Yesterday, FaithLife published a press release announcing a partnership with the Church of God (Anderson, IN) in which FaithLife would provide software for church management, Bible study, building church web sites, etc. I would like to celebrate this partnership, especially since I am both ordained clergy and a seminary professor serving in this movement.
There is one problem.
FaithLife’s software and web sites have accessibility barriers that keep people with disabilities from taking full advantage of their products and services. I fear that these barriers will become characteristic of our church web sites and communication mechanisms now.
In the press release, Bob Pritchett (president and CEO of FaithLife) pointed out that both FaithLife and the Church of God have a “kingdom focus.”
This “kingdom focus needs greatly to be evaluated in light of how Jesus spent his life and ministry.
Jesus did not spend his ministry doing what would reach the most people in the crowd, and he did not perform signs and wonders for the sake of amazing the crowd. In short, he was not trying to “be relevant” or attract people through what was most flashy.
Jesus taught those who came near to hear him. He taught “as one who had authority”. It was this teaching that drew the crowds to him.
Jesus hung out with people who had no one to care for them: repentent tax collectors, weeping sinful women, people with disabilities who were outcast, unclean lepers and bleeding women, little children… At the great banquet table he envisioned inviting these outcast people because all the popular folks would be too busy to come.
What are we doing with our programs and technologies? Who are we trying to reach? Do we want the people Jesus would have been hanging out with? Or are they not worth the time it takes to invest?
I call on churches and seminaries today to do what is right. No, you are not obligated to follow the guidelines in the ADA or its equivalent in your country. You shouldn’t need these guidelines.
When a person with a disability is cut off from your community by lack of accessibility, everyone loses. Yes, you lose the gift of that person’s ministry abilities. God may in fact plan to use that person to speak to you.
Open your doors. When you implement technologies, please make sure they include people with disabilities.
If you need assistance with evaluating technology or planning for better accessibility, please contact me. I would be happy to help.
