The Crossway Podcast How to Get Started on Disability Ministry (No Matter How Big Your Church Is) (Sandra Peoples)
Oct 13, 2025
Sandra Peoples, a disability ministry consultant and adjunct professor, dives into the importance of including people with disabilities in church communities. She shares her personal journey, emphasizing how her family's experiences shaped her ministry. Sandra highlights a practical three-step framework for inclusion: approach families, ask about their needs, and adjust church practices. She underscores the significance of seeing individuals beyond their disabilities and offers tips for nurturing belonging, even in resource-limited settings.
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From Sibling To Parent: A Lifelong Journey
- Sandra grew up with a sister with Down syndrome and later had a son diagnosed with autism, shaping her lifelong experience with disability.
- Those personal experiences drove her to help churches include and serve families with disabilities effectively.
Disability As A Biblical Motif
- Disability appears as a recurring theme throughout Scripture and shows God's care for marginalized people.
- Jesus' healings both addressed physical needs and restored people into community, offering a model for churches to emulate.
Disability Is Impairment Plus Social Response
- Disability includes both impairments and social responses that create barriers to participation.
- Churches must address functional needs and social reactions to enable full inclusion.
