Research Partners Provide Data for New Resources

Dr. Eric Carter heads the Baylor Collaborative on Faith and Disability which exists to nurture difference-making scholarship that advances the belonging of disabled persons and their families in the life of the local church. He and the team visited with Access Youth Ministry recently to discuss past and current research projects in order to collaborate on research driven training material for youth workers and ministries toward our goal of disability inclusive youth ministry.

Two of their past projects, Incomplete Without You, Carter 2021, and The Belonging Church Guide, Baylor Collaborative May 2024, have already provided the basis for our new three part micro training for youth workers and their student leaders.

Some of the key findings include:

• Disability is a Normal Part of Life - Incomplete Without You.

  • About 1 in 5 Americans has a disability and some estimates indicate that 97% of them are not connected to the Church

• Faith is Deeply Important to Disabled Individuals and Their Families - Incomplete Without You.

  • Not only do people with developmental disabilities express a vibrant and authentic faith but their families find emotional and practical strength through church participation.

• The Church Benefits from Inclusion - Incomplete Without You

  • However, the Church’s response is often uneven. Many families have left churches because they felt unwelcome.

  • Congregations that embrace disabled members become stronger, more joyful and ultimately, more Christ-like.

  • Inclusion fosters mutual service, friendship, and a clearer understanding of God’s love.

• 10 Core Dimensions of Belonging and 8 Practical Steps for Inclusion - The Belonging Church Guide

  • Using this framework can guide youth ministries to assess how they love and disciple disabled youth.

We are thrilled to participate in this work with the team at Baylor and excited for two of their current research projects, Bridges to Belonging: Accessible Ministry with Youth and Young Adults and Church Stories: Learning from Parents of Children and Youth with Disabilities. These multi year projects will deliver even more important data as we seek to help churches and ministries include disabled youth.