The number of persons with disabilities in the United States is on the rise,
statistics indicate – the question is whether the church is making itself and
its ministries accessible to them
When Austin Tucker talks about the importance of making churches accessible
to persons with dis-abilities, one listens.
It is evident that Tucker has firsthand knowledge. Since 1994,
the Louisiana Baptist preacher has experienced life from a wheelchair, paralyzed
from the waist down as a result of a fall from a pine tree.
The number of persons with disabilities in the United States is on the rise,
statistics indicate – the question is whether the church is making itself and
its ministries accessible to them
When Austin Tucker talks about the importance of making churches accessible
to persons with dis-abilities, one listens.
It is evident that Tucker has firsthand knowledge. Since 1994,
the Louisiana Baptist preacher has experienced life from a wheelchair, paralyzed
from the waist down as a result of a fall from a pine tree.
In ways, it is a miracle that Tucker even survived the fall
and the damage to his spinal cord and ribs. It is as much of a miracle that
Tucker retained use of his arms.
But the accident still left Tucker in a wheelchair – and
the eight ensuing years have found him facing any number of adjustments and
challenges.
Like others who speak of such things, Tucker acknowledges that
dealing with the attitudes of others is a major area of adjustment and challenge.
“I do run into attitude barriers everywhere in different
places,” notes Tucker, a former Louisiana Baptist pastor and a member at
Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport.
“It always amazes me when I take my wife out to eat –
which I do every Saturday – how many waiters and waitresses will ignore
me and deal with her as if I am incapable with making a decision. You know,
they may present her with the check or even ask her what he wants.
Even when I may order for both of us, they still may present her with the check.”
In an American society that emphasizes the best and fastest
and most skilled, the contributing factors to such attitudes are many.
But to someone who is dealing with a disability, the impact
is the same – a dismissal of their individuality, a denial of their very
presence at times.
Tucker acknowledges he has faced such attitudes from some individuals
in the church as well. However, on the whole, he maintains that the church is
doing a good job of “treating people as people.”
Indeed, following his accident, church members and churches
across Louisiana rallied to Tuckers cause, donating money to help he and
his wife deal with high medical bills.
But still there are barriers.
For instance, Tucker recounts how many pastors called him following
the accident to ask him to give a testimony at their churches – but not
to preach. “They seemed to want someone to stand in the pulpit,”
Tucker suggests.
Tucker says the situation is an understandable one. “Im
not bitter about it,” he emphasizes. “I have plenty of opportunities
for service, for writing and teaching. But Im called to preach, and I
miss being in the pulpit.”
In addition to dealing with such changes and attitudes, Tucker
also has faced the same physical challenges that so many persons with disabilities
face.
There are some religious institutions he has visited that were
difficult to negotiate and were definitely not disability friendly, Tucker admits.
There are churches that fall into the same category, he adds.
“Some of the church-related institutions and organizations
have been very slow in catching up even with what the law requires,” Tucker
suggests.
However, many churches have been ahead of the curve in providing
access to persons with disabilities, even before federal law required most organizations
to do so, Tucker notes.
“Churches have led the way in making wheelchair ramps
and entrance accessible long before there were requirements,” he points
out. “And I suppose that was because they had someone in the membership
who needed it, and they made arrangements.”
The American With Disabilities Act forced most American companies
and organizations to make adjustments for persons with disabilities. However,
churches were exempted from the federal measure.
“That being so, its all the more to their credit
that they led the way to provide such things as wheelchair ramps and handicapped
parking,” Tucker relates. “I can remember seeing those as a child,
long before I needed one.”
Indeed, even though not required by law, providing such arrangements
for persons with disabilities is something that Christian love should compel
churches and religious institutions to do, Tucker emphasizes.
Beyond physical arrangements, some churches offer ministries
tailored to persons with disabilities.
Tucker says he is not aware of such and is not that interested
in them, although he can understand that others would be. “But many people
with disabilities, if they feel like I do, dont want to be separated into
a program of their own,” Tucker explains. “Theyd rather be integrated
into the church.
“I know there were a lot of programs for the developmentally-disabled
in churches in past years. But the more recent trend has been to try to meld
those few people into the mainstream as much as possible.
“And thats probably a good thing.”
Tucker acknowledges that all churches and religious institutions
have not made necessary adjustments to welcome persons with disabilities. But
he says he sees more and more dealing with the issues as they build new facilities.
“You never find a church that has 10 steps up to the door
anymore,” Tucker notes. “Not a new one. Maybe an old one.”
Tucker uses Summer Grove as an example, noting it has ample
parking places for the disabled, ushers who are eager to help and cutoff pews,
so a person in a wheelchair can worship without sitting out in the middle of
the aisle.
Still, there is work to be done, he acknowledges. When asked
to describe the ideal church when it comes to dealing with persons with disabilities,
Tucker simply says, “Maybe I would say a church that has a growing awareness
of the needs of all kinds of people would be ideal at this point.”
For his part, Tucker offers to help churches and institutions
when they are building in order to help them eliminate barriers.
In the meanwhile, one way for churches and church members to
work toward the ideal end is to communicate with people who have disabilities
in order to find out what might make ones facilities more disabled-friendly
and what programs and services might be helpful, Tucker says.
“And then, just act on that,” he says.