This Post Is Adapted from the Author’s Doctorate Dissertation, Effective Disability Ministry Practices at Local Church, pp. 22-24, 63-64.
Inclusion has become a buzzword in recent years. Many people associate the word with education or disability rights. We can see the word in school administrative guidelines, church mission statements, business policy manuals, political speeches, even television commercials. Despite the term’s popularity, inclusion is a complex, even controversial, concept that means different things to different interest groups.1
Webster defines inclusion as “the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability).”2 This definition implies that inclusion requires intentionality and action and suggests that people with disabilities have been historically neglected and marginalized.
Dictionary.com defines inclusion as “the practice or policy of including and integrating all people and groups in activities, organizations, political processes, etc., especially those who are disadvantaged, have suffered discrimination, or are living with disabilities.”3 This definition shows that inclusion is a broad concept, encompassing all parts of society. The term inclusion has many different uses in the special education field. In most cases, inclusion is used to indicate a situation in which all students are active participants and full members of the school community, being welcomed, accepted, and valued.4
The Scriptures have much to say about inclusiveness, a fundamental characteristic of the family of God. For believers, the meaning of inclusion is rich. It involves an attitude of openness and acceptance; it conveys a spirit of humility and generosity; and it demonstrates the gesture of welcoming and embracing. In the Old Testament, as God’s chosen people, the people of Israel had a unique, covenantal relationship with God to represent Him and carry out His purposes. God’s covenantal relationship with Israel is an inclusive one. He chose Abraham to father the nation of Israel, intending the nation to bring God’s blessings to others.5
The nation of Israel failed in its mission because of their disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. But God, in His great love and mercy, condescended to come and dwell among humanity in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to take away the sins of the world and ushered in God’s inclusive Kingdom. Jesus asked for help from a Samaritan woman and offered salvation to her.6 He extended a Kingdom invitation to tax collectors and dined with them.7 On several occasions, Jesus commended individual Gentile’s faith and responded to their pleas.8 He reached people with disabilities and invited the society’s downtrodden and marginalized to dine with Him.9
Jesus came to demolish the man-made barriers that cause tension, division, and exclusion. Yet, there is a nuance in Jesus’s inclusive ministry. Though Jesus extends the Kingdom offer to all people, only those who have believed in His person and work can enter.10 All who believe in Christ are children of God; and only in Christ are all the dividing walls torn down (Gal 3:28-29).
After Jesus’s ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower believers, giving birth to the church to continue His work (Acts 2:1-47). In the New Testament, the Church is analogous to the body of Christ that is made up of many parts (1 Cor 12:12-26), with Jesus as the head (Eph 1:22-23). The body is not whole if one part is missing. All believers are called by God and gifted by God to do good works (Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 12:4); therefore, each member of the Church fulfills a unique function in the body. In the same way, all Christians are essential for the wholeness of the Church. This means a local church is not complete without the presence of people with disabilities. The worldview of the Bible reminds Christian churches to include people with disabilities in the worship service, provide them access to church activities, and offer them opportunities to contribute to the church body.
Inclusion for believers in Christ means recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of all people, extending welcome and hospitality to them, and sharing the Good News of Christ with them despite the fact that they may be different from us.
All people, regardless of their abilities, should be welcomed into the church body, where they can flourish and meaningfully participate in the life of the church. Ultimately, the goal of inclusion is to provide help to those in need, to bring comfort to those who are hurting, and to offer eternal hope to those who are neglected.
1. Farrell, Peter & Ainscow, Mel. (2002). Making Special Education Inclusive: From Research to Practice. David Fulton Publishers. https://dts.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=480073&site=ehost-live&scope=site
2. Definition of INCLUSION. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inclusion
3. Inclusion Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/inclusion
4. Ryndak, D. L., Jackson, L., & Billingsley, F. (2000). Defining School Inclusion for Students With Moderate to Severe Disabilities: What Do Experts Say? Exceptionality, 8(2), 101–116. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327035EX0802_2
5. Brand, C., Draper, C., & England, A. (2003). Holman illustrated Bible dictionary. Holman Bible Publishers.
6. John 4:1-42.
7. Mark 2:13-17; Luke 19:1-10.
8. Matt 8:5-13; 15:22-29; Mark 7:25-30; Luke 7:1-10.
9. Luke 14:15-24
10. John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9.