When Church is truly for Everyone!

Esther Hill
Jul 26
8 min read

Being part of a church community that truly embraces and empowers neurodivergent individuals has been nothing short of life-changing for me. As someone on the spectrum, I’ve often found myself navigating spaces where my way of processing the world, my intense convictions, or my personal quirks felt misunderstood or even out of place.

But in this community, it's different. Here, my neurodivergence isn't tolerated; it's seen as a valuable aspect of who I am, a facet of the image of God within me. This experience has not only reshaped my understanding of myself but has also opened my eyes to the incredible potential unleashed when a community genuinely commits to inclusion.

Before I get started though, I want to be clear: I am not claiming this church is perfect, nor that it has arrived at some ultimate destination. Like every human community, it is on a journey, continually learning and growing. My aim here is simply to reflect on one particular aspect (its approach to neurodiversity) which I believe has been formed exceptionally well and has had a profound impact on my life.

A Place of Belonging: More Than Just Acceptance

For a long time, church, while cherished, often presented a subtle friction in life for me. The weight of trying to untangle unspoken expectations, the overwhelm of sensory input during certain styles of worship, or the difficulty in articulating complex thoughts in a way that felt "normal" to others, could often leave me feeling drained or on the periphery. It was never malicious; it was simply a lack of understanding regarding neurodivergent experiences.

However, the community I’ve found myself in over the past few years operates on a different wavelength. It's built on a foundation of intentional understanding, support, and empowerment. This means things like conversations often being direct and clear, reducing the ambiguity that can be so anxiety-inducing. There’s an appreciation for different communication styles, rather than an expectation that everyone will conform to one.

There is a visible eagerness among individuals to learn about different ways of thinking and to develop their understanding of how best to support one another. This involves open conversations, a willingness to ask questions, and a genuine desire to adapt practices to be more inclusive. It’s about creating an environment where growth in empathy and understanding is actively pursued. There's a genuine willingness to grant individuals the space they need to process, to respond, or to simply be. This patience cultivates an environment of safety where authenticity can flourish.

This approach isn’t just some sort of obligation to make accommodations; it's a strong theological conviction that every person, in their unique neurobiological wiring, reflects God's creative design. As Psalm 139:14 reminds us, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

When a church truly believes this about neurodivergent individuals, it can transform from being a place one simply attends to a place to truly belong. For me, this belonging has become pivotal, enabling me to move from simply observing the communal life of the church to actively participating and contributing in ways often felt out of reach for me.

The Unfolding of Gifts: A Spectrum of Contribution

One of the most striking aspects of this community is the way it has deliberately fostered an environment where a vast array of gifts can be identified, nurtured, and expressed. Often, in traditional settings, gifts might be narrowly defined, or their expression might be constrained by particular social expectations. But here, the lens is widened.

My own journey exemplifies this. For a long time, I wrestled with how my own gifts could genuinely thrive in a church context while accepting and embracing my neurodivergence. However, in this church context, seeing a plethora of gifts being used and developed by other neurodiverse people has modelled for me what is possible. Their ability to engage deeply with concepts, to connect ideas, and to articulate them clearly in various settings is celebrated. Their ways of processing information, often characteristic of their neurotypes, are seen not as barriers but as assets in understanding and explaining Scripture. This intentional cultivation of diverse giftedness truly demonstrates what 1 Peter 4:10-11 speaks of: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

The beauty of this approach is that it enables a move beyond the deficit model, where neurodivergence is seen primarily through the lens of challenges. Instead, it embraces a strength-based perspective, recognising that God has endowed every individual with unique talents and capacities. When a church actively seeks to understand and accommodate the different ways these gifts might manifest in neurodivergent individuals, it doesn't just benefit those individuals; it enriches the entire body, creating a more vibrant, diverse, and ultimately, more effective expression of Christ’s church on earth. It's a living illustration of Romans 12:4-5: "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

The Impact of Neurodivergent Leadership: Leading with Authenticity and Vision

One of the cornerstones of this community's success has been the presence and influence of neurodivergent leaders. Now, this isn't just a plug for greater representation, but it’s an acknowledgement of the tangible difference that comes from leadership that truly understands and embodies an inclusive ethos from the ground up.

When leaders themselves are neurodivergent (whether they have dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or other neurotypes) or are deeply committed to supporting neurodivergent people and have immersed themselves in understanding these experiences, it shapes the very fabric of the church. They don’t just talk about inclusion; they live it. They instinctively understand the need for clear communication, the importance of predictable routines, and the value of creating spaces where all can thrive. Their impact on me, personally, has been deep and remarkably encouraging.

Seeing leaders with dyslexia, ADHD, autism and other neurodivergencies in prominent roles has been incredibly encouraging. Their very presence signals that my own neurotype is not a barrier to contribution within the church. I've heard leaders with ADHD be completely open in discussing how they structure their work to manage focus, or how they utilise their rapid ideation for creative ministry. Similarly, I have seen how leaders’ directness can cut through ambiguity, bringing clarity to complex situations. These honest examples, coupled with their visible effectiveness, have served as a constant affirmation that my unique cognitive wiring is not a flaw, but a design feature from God. They've often directly affirmed my own gifts, seeing past any perceived "deficits" and instead highlighting how the way that I work can be harnessed for God's kingdom. This direct encouragement has been a vital antidote to past experiences of feeling out of step.

The authenticity modelled by these leaders is also truly refreshing. This level of transparency, including acknowledging their own processing styles or sensory needs, has shown me that true leadership doesn't demand a facade of perfection. Their humility in sharing their struggles, and their willingness to ask for support or accept different approaches, reinforces the biblical principle that our strength is often made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). They don't pretend to have all the answers or to fit a conventional mould, which makes their leadership feel deeply human and relatable.

What truly sets these leaders apart, however, is the intensely vibrant and life-giving faith they embody. Their faith isn't performative; it springs directly from their personal encounters with God and is often expressed in ways that are uniquely compelling. I've witnessed leaders with ADHD channel their boundless energy and enthusiasm into innovative outreach initiatives, their passionate pursuit of new ideas breathing fresh life into ministries. Their faith is life-giving because it's resilient, often forged through navigating a world not always designed for them, leading to a profound reliance on God.

This isn't about being perfect; it's about leadership that is genuinely attuned and responsive to the rich tapestry of human experience within the congregation.

Fostering Authentic Community: Where Growth Takes Root

Perhaps one of the most prominent outcomes of this neurodiversity-affirming atmosphere has been the cultivation of a truly authentic community. In many settings, "community" can feel performative or superficial, driven by social norms rather than genuine connection. But here, because there's a deep value placed on understanding and accepting individual differences, the connections formed are robust and real.

When individuals feel truly seen, understood, and safe, they are far more likely to open up, to share their struggles, and to engage in meaningful relationships. Neurodivergent individuals often expend enormous energy "masking" or camouflaging their natural behaviours to fit in. In this community, there's less pressure to mask, freeing up vital energy for genuine engagement, learning, and spiritual growth. This reduced masking contributes to a more honest and transparent communal life.

When the environment is safe and non-judgmental, people are more willing to be vulnerable. This vulnerability is the bedrock of true community, allowing for deeper empathy, mutual support, and shared spiritual journeys. James 5:16 encourages us to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." While this passage specifically addresses sin, the principle of honest sharing for mutual support extends to all aspects of life.

Rather than a collection of individuals, this church functions more like a truly interdependent body, where each part recognises its reliance on the others. This interdependence isn’t there to cover weaknesses; it celebrates how diverse strengths complement one another, creating a richer, more resilient whole.

This authenticity, in turn, fuels rapid growth. It’s not driven by numerical increase, though that is happening. More significantly, it’s about transformed lives. When people are unburdened from the pressure to conform, when they are empowered to use their unique gifts for God’s glory, and when they experience genuine, Christ-like love and acceptance, their spiritual journeys accelerate. They become more confident in their faith, more engaged in service, and more secure in their identity in Christ. This is the kind of growth that truly matters, the kind that reflects the transformative power of the Holy Spirit at work within a body committed to radical inclusion.

A Vision for the Church: Embracing the Fullness of God’s Creation

My experience in this church has cemented my conviction that embracing neurodiversity is not a pastoral nicety; it is a theological imperative. It is about honouring the imago Dei in all people, recognising the diverse ways God has knit us together. It is about understanding that the Church, in its fullest expression, must be a place where every part of the body, with all its varied functions and gifts, is valued and integrated.

While no human community is perfect, and there are always areas for continued growth and learning, when a church embodies incarnational presence by truly meeting people where they are and embracing their neurodivergence, it becomes a tangible sign of God’s love in the world. When it works towards radical inclusion, it offers a glimpse of our eschatological hope – the future kingdom where every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (and indeed, every neurotype) will worship together in unity and diversity. And when it champions neurodiversity, it upholds the incredible truth that every individual reflects God’s own creative brilliance.

This journey in a neurodiversity-affirming church continues to transform my understanding of what church can be and what it should be. It's a place where the gospel isn’t just preached but lived out in tangible acts of understanding and empowerment. It’s a community where the Spirit is genuinely unleashing a vast array of gifts, fostering authentic relationships, and bringing about remarkable growth and transformation. It truly is a testament to the boundless creativity and inclusive love of our God.