As a pastor who is learning to navigate life with my own autism diagnosis as well as lead a church, I am often asked by special-needs families how to find a church that can help meet their spiritual needs. What are some of the ways that families can determine if the environment is right for the development of a healthy, Christ-centered ministry to the special-needs/disability community?

Creating the right environment and culture for disability inclusion will be challenging, but I have found there are four top characteristics of churches that are already headed in the right direction.

People over programs. Churches that value people over programs have an environment that is conducive to creating a great special-needs ministry. More often than not, churches in the beginning stages may be unable to provide the required resources for a complete special-needs ministry. However, a church that prioritizes people over programming normally has the proper attitude, even if they currently lack the proper accommodations. I learned this valuable lesson a few years ago when a church I pastored adjusted an entire summer program to ensure that it met the needs of one family with special- needs children.

Adapted from Disability and the Church by Lamar Hardwick. Copyright © 2021 by Lamar Hardwick. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com