Faith, Inclusion, and Community: A Conversation on Disabilities in the Church

On the Unspecial Podcast, the host interviews Jessi Mansfield about disabilities and the church, focusing on whether inclusion is a slogan or a lifestyle and how faith, autism, and families collide. Jessi shares her background (Marine Corps, primary care, nonprofit work with adults with developmental/intellectual disabilities) and how her stepson’s autism diagnosis brought uncertainty, mourning, and overwhelm, eased by supportive friends and later strengthened by returning to church. She describes finding Rhythm Church, the community care they received, and launching Rhythm’s special needs ministry, The Haven, after researching local needs and the lack of visible disability ministries. Jessi explains doing inclusion well through individualized supports, volunteer training, sensory-friendly options, and discipling kids in accessible ways, while also prioritizing parents’ spiritual support and community, and she offers encouragement to families and volunteers.website: www.unspecialllc.com#specialed #podcast #unspecial #specialneedsjourney #specialneedskids👉 For more personal content, check us our on Instagram: / unspecialllc👉 If you haven't yet, make sure you read Special Dayz, a book about Zack's special education journey: https://www.amazon.com/Special-Dayz-F...