I grew up with a sister with Down syndrome and have a son with level 3 autism. So I know that how people treat our loved one with a disability makes a difference for the whole family. That’s why true disability ministry doesn’t just serve one person—it serves every family member. Making space at church for the family member with a disability allows each family member to attend. If the church we attended when I was growing up didn’t welcome my sister, I wouldn’t have been able to attend either. It would have changed my family for generations. But thankfully, my whole family could attend, and churches now can have this whole-family approach to disability ministry as well.
Here are resources to help you serve each family member in a special-needs family:
- Creating Family Care Plans, Key Ministry: The Podcast ep. 91
- Resources to support typical siblings
- Unexpected Blessings: The Joys and Possibilities of Life in a Special-Needs Family
- Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities
