Church and the Disabled

[Angela53510]

I am disabled, although not all the time. Just when the meds fail, I have to use a wheelchair. I have tried to be faithful in my church attendance, but I had to give up my Ladies Morning Out group, because I am so stiff and unable to move most of the morning, when the Bible Study and Fellowship are happening. I don't expect them to change the whole schedule of the 60 women who attend, nor the child care workers etc, etc. But maybe I should? Hmm!

I think our church does really well with disabilities. We have an elevator, which was installed from day 1. I use it, a lot of old people use it, and of course those in wheelchairs. I have a good relationship with one of our wheelchair members, who volunteers in the same long term care facility where I am a chaplain.

We also have a big ministry to the deaf, including Sunday interpreters and Bible studies for them. But there is always work to be done! This article is about the mentally handicapped, and how much they can give to us. But only if we are inclusive of disabled people.

Including People with Disabilities In Your Church | Amy Julia Becker | A blog by Amy Julia Becker on Faith, Family, and Disability.

So what are you and your church doing to help the disabled in order to fellowship and contribute to the body of Christ? What are you personally doing to be inclusive of disabled people, especially Christians?

 

[RedTent]

What a huge question for Christians, today. We have mega churches, our populations are huge. Rather than the smaller home based families of God that scripture talks about, we try to include all of Muslims, the drug culture, the people who have been sexually immoral, the homosexuals, the homeless.

Our saved are ignored. As an example, I am completely ignored by my church except for a ride to a Thursday bible class. I need a prescription, have no idea how to get it. I am saved by the Lord, I am OK, but my needs are ignored. My church gives to the unsaved. Perhaps that is right.

Before I became needy, I don't remember turning my back on needs around me. Yet I must have done it. I don't remember helping anyone. I didn't know.

In my neighborhood, I just found that a neighbor has become paranoid in her old age. She has no family. She stopped the car I was in to tell us of terrible dangers to her. What does God want me to do about it?

 

[kayem77]

My church has a deaf ministry...and I think that's the only thing we have for people with disabilities. We don't need an evelator for people in wheelchairs because there are no stairs to the sanctuary.

 

[UpstateNYChristianBro]

Cool subject here! This is great because I have been searching for people on here who are Deaf. Just a couple who say they are.. but seemly not much contact. Anyway..the church I have been since going has a Deaf Ministry. It is about 8 to 12 Deaf people but really you count some hearing people who are interpreters. So the count is really about 6 to 8 actual Deaf people. It is mainstreamed in Hearing Church.

The pastor also founded his missions organization and I was on the board of directors for six years and had voting powers, etc. I went on missions with him to Central America four times. We were able to establish TEN new Deaf Ministries there. It is awesome to go there. We also had Deaf camps.

It is successful there since I went there first time in 1997.

However, I am attending a different church because of many things not right with the church I just told you about. They have faced spiritual warfare and problems among with Deaf people.

I am more of a "hearing person" than a Deaf person by the means of personality, and attitude. I use my voice more than signs and thats a turn off to Deaf people. I also had problems with Deaf people and a Hearing woman there..

I do not need to explain more but it is very difficult for me to start up a new Deaf Ministry in another church. The one I was going in more recent years is not doing what they are supposed to do. Very difficult.

I do need a faithful group of interpreters to attend, not making excuses like the one I was going in more recent years. And needs to make it more active and interactive since I have a problem: can not watch interpreter for more than 10 mins. (same problems in schooling/college that I go right to sleep).

The first church I mentioned also has other problems that they do not seem to accept people of other races. I had an interpreter who is black and she stated that they not want her. She left there and found another church she is happy to be in but not as interpreter.

When I relocate to a new town, LORD willing, I will attend a new Deaf Church or Deaf Ministry but with watchful and set back. I mean not want any more problems like I had with the old church I attended.

I noticed the pattern that churches seem not understand and not accepting Deaf people. They need to understand and needs a lot of education on this. That is a whole another subject to talk another time.