How does the church talk about disability? Too often, disability is used as a negative picture of sin, weakness, or spiritual failure. But in Scripture, Jesus often presents people impacted by disability as catalysts for faith.
In this episode of the Key Ministry Podcast, Dr. Chris Hulshof explores Mark 5 and the intertwined stories of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the issue of blood. Rather than treating disability as a hindrance to faith, this passage shows how one woman’s faith became a catalyst for someone else to keep believing.
In this episode, Dr. Hulshof discusses:
- How disability is sometimes negatively portrayed in sermons and church illustrations
- Why the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the issue of blood should be studied together
- How the woman’s faith strengthened Jairus in a moment of fear and grief
- Why churches should regularly give people with disabilities opportunities to serve, testify, pray, and lead
- How disability can be presented as a catalyst for faith rather than a hindrance to faith
Key Takeaways
- The way we talk about disability in church matters.
- Disability should not be used carelessly as a metaphor for sin or spiritual failure.
- Jesus used the faith of the once-disabled woman to encourage Jairus to keep believing.
- People with disabilities are not simply recipients of ministry. They are members of the body whose faith can strengthen the church.
- Churches should ask whether people with disabilities are being included in meaningful, regular, faith-forming ways.
Scripture Discussed
- Mark 5:21–43
- Matthew 9:20–22
- Luke 8:43–48
Questions to Consider
- When disability is mentioned in your church, is it usually presented as a hindrance or as a catalyst for faith?
- Are people with disabilities regularly invited to serve, pray, greet, testify, or lead in your congregation?
- How might your church better recognize the faith-forming presence of people with disabilities?
Disability is not a picture of the Christian life gone wrong. In the body of Christ, people with disabilities can be powerful witnesses, faithful servants, and catalysts for the faith of the whole church.
