There is a powerful quote by one of America’s foremost evangelists, Dwight L. Moody, which states, “The man who makes no sacrifice for his church will soon make none for his God.”

Whether a person attends church regularly or may feel like an outsider because enough attention has not been placed on specific individuals, or programs and activities were not inclusive, there is no reason under the sun for anyone to be neglected in the church community, especially the disabled community because some egos have been bruised.

In the islands, there is a customary saying, “take care is better than don’t care.” This saying means, no matter your plight, there is no excuse for neglecting one’s responsibility as all that is done in this life will be accessed one day. At best, there should be an ounce of humility floating around, especially within the confines of the church. Every church needs people who serve with:

1. Humility

2. Purpose

3. Passion

So, the church must first and foremost exercise humility when approaching the disabled community. The church representing Christ has the mandate to:

The church must first take a hard look in the mirror and assess its proper health based on how many neglected souls are in the midst. The church can devise a plan to address areas of concern by exercising humility, beginning with its leadership. Christ washed his disciple’s feet and always looked on those less than him with great compassion.

Strategy is often discussed when action is needed, but in the church, a plan must purposefully align with the will of God. Thus, “the task (purpose) of the church is rooted in Christ’s mission. Simply stated, Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom in word and deed, so the church must do the same.” [1] What does a church on purpose look like? For one, it is on course to address the problems of neglecting the marginalized. Hence, a task force should be in place to reach the lost.

This is where the church leader and their staff orchestrate training and the education needed to thoroughly understand disabled and marginalized communities’ needs. Those willing to sacrifice their time, skills and be open to learning new skills such as A.S.L. and assisted devices such as hearing aids will be on course to being the change the church and the world needs.

Passion, without it, the fire will burn out quickly. That long-lost soul will never see the light without the passion of a believer ignited by God. It is the church’s responsibility to keep the fire burning bright and thus fulfill the Great Commission. Interestingly, the world has been ignited by personal and universal strife in recent times if only everyone’s needs were highlighted and met.

Therefore, the church must lead the charge against evil because only a true believer knows what God desires from his people. A passionate believer goes the extra mile to spread the “good news,” regardless of someone’s socioeconomic status, zip code, ability, culture, and race. Imagine being disabled and in a marginalized group? Sadly, no matter the cause, it will never replenish the damage already done. The neglect by the church can only be alleviated by willing souls whose commitment to Christ and the church body is unmoving.

Without naming tangible things, people often choose to give to, and for the church, a much better approach to giving is by utilizing the three ways the church can serve disabled communities and make an impact. By emulating fundamental characteristics, faithful followers of Christ represent Him by exercising humility, purpose, and passion for helping those in need, reaching the lost (Lk. 19:10), especially the disabled members of the community.

Taking care of those who cannot care for themselves is a no-brainer, and the church should be leading the charge. The church is an example of how people should care for one another regardless of ability, race, class, or political affiliation. “Take care is better than don’t care.”

[1] Steve Corbett, and Brian Fikkert, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself. (Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 2012), 37.