What can we do to make our churches more inclusive for our disabled and neurodiverse communities?
Dr. Lamar Hardwick’s fantastic book “Disability And The Church: A Vision For Diversity And Inclusion” provides insights into the life of a pastor with autism and ways that churches can begin removing barriers for people on the autism spectrum or those with any other disability.
Dr. Hardwick reminds us that “people with disabilities live in a world that is not built for them. And the vast majority of churches are not built with disabled bodies in mind.”
His book provides insights into many of the barriers that churches have unintentionally created for people with disabilities (especially invisible disabilities) — and steps that churches need to take to build a more empathetic church culture.
Dr. Hardwick says “affirmation of people with disabilities in the church begins with making the type of accommodations necessary for them to be able to pursue their God-given calling (172). And his book is chockfull of practical insights for ministry leaders who want to make their spiritual homes more inclusive for disabled people (and how to get funding for disability ministries).
Dr. Hardwick doesn’t just provide a strategies for church leaders on ways to build more inclusive spiritual homes, he also provides us with a view of church and spirituality through the eyes of disability. He writes about the importance of disability theology and reminds us on how the crucifixion of Jesus reveals a God who is disabled (and what the permanent scars after the resurrection signifies).
You can get your copy of Disability and the Church from InterVarsity Press or any of your favorite online bookstores.
Podcast Conversation: Dr. Lamar Hardwick
In this podcast, we learn from Dr. Lamar Hardwick about what it feels like to grow up with undiagnosed autism and what led him to pursue autism testing in his mid-thirties. He talks about what it meant to receive the autism diagnosis and ways he processed the information. He also discusses the autism grief cycle, how to love and care for people with autism, and how to combat the stigma of autism at church. Dr. Hardwick also shares key insights for ministry leaders on ways to remove barriers at church for those with invisible disabilities and how disability theology gives us an important lens for viewing God and our Bibles.
I pray this conversation helps us all grow in more awareness, acceptance and advocacy for our disabled communities. You can subscribe or download this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe to the video series on YouTube.
You can listen (or download) the complete podcast here:
Here are some video clips from our conversation:
• Masking & Blending in the Crowd
• Autism & Social Cues
• Autism Assessments & Testing
• Receiving an Autism Diagnosis
• Autism Grief Cycle: Coping with Grief After Diagnosis
• Caring for People with Autism
• Combatting the Stigma of Autism at Church
• Unintentional Barriers to Belonging at Church
• Supporting Families with Children with ASD
• How to Create Safe Spaces at Church
• Disability Theology
• Our Disabled God
You can catch the full video with Dr. Lamar Hardwick on Autism, Inclusion & The Church here.
Dr. Lamar Hardwick
Lamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty University), also known as “the autism pastor,” is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He writes and speaks frequently on the topic of disability, especially autism, and he is the author of the best-selling book I Am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic Pastor.
Check out the full archive of past episodes on spirituality, social justice, and scriptures here.
