Here is a bonus newsletter for this week.
Thank you to everyone who attended my breakout at the Disability & Church Tour Stop in Jacksonville. I appreciated the opportunity to share these thoughts with you. I hope this article will serve as a helpful resource as we seek to help pastors and churches grow in their understanding of disability ministry. If you need any further assistance or would like any additional resources please feel free to reach out.
Here are the slides from my presentation.
Introduction: Move Toward the Gap
“For the love of Christ controls us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
In 2 Corinthians 5:14–21, Paul gives us three movements that shape how we approach disability ministry: love, seeing people rightly, and representing Christ.
The love of Christ controls us. We are no longer to regard anyone according to the flesh. We are ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.
There are two gaps that reconciliation calls us to cross. One is the gap between the pulpit and the pew. The other is the gap between able-bodied families and families affected by disability.
We must move toward the gap.
As disability ministry advocates, we often see the barriers that keep people with disabilities and their families from participating in the life of the church. We want pastors to see those barriers and help remove them. But before we ask more of pastors, we need to remember something important.
Pastors are people before they are pastors.
Pastors Are People
Pastors are shepherds, sinners, sufferers, and image bearers. They are human beings who experience the weight of ministry.
Many pastors are highly stressed, work long hours, and experience burnout. Ministry affects their families, too.
We need to remember this before we approach them about disability ministry.
It is easy to look at our pastors and see all the things they are not doing. We see the barriers that remain, the needs that are not being met, and what needs to change.
But we must see the pastor before we see the position.
Paul writes, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 5:16). This applies to the way we regard pastors, too.
A pastor is not merely a position, a resource, or an obstacle. He is a person.
If we are going to help pastors become more engaged in disability ministry, we must begin by seeing them as people and moving toward them in love.
Understand the Tension
There is a significant tension between what pastors believe about disability inclusion and what families with disabilities experience.
My presentation cited figures indicating that 98% of U.S. Protestant pastors say a person with a disability would feel welcomed in their church, while 45% of families with disabilities have left at least one church because they were not welcomed.
These figures illustrate a troubling disconnect. Pastors may believe their churches are welcoming, while families experience something very different.
We need to help bridge that gap.
Not every pastor is in the same place, however. In my presentation, I drew on a study to identify four categories of pastors and consider what each needs from disability ministry advocates.
1. Equipped and Engaged
These pastors are already engaged in disability ministry. They have some knowledge and experience, and they are actively working to make their churches more inclusive.
What do they need from us?
Partnership.
Be a vocal supporter.
Encourage the ministry.
Share successes.
Come alongside these pastors and help make their efforts visible. Encourage the work they are doing and share their successes with others.
Pastors need to know that they are not working alone.
2. Intrigued but Inexperienced
These pastors are interested in disability ministry but lack experience. They may recognize the need without knowing how to respond.
Their questions may sound something like this: “I don’t know how.”
They need exhortation.
Invite them into friendship.
Share your struggles.
Share good resources.
Do not assume that interest automatically produces understanding. A pastor may be intrigued by disability ministry and genuinely want to help, but he may not know where to begin.
Invite him into a relationship. Let him learn from your experiences and share resources that will help him take the next step.
Do not overwhelm him with everything he needs to know. Help him grow in understanding and confidence over time.
3. Called but Constrained
These pastors may have a desire to serve people with disabilities, but something is holding them back. They may lack the time, resources, staffing, or support necessary to move forward.
They need faith.
Be a friend.
Show up.
Help carry the load.
Sometimes a pastor needs someone to help make the need visible. He may need assistance identifying practical next steps or finding the resources necessary to address a barrier.
Do not simply tell him what needs to happen. Help him do it.
4. Overextended and Unsure
Some pastors are already stretched thin. They are uncertain how to begin and may feel that disability ministry is one more responsibility they cannot carry.
They need love.
Provide backup.
Support his family.
Invite him into your life.
Love him.
Do not become another burden. Become a brother or sister.
These four categories remind us that there is no single approach to gaining pastoral buy-in. We need to understand the pastor, identify the barriers he faces, and respond with the kind of support he needs.
Identify the Real Barriers
There are four primary barriers that may keep a pastor from moving forward in disability ministry.
Knowledge: “I don’t know how.”
Confidence: “I don’t know if I can.”
Partnership: “I don’t want to do this alone.”
Motivation: “I don’t know if it is worth it.”
These barriers require different responses.
A pastor who does not know how to begin needs resources and practical instruction. A pastor who lacks confidence needs encouragement and opportunities to learn. A pastor who does not want to work alone needs partnership. A pastor who questions whether the work is worthwhile needs help seeing why disability ministry matters to the mission of the church.
Before we ask more of pastors, we should take the time to understand what is holding them back.
Share Your Burden Before Your Vision
One of the most important principles in gaining pastoral buy-in is this:
Share your burden before your vision.
We often approach pastors with a vision for what we want to accomplish. We have ideas, plans, and programs we want them to support.
But before we ask them to embrace our vision, we need to build a relationship and establish trust.
Start with friendship. Know them. Listen to them. Walk with them.
Do not make disability ministry a project.
We must be willing to share our own struggles and allow pastors to know us personally. We need to build relationships in which we can speak honestly about the barriers we encounter and the challenges we face.
Simon Sinek has said, “We don’t build trust by offering help, but by asking for help.”
There is something important in that principle. We often approach pastors as though we are there to provide all the answers. But trust can grow when we allow pastors to minister to us, too.
Let the pastor minister to you.
We are not simply bringing something to the pastor. We are seeking a relationship in which we can serve one another.
Connect Disability Ministry to the Church’s Vision
Pastors are responsible for leading their churches toward the mission Christ has given them. If we want to gain pastoral buy-in, we need to help them see how disability ministry connects to that mission.
Jesus commanded his disciples to make disciples of all nations.
Disability ministry is not a competing vision. It is discipleship.
We are not asking the church to abandon its mission to pursue something unrelated. We are asking the church to consider how it can faithfully make disciples among people with disabilities and their families.
Disability ministry belongs within the church’s broader work of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, and pastoral care.
When we connect disability ministry to the church’s vision, we help pastors see that this is not simply another program to manage. It is part of the work Christ has already given his church.
Connect It to Scripture
In 2 Corinthians 5:18–20, Paul describes the ministry of reconciliation and calls believers ambassadors for Christ.
This passage gives us a framework for disability ministry.
We represent Christ. We pursue reconciliation. We move toward people.
We should not regard people according to the flesh, reducing them to their disabilities or the accommodations they require. We must see the person before the disability.
We should also see the pastor before the position. And we should see the church as a family to be reconciled, not a problem to be solved.
This changes the way we approach the work.
We are not simply trying to convince pastors to adopt a ministry model. We are seeking to help them lead their churches in representing Christ and pursuing reconciliation with people who may have been overlooked or excluded.
Ensure Pastors Have Your Full Support
Pastors need to know that we are willing to support them in practical ways.
That support can be financial, practical, relational, and spiritual.
Sometimes we can provide direct assistance. Sometimes we can connect a pastor with someone who has the necessary experience. Sometimes we can help find answers to difficult questions.
We should not expect pastors to have every answer. Disability ministry involves questions that may require specialized knowledge, and we need to be willing to help them find the right resources and people.
Our support should also extend beyond the ministry itself. We should encourage pastors personally, care about their families, and build friendships that are not dependent on what they can do for disability ministry.
The point is not simply to get the pastor to approve our plans. It is to come alongside him as he seeks to shepherd his church faithfully.
Move Toward the Gap
As we seek to gain pastoral buy-in for disability ministry, we need to remember the three movements of 2 Corinthians 5:14–21.
Love controls us. We regard no one according to the flesh. We represent Christ as his ambassadors.
We must see the person before the disability and the pastor before the position. We must see the church as a family to be reconciled, not a problem to be solved.
So move toward the gap.
Partner with pastors who are equipped and engaged. Exhort those who are intrigued but inexperienced. Have faith in those who are called but constrained, helping them carry the load. And love those who are overextended and unsure.
Do not become another burden. Become a brother or sister.
Our goal is not merely to gain approval for disability ministry. It is to help churches grow in their understanding of Christ’s calling and become places where people with disabilities and their families can participate in the life of the body.
May the love of Christ control us as we pursue that work together.
Here are some additional articles that may be a helpful resource for those in disability ministry.
Hey Pastor, can I talk to you?
Don’t Abandon the Body for its Parts
The Body of Christ is Disabled
Who is missing from your church who is already there?
I write two essays a week here on the topics of faith, culture, disability, theology, ministry from the perspective of a Pastor who is also a disability Father.
So good, Cody! Thanks for making this available!