Ensuring No One is Left Behind on the Path of Faith

Ever wondered how individuals with intellectual disabilities can forge a deep, meaningful connection with Christ and partake in His mission? Join me, Tracie Corll on a profound exploration into inclusive ministry, where we affirm that the path to discipleship and the Great Commission is open to all. Our latest conversation unveils the church's pivotal role in mentoring and providing accessible teaching methods, ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey of faith. Through stories from the Gospels, such as the woman who sought healing from Jesus, we discover that an intellectual grasp of theology isn't a prerequisite for a transformative relationship with the Savior.

As we delve into the intricacies of Disability Ministry and Inclusion Practices, it becomes clear that like youth or women's ministries, bespoke strategies are essential to engage and nurture the faith of those with disabilities. We shed light on the sensory experiences and alternative scripture engagement that can enrich the spiritual lives of individuals with unique learning needs. The episode is a rallying cry for churches to embrace every member, equipping them to know Christ, grow in Him, and contribute their unique gifts to the body of Christ. Tune in to be part of this critical and inspiring discussion on creating a church community where diversity is not just welcomed but celebrated.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Hi, my name is Tracy Corral 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 world-changing ideas. Hello and welcome to this episode of Indispensable People.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Today we're going to talk about one of the most asked questions when it comes to disability ministry. The biggest thing that most people want to know, especially when it comes to ministry because it is our aim, it is our goal is that can people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ who have an intellectual disability? What if they don't understand? What if they can't follow the directions and can't understand the scriptures? What if, what if, what, if? And there are so many questions that surround this and, honestly, it's completely understandable. But let's take a look at it from a bigger perspective and take into some consideration the scriptures and some proof and understanding that God himself gave us. So the first question that we need to answer before we really get into the realm of disability is what is the Great Commission?

Speaker 1: 1:56

So Matthew 28, verses 19 through 20, say Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that I have commanded you, and, lo, I am always with you, even to the end of age. Well, first of all, we need to know that this passage is used generally for evangelism and it's definitely appropriate for Christ's words, but sometimes the emphasis is a little bit misplaced. We focus on go, make disciples, baptize and teach, but in the Greek the verb is actually translated into make disciples. So the instructions are go, teach and baptize and explain how the command to make disciples is to be carried out. So make disciples, teach, learn, which may seem to you that this is going to complicate our goal when it comes to individuals with intellectual disabilities, but just remember that God speaks to our hearts. He does not need our intellect. He can grow and change and educate his people in ways and in depths that we'll never understand without the Holy Spirit. So God has given us provision in growing in our knowledge and understanding.

Speaker 1: 3:31

And Hebrews 5, 12 through 14 really pushes that we have to spend time teaching and mentoring and believers so that they will grow and mature in faith. So that means that we're not leaving individuals on their own to help grow and learn right. We are going to come alongside of them, we're going to mentor them, we're going to help them to understand the scriptures, and that is a good part of it. So we're going to make disciples, which means we're going to grow them in their learning and their knowledge of the scriptures. And we're not going right, because we were made for fellowship, we were made to live in community with one another, and that is no different whether we are an individual with a disability or not. And let's add to that that this scripture and the scriptures that I've shared with you thus far, there's no asterisk. There is nothing in there that says, except for the scripture from Matthew, where it says go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, all, all, everyone, go. There's no except for, or don't worry about these guys, any of that kind of stuff. It is want to make sure that we are coming alongside of them and we are supporting them in the best ways that possible.

Speaker 1: 5:29

And we've talked about so many different things through this podcast and through trainings that I've done with churches along the line, that it is our job as the church and as ministers of the gospel to make God's word available, accessible to all people. You know, simplifying if possible, being repetitious, providing hands-on experiences so people can experience the gospel through the five senses seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, all of those kinds of things to help their brain to make more connections so that they better understand God's word. So what is an example from scripture that we can look into that I can share with you that really confirms God's work in people, regardless of their understanding of him, regardless of their intellectual level? And so I want to jump into a little bit of a book that I've been reading recently called Jesus and Disability A Guide to Creating an Inclusive Church, and the author is Chris H Holschoff, and just recently I was reading about the miracles and how that applies to disability ministry.

Speaker 1: 7:11

And specifically where I'm at is I'm is where I'm reading about Jesus, and he is on his way to Jairus's house to help him who he believes his daughter has died or is sick and on his way there Jesus encounters something at first that he's not sure of who it is, except that he knows that power has gone out from him because he's been touched. And so it is the woman with the issue of blood. And she has been afflicted with this issue for years and years and years, and years and years. And so the author of this book describes what she did. It says that Edwards argued that, while this woman may have approached Jesus for either magical or messianic means, jesus was not content to leave this anonymous woman with just a miracle. He wanted a meeting with her. Thus he kept looking until she came forward.

Speaker 1: 8:12

Jesus's faith pronouncement connected her faith to her healing and her saving, and it says so. He's citing another author, edwards, and it says he notes two relevant observations about the actions. First, mark presents in the gospel this woman models that it truly means to follow Jesus. She acted on what she had heard about Jesus. This example represents a discipleship pattern of she heard and then she came and she touched. Pattern of she heard and then she came and she touched. For Edwards, this woman provided an illustration of faith that Jesus recognized and helped her to further ripen as he confronted her once the healing had taken place. Her faith in and perspective of Jesus was altered, not because of the tactile healing. Rather, they were transformed because of a conversation that took place after the healing. I love reading this because it shares so much how she didn't necessarily know or understand what she was doing. She had heard about Jesus and she responded she didn't know all the scriptures, she didn't study the things, she didn't have all the information that she knew she had heard and she acted. And that was really, really important. And I wanted to continue with that and say that the healing of the woman, combined with the new information presented to Jairus, served as an example and a challenge.

Speaker 1: 9:46

Jairus showed faith by coming to Jesus and requesting healing for his daughter. He also saw faith in healing of the hemorrhaging woman. Jesus was asking him to keep believing in his power to heal despite the situation, was asking him to keep believing in his power to heal despite the situation. In other words, it was as if Jesus was telling Jairus you have seen what I can do in a hopeless situation. I've healed someone who was as good as dead, and keep believing I can do the same in your hopeless situation. I think that is so incredible. He used this lady who didn't know, fully understand what was going to happen or how Jesus could help her. She had just heard about him and knew the possibilities, and so she heard, she came and she touched, and then she was healed. And not only was she healed, but he then had a conversation with her that not only healed her physically but also spiritually with her, that not only healed her physically but also spiritually and at the same time, at the same time, this was being used as a testimony to Jairus, who needed healing for his daughter, who at that time he didn't know, but she was dead, and he needed to know that God could work through a hopeless situation.

Speaker 1: 11:01

The book goes on to say with regard to the function of faith in the stories of Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman, two observations can be made. First, jesus set out to purposefully mature the faith of both individuals. Okay, so that's where we're talking about the discipleship, the mentoring, the making disciples, coming alongside of them, teaching them. So he isn't just providing physical healing, he's not just providing spiritual healing, but he's also helping them mature in their faith by what they're experiencing and what they're seeing. So then it goes on to say second, jesus used the display of faith from the once disabled woman to model faith for Jairus.

Speaker 1: 11:45

These two observations can have a profound impact on the church's ability to minister to those who are disabled. A pastor who seeks to lead as Jesus led, will see in the hemorrhaging woman that the opportunity to nurture the faith of a disabled individual. He'll look for occasions where the Holy Spirit can ripen and mature the faith so that it remains strong in all circumstances of life. However, our pastor will also present those who have a disability with the chance to model their faith in church. And it goes on to talk about how sad it is that that often is not the opportunity that's given and that the challenge for a church leader is to use those gifts within the full body. And in doing so they could have given an individual the possibility of modeling the faith to the church.

Speaker 1: 12:45

So it goes so much more beyond the. Can they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Can they learn and mature in their faith? Can they learn and mature in their faith? And because of that, what impact can they have on the church and others around them? And the thing is again we go back to the Great Commission. It was given for everyone. It was not. There's not anything in there that says except for so it is our duty as believers. It is our commands that we received from God to go and make disciples, and that is coming alongside of them, helping them learn.

Speaker 1: 13:34

And the key, the difference in disability ministry really isn't all that different from how we specify specific ministries in our church. Right, we have women's ministry and men's ministry, and youth and children, and we minister to them in specific ways because we know that that's how they learn. So in disability ministry, we're doing the exact same. We are creating an atmosphere in which people can learn in the way that best impacts their ability to learn. So, like I said before, whether that is providing a sensory environment or giving opportunities to learn in different ways and hear the scriptures differently, see the scriptures differently, experience the scriptures in a way that helps them to learn their best, those are all opportunities that are real and available and are not optional.

Speaker 1: 14:36

Right, and we go back to knowing that Jesus speaks to the heart of his people. He doesn't need our intelligence and thankfully that is the case for all of us. He speaks to us through his Holy Spirit and he shows us things that we would not have seen or known or recognized on our own. However, he does call believers to come alongside of others and to help them to know and understand. In becoming mentors and teachers and leaders.

Speaker 1: 15:14

There are so many opportunities to live life out together so that we are all growing and maturing in our faith, so that we can glorify God in all that we do. And that is the goal Know God, live your life for God and help others to know him. And we can do that in the best ways that work and learn and provide opportunities for growth and maturity, based on the individuals that we serve and the needs that they have. 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. Thank you, you.