, the disabled should be seen, heard, and valued. Shake up the church culture by ending inclusion and expanding into belonging. We all belong to Christ. He bought us with a ransom of His blood, shed for our sins. The church should be a welcoming place to belong. Leaders should invite those wonderfully made but different, not less, to serve on the welcome team, worship team, youth and children ministries, and even mission trips. Everyone is center stage worthy. Many disabled don’t want pity or to be cured, just to belong. Churches need both the weak and strong to complete His mission.
Five Areas of Rethinking for the Church
Rethink the worship service to be a time when the whole body can worship together. If worship is more like a concert, parts of the body are not comfortable to worship together, especially elderly, disabled, and children. (Matthew 5; Acts 2)
Rethink worship team demographics and encourage the disabled to audition. Everyone is center stage worthy.
Rethink the volunteer pool demographics and invite the disabled to serve . We can’t understand their gifts without offering an opportunity to serve.
Rethink the small/community groups demographics and reach out to the disabled to join. Enrich groups with people with different voices.
Rethink mission trip teams demographics. Seek those who are the least likely to be on the list of candidates. God called to the meekest to do the impossible. (1 Samuel 16-17)
Larger churches have more separation than smaller ones. I was a member of a small church in central Maryland and a man with downs served as an usher. He went on mission trips to serve alongside the abled to serve the disabled. He loved helping others. He loved hugging others. He belonged in that body, and he was valued and loved.
The secular world seems to have more of a belonging community than the largest churches. The disabled are running businesses, working at all kinds of jobs. The disabled are invited to homecomings, proms, and being crowned by their peers at these events. They are in school plays, performances, etc… Why is the modern church striving to be a place of inclusion instead of a place of belonging for all??
“One thing I wish Christians knew is that we are not broken. And a lot of us don’t want to be changed. We love each other! This is the way we are meant to love our lives. I have countless Christians come and ask if they can pray over me, and then continue with praying and asking God that I would rise and walk, and be healed, when that’s how I was meant to live. I’m okay with it. I love the way I am! Most of us just want you to treat us like you would any “normal” person, because we are normal. Normal humans with normal feelings. Just because we sit instead of stand, that doesn’t change who we are. On the inside, we still love and care the same. ”