Why Your Men’s Ministry Must Include Men with Disabilities

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One in five people in the United States suffer from a disability¹

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines disability as “a physical or mental condition that makes it difficult for somebody to do some things most other people can do.” The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines disability as “long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder [a person’s] full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau provide these categories for determining disabilities:

• Visual (blind or has serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses)
• Hearing (deaf or has serious difficulty hearing
• Cognitive (serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions because of a physical, mental or emotional condition)
• Ambulatory (serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs)
• Self-care (difficulty dressing or bathing)
• Independent living (difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition)

Often a men’s ministry can overlook men with disabilities

Here are three dangers which arise from this unfortunate pattern:

1. A men’s ministry can view men with disabilities as “less than”

God uniquely fashioned each human being and each must be highly valued. Unfortunately, in our current culture those gifted with good looks or athletic ability or the ability to earn a lot of money are often highlighted and elevated as blessed by God. We fall into the trap of believing in the Eastern myth of karma. The Gospel of John includes this teachable moment: “As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:1-3) Let us remember people who have disabilities should not be defined by their disabilities alone … they are persons loved by God and created in His image. In fact, the Scriptures state, “… those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…” (1 Corinthians 12:22)

2. A men’s ministry can exclude men with disabilities from participating in certain events

As men’s ministry leaders we need to make certain we are offering a variety of events and activities. It is easy to slip into the model of always offering outdoor hiking, camping, fishing, or climbing activities. Ask yourself, “If a visitor in a wheelchair were to participate in our men’s ministries, are there a variety of activities with which he would feel comfortable?” Perform a disability audit on your church or parish physical space. Are your areas A.D.A. (Americans with Disability Act) compatible? Can men physically get into the choir loft? Are the worship services accessible for deaf participants? Are there parking attendants who can assist families who have members in wheelchairs? These barriers provide wonderful volunteer opportunities for those in your men’s ministry.

3. A men’s ministry can project a skewed version of masculinity if there are few to no men with disabilities participating in it

Again, 1 in 5 American’s have a disability. Do our men’s ministries reflect this reality? It’s easy to slip into the American mindset which holds men must be physically strong, we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, and we must never show weakness. However, this is not Jesus’ or the Scriptural take. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Jesus’ heart is always for the hurting and broken. He went throughout his ministry on earth healing people with disabilities and the sick. We must teach men, “You are strong when you reach out and lend a helping hand to a widow, single mom, or orphan.” In fact, James calls this type of outreach “… religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

A key passage to consider when ministering to disabled men in a men’s ministry

“For the body is not one part, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one part, where would the body be?  But now there are many parts, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another.  And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:14-27)

May God bless you as you consider ways of reaching out and including more men in your ministry who have disabilities. Surely no passage in Scripture better summarizes the balance we should seek than what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians when he penned these words:

For a deeper dive into this topic of disability and community in the Church check out this new book

One Body, One Spirit by Paul Pettit and B. Jason Epps (Kregel Publications, 2024)  https://www.amazon.com/One-Body-Spirit-Disability-Community/dp/0825447925

© Dr. Paul Pettit

This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.

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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom

and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.

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1. “Approximately one in five people in the United States live with a disability. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 19% of the U.S. population reported having a disability in the most recent American Community Survey (ACS).” ChatGPT response to prompt “Do one if five people in the United States suffer from a disability?”