Identifying Barriers and Building Pathways to Belonging for People with Disabilities in the Church – Matt McCraney

Army Chaplain and special needs dad Matt McCraney joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about how the body of Christ can better embrace people living with disabilities. Bringing personal, biblical, and academic perspectives, Matt identifies barriers that keep disabled people from finding their places of belonging in the church and he offers practical ways Christians can better demonstrate the love of Jesus to those living with disability. 

Matt McCraney has served as an Army Chaplain for 17 years and is a devoted father to a child with autism. He holds a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Married to his wife Sarah for 20 years, Matt is the proud father of four children and the owner of a beloved dog named Appa.

As Matt says: “Sundays are incredibly difficult for families with a disabled child, often because of the attitudes and assumptions of members. To welcome these families, we need to reexamine how we understand disability and bring our thinking in line with the Bible on this critical issue.”

Read Matt’s articles:

“I Hate Sundays”: Why Disabled Families Are Absent from Church and What We Can Do to Start Welcoming them Back

More than Bodies: Examining our Assumptions about Disability

Faith on the Spectrum: Reimagining Discipleship Expectations for Children with Autism

KEY QUESTIONS:

• Who can you encourage this week by simply reaching out to connect?
• What assumptions do you make about people with disabilities in your midst—are there mindsets that need to shift to align with God’s love for all people, regardless of disability?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

• Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
• John 9:3: “‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” 

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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

 

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.