"The Failure of a Spiritual Community".

Church. Community. These are words that (for christians) should engender thoughts of safety and acceptance. Unfortunately for a select group of people this is not the case.

Let me relate a very recent experience.

A young teenager had a dream to go to the mission field and possibly one day open an orphanage. She reads books by and about like minded persons; she saves her "mission money" in a mason jar in her parents cupboard. She serves in her local church's youth programs, and she waits for an opportunity to explore the reality of her dream.

Now, this same girl had signed up for the annual youth mission trip sponsored by her church; paid her deposit and applied for her passport (all with her parents approval). She drafted a support letter and began receiving monies toward the trip. Everything was going fine until a meeting with her pastor. It was this meeting (which was the culmination of several committee meetings and phone calls, all unbeknownst to her) where she was told she would not be going on the trip; a crushing blow to a young girl. She was ultimately denied access to the trip for one reason; the leaders were not "comfortable" with her "problem" - that being, she is physically disabled.

It would seem that discrimination is alive and well in the American church; and it is a sad testimony against the faith. What I find disheartening is that this young ladys denial was not based on any real fact; quite the contrary.

• She was not denied on the basis of moral grounds; she had no evidences of what we would label as gross sin.

• She was not denied on the basis of opposing theological views; she was ready to represent her church and its teachings in the same manner as her peers.

• She was not denied on the basis of church liability; taking a group of minors out of the country has no increased liability if one of them happens to be disabled.

The basis of her exclusion was an overestimation of her physical limitations. The belief that she is not physically able to handle mission activity. Irregardless of the fact that her "condition" was so minor in comparison to others with similar disabilities that outwardly there is little discernable difference between her and a "healthy" girl of the same age. In addition this same girl would engage in a myriad of physical activities - all without the assistance of others - such as iterative jogging, ballet, and outdoor photography.

There was no reasonable activity on this mission trip that she would have not been able to perform. It was the perception of her disability that caused her to be excluded; and I personally find that offensive. It seems that the church has forgotten that it is supposed to be an inclusive community of people with the same beliefs not the same socio-economic background, race, gender, or in this case physicality. It is our common belief that must be the basis of our unity.

Effectively the church has communicated "We don't think you have what it takes". "You don't fit our idea of the right kind of person". Which is another way of saying "We don't think you can be used by God".

I've had the privilege of knowing a few disabled persons and my experience shows me that these individuals cannot and will not allow any diminished capacity (physical or otherwise) to prevent them from living the fullest life possible. Imagine if the church would believe in the disabled, at least as much as they believe in themselves.

Here the American church shows its immaturity. It's high time for some growing up to take place; to move past our flawed perceptions and stop dehumanizing those who are disabled either physically or mentally. We all need to start finding creative and genuine ways of including those with limitations in every facet of church life and ministry. For if the Spirit of God dwells in these persons then they too have gifts that are worth receiving.

Until the body of Christ can live out of this paradigm it will continue to show the world that it is Christians who are the truly "disabled".

Luther.