Indispensable People
Making the Gospel Accessible to people of ALL abilities so that they may know Christ, grow in Him, and serve Him with the gifts He has given them.
Indispensable People
Why Discipleship Isn't Optional for Anyone
We explore the crucial topic of discipleship for people with disabilities and why it's not optional in the spiritual journey. Examining how churches typically respond to disability ministry, we unpack the importance of genuine inclusion beyond simply opening doors.
• Many churches either claim they're "already doing that," are unsure how to proceed, or haven't considered disability ministry
• Fear of the unknown often prevents meaningful inclusion, potentially losing entire families
• People with disabilities don't need to earn their value - it comes from being created in God's image
• Salvation is a connection between a person and God, not dependent on intellectual capacity
• Discipleship can include picture memory verses, communication devices, and mentoring relationships
• One-on-one relationships are the most effective way to facilitate spiritual growth
• Understanding how someone learns and processes information is key to effective discipleship
For deeper dives into these topics and more, check out indispensable-people.com and visit Amazon to purchase the books "The Indispensable Kid" and "Gospel, Accessibility and the Indispensable People."
Hi, my name is Tracy Correll and welcome to Indispensable People. I'm a wife, mom, teacher, pastor and missionary and I believe that every person should have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given, no matter their ability. Over 65 million Americans have a disability. That's 25% of the population. However, over 80% of them are not inside the walls of our church. Let's dive into those hard topics biblical foundations, perceptions and welcome to this episode of Indispensable People. Today we're talking about some vertical habits. Sounds a little strange, but let me get into it. Habits Sounds a little strange, but let me get into it.
Speaker 1:I'm reading this book by Barbara Newman and it is called Accessible Gospel Inclusive Worship, and in chapter four it starts off by posing a question. It says salvation is it the beginning or the end? Once we step into that new place of belonging to Christ, what is next? Most people involved in evangelism are quick to comment that evangelism and discipleship walk hand in hand. Once we are a child of God, it's so important to put ourselves in places where God can continue the transformation in our lives. So I wanted to talk with you about this today because, first of all, there are so many belief systems that come into serving people with disabilities and those belief systems kind of derail because they don't line up with Scripture. And so, yes, salvation is absolutely, incredibly important. It is the security of eternity, it is a choice to live a life after Christ. But what does that mean for someone with a disability? Well, first of all, I could tell you that on many occasions the church as a whole has responded in a couple of ways. I have explained or shared with you before that I'm a missionary and I get to serve within local churches and train local churches and talk with them about serving people with disabilities, and oftentimes, when we encounter pastors, you kind of get one of three responses One oh hey, we're already doing that. We've got some families. Let me tell you about them. Okay, so that's one. And that varies in a multitude of ways. Maybe it's they have a program which is actually probably the least likely. It could be that that person participates with their family in church services and that kind of stuff. It could be a little bit of both where they are trying to minister, but maybe they don't fit in all the places, but more likely.
Speaker 1:Here are the other two things that we hear, which are one. We have thought about that, we've talked about it, but we're not really sure how to go about it. And then the last one being it's not really something we've considered. Now I don't think in any of those contexts anyone is a terrible person and trying to do the wrong thing. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know, and so and we've talked about this before fear of the unknown creeps in and people are unsure of how to do it and, honestly, they don't want to do it wrong, so they just don't do it at all. But that's not serving anyone in that respect, and they're not growing as a church, they're not open to the whole body of Christ. And, um, we're probably losing people, because if a parent can't attend because their child can't attend, then we not only lost a person, but we lost most likely a whole family. And so we have to get past that part first.
Speaker 1:Right, that's primary, like open the door, be welcoming, value these people, because that's what scripture says. I don't have to walk in and necessarily earn my value in any place that I go, and it's not because I have or don't have a disability. It's, again, because my value is found in Jesus Christ and that is my value and my worth, and so I don't have to prove it to anyone, and neither do these families or the individuals impacted by disability. And so we want to be cautious and careful, in the sense that we want to earn our way into salvation, which we know we can't right. It's a free gift given by God with a plan and a purpose for life, and so the first step is open the doors, be welcoming, choose to see the value in the people that God has created, choose to see the purpose, because if they have breath in their lungs, they have purpose, because God said so. And also what's next, once we have opened the door and made the welcome and given the opportunity to believe that, yes, they can accept Jesus into their life, because that's the next piece, right?
Speaker 1:So many people have said to me well, how do you know they understand? How do you? How do you? How do you, how do you listen? First of all, a person's salvation is between them and God, and God has given us his Holy Spirit and spoken to us in ways that only he can, and so you can have the most eloquent or the most disability-friendly speaker on the stage, but it's really God that's moving and it's his power that's translated and it's his word that hits the heart of his people. So we've opened the doors, we've allowed them in, we believe that salvation is for them and we pray that God will speak to the hearts of his people so that they will receive him. So what's next? Because it doesn't end there, and it doesn't end there even if it seems like they might not understand. It doesn't end there even if it seems like they might not understand. It doesn't end there even if it seems like they might not be able to serve in our regular capacities that we have to offer.
Speaker 1:Discipleship is next, and it is key to a continuing relationship of growing. The sanctification process is for every person. It's not going to look the same. The modes are going to be different, the strategies might not be the same. However, the discipleship process should be happening and it can look like a multitude of things. Okay, it can be picture memory verses, visual memory verses. It could be singing the song. It could be pointing to answers that they have learned about from a story. It could be praying over and participating, laying hands on while praying, all of those kinds of things. It could be written prayers. It could be prayers developed on a communication device. It could be led word for word, repeated prayers. It could be so many different things. It can be Bible studies in small groups. It could be disability or special needs ministry, specific services or small groups. It could be mentorship, one-on-one guidance and direction.
Speaker 1:Right now I'm so excited. There is a gentleman in my church that has developed a really great friendship with one of our individuals that attend our respite and he called a couple of weeks ago and he said, hey, would it be okay if so-and-so and I got together. We've really been talking about the scriptures and he's growing, and so I just wanted to spend a little bit more time with him and I said, absolutely, as long as you have parent permission and guidance and direction, please, and thank you. That's huge, that's ginormous. This gentleman is coming to me and sharing scriptures with me because he's talked it over and is living his life out in conversations with this gentleman who is investing in him as his mentor. That's exactly what should be happening. So it's in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of investments.
Speaker 1:Now, granted, does he need to consider how that person is receiving information and how he's understanding it and also be able to talk through in the ways that work best for that individual. Do they have to take breaks? Do they have to break things down into chunks so that it's not overwhelming? Absolutely. There are so many ways to do this, but the discipleship process isn't an option. It is a necessity, and I'm going to tell you that utilizing all the strategies and all the tools that we've ever talked about is ideal Visuals, hands-on breaking things down, simplifying, making things into point-by-point situations, applying it to their real life situations.
Speaker 1:But I'm going to tell you there's literally nothing better than that one-on-one relationship.
Speaker 1:Why? Because when you know someone, you know how they learn, you know how they think, you know how they process information, you know how they deal with emotions, you know what they know, so you understand what you can share and what you need to explain. There are so many pieces and parts, but a relationship is the number one key to discipleship, and discipleship is not an option. It is a part of the sanctification process, because we are all all as we follow Christ. We are all on the process and on the path and on the journey of becoming more like Him, day after day after day after day.
Speaker 1:The discipleship process is for everyone? Do I know everything about disability ministry? Do I have all the answers? Have I done everything perfectly? I have absolutely not, but we are going to continue this conversation so that people of all abilities can have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given them. For deeper dives into these topics and more, check out indispensablepeoplecom and visit Amazon to purchase the books the Indispensable Kid and Gospel, accessibility and the Indispensable People Bye.
