Accessible Church : A Gospel-centered Vision for Including People With Disabilities and Their Families

How Churches of Every Size Can Create Inclusive Ministry Spaces for People with Disabilities

An estimated one in 5 households has a child with a disability. Many of these families miss out on church due to a lack of physical or social accommodations. And while ministry leaders want to help, they often don’t know how to with limited space, budget, and trained volunteers. Churches must understand the challenges that disability families face so they can remove barriers to biblical fellowship.
 
Sandra Peoples, a disability ministry consultant and professor, has equipped hundreds of churches, large and small, to reach children and teens who have various cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and behavioral and mental health diagnoses. Caring for disabled family members of her own, she understands what it takes to create a welcoming, inclusive space that supports children with a variety of diagnoses into adulthood. Through expert advice and practical examples, she shows ministry leaders how they can make their spaces―and the gospel―accessible to all.

• Practical: Features creative ways that churches can adapt their teaching style, classrooms, safety policies, and more to accommodate special needs families
• Written by an Experienced Consultant and Professor: Peoples draws from her years of expertise as well as her personal experience as a caregiver
• A Great Resource for Churches and Families: Ideal for pastors and volunteers in children’s ministry, family ministry, disability ministry, and more, as well as parents of children with disabilities
• Addresses a Variety of Needs: Including Down syndrome, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma-related issues
• Includes a Foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada

Sandra Peoples (MDiv) is the disability ministry consultant for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and an adjunct professor for the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University, teaching classes in disability ministry. Sandra is currently a PhD student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her family live outside Houston, Texas. You can connect with her at sandrapeoples.com.

Joni Eareckson Tada is CEO of Joni and Friends, a gospel-driven ministry that serves the practical and spiritual needs of people with disabilities around the world. She is also an artist and the author of numerous bestselling books, including Joni; A Place of Healing; and When God Weeps. Joni and her husband, Ken, reside in Calabasas, California.