Christians Need the Special Needs Community

One Sunday morning at Woodside Troy, a mother of two nonverbal autistic children visited the special needs classroom to see whether it would be a good fit for her family. She hadn’t attended church in years because she had been unable to find a place for her kids.  

“I show her the room, describe the regular activities available, and share with her our goals: to provide a safe and loving environment where kids can sing about Jesus, learn about Jesus, and feel the love of Jesus,” volunteer Barb Fischer said.  

The children now attend church weekly, entering the classroom without hesitation, and one of them always arrives with a huge smile on his face.  

Woodside’s Special Needs Ministry seeks to reflect Christ’s mission in the global Church. During His earthly ministry, Jesus engaged people from every background, especially those on the margins of society. He met them with compassion, offered hope and healing, and gave His followers an identity beyond society’s labels. Scott Preisler, director of Woodside’s Special Needs Ministry, describes that mission this way: 

“God created everyone in His image and for a purpose. God can use people with special needs in unique ways. We believe our members with special needs are a foundational part of the global Church. As Paul talked about the church as a body in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 22 says, ‘the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.’” 

Here are three ways that the special needs community is essential to the global Church: 

1. They Carry Out the Great Commission 

 “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” – Matthew 28:18-20 

Scott saw the impact of this ministry when he served as an intern under its founder, Greg McDougall. He shared about a young man named Scotty who attends the adult special needs class on Sunday mornings. At a particular service, Scott noticed how Scotty, who has Down Syndrome, was boisterous and having fun. The lesson that morning discussed what it means to belong to God’s family. Scott wondered how much of the lesson Scotty really understood when Scotty grabbed the microphone, looked at Scott, and said very clearly, “I know Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves you too! Jesus helped me fit in, and Jesus will help you fit in too.”   

 “I then understood God does not discriminate, regardless of race, culture, income, social status, or abilities,”  Scott said. “He can work through anyone to communicate His love to people. The special needs community needs the Gospel just like everyone else. Once they learn that God loves them and died for them, they joyfully share it with others. They are not shy about sharing.”  

2. They Follow the Great Commandment 

“‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Matthew 22:36-39 

Woodside’s Special Needs Ministry draws families from throughout Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties. One family drives more than an hour so their energetic, nonverbal autistic son can learn about Jesus in a loving environment. Because of this ministry, the entire family can attend church together. 

“There’s a lot of love and joy in our community. When you include people of all abilities, it gives us the chance to see God’s heart and reminds us that all people are deeply valued by God and worthy of love,” Scott said. 

3. They Fulfill the Role of the Local Church 

“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” – Ephesians 4:16 

The Church is called to make disciples who live out their identity in Christ. Woodside’s special needs ministry offers a variety of classes for all family members. Special-needs adults can attend midweek Bible studies and a biweekly social time. Parents and siblings can attend classes specifically designed for them. 

“In addition to being a welcoming community, we want to be sure to meet the spiritual and social needs of each family member. We even have a program for siblings. We want to offer them a place of their own, where they are not caring for or worrying about their special needs siblings. They can focus on making friends and having fun with other kids who understand their family dynamic,” Barb said. 

Woodside also provides opportunities for special-needs members to express their identity in Christ: serving as greeters on Sunday mornings, caring for the sanctuary each week, hosting free car washes, filling student backpacks for the annual back-to-school backpack drive, and packing Operation Christmas Child boxes. 

“All people want to be seen, known, heard, and loved. There are so many barriers in life for special needs families. As a church, we should be sure there are no barriers. We want anyone to be able to walk into Woodside and feel like they are part of a community and be comfortable in worship,” Scott shared.  

You Can Support Woodside’s Special Needs Community: 

Visit a class: The adult special needs class meets at 11:30 am in the Woodside Troy Community Room. Visitors will be encouraged as they experience the love and the learning that takes place each Sunday morning.  

Interact: Smile and greet the people with special needs when you see them at church. Make eye contact with them, not just with their parents or caregivers. 

Pray for special needs families who face countless challenges in daily life. Pray for Scott and his team. Pray for additional volunteers in the children’s classes as attendance continues to grow. 

Get Involved: There are volunteer opportunities in all areas of the ministry. Contact Scott for more information: scottpreisler@woodsidebible.org