One of the first times I recall feeling friction between the church and disability was talking with the mother of two boys with severe disabilities. I was in their living room speaking with their mom about the family’s church experience. It was riddled with challenges. Then she said something that hit me like a ton of bricks. Sometimes when she thought about the church, she wondered, “Does anyone care that we’re here?” No church would ever state they don’t care about people with disabilities and their families. But the actions of many churches don’t clearly signal welcome. The problem doesn’t lie in desire but in preparation and execution of a plan. This is a challenging ministry many churches are underequipped to manage. In Accessible Church: A Gospel-Centered Vision for Including People with Disabilities and Their Families, Sandra Peoples, a pastor’s wife, special needs mother and sibling, and church consultant, outlines practical tools to employ as we seek to serve individuals with disabilities and the families caring for them. Her passion for this ministry comes from her personal and ministerial experience. The book doesn’t focus on accessibility for the sake of accessibility. Peoples has always been part of a family that’s caring for a member with disabilities, so she’s passionate about getting the gospel to those who may be excluded by their differences. She writes, “We modify lessons, provide noise-reducing headphones, and give support to those who are dysregulated so they can hear and have an opportunity to respond to the gospel” (5). Evangelization and discipleship guide the recommendations in Accessible Church. Overcome Challenges All ministry requires relationship. All relationships require an investment of time and effort. While the need for relationship remains the same, unique challenges exist for serving special needs families—including communicating with those unable to speak, dealing with distracting behaviors, and learning about uncommon medical needs. Peoples outlines a simple three-step approach to welcome those with disabilities that she models after Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–40). She writes, “We approach them with kindness, we ask questions to figure out the challenges they’re facing, and we adjust so they have the opportunity to understand and respond to the gospel” (46). It sounds obvious, but this sort of basic courtesy can escape us in the bustle of the Sunday morning crowd. In reality, Peoples’s basic model reflects the way we ought to approach everyone in the church. But when we meet someone affected by a disability, we often fear saying the wrong thing or offering unnecessary help. That fear is counterproductive, especially when ministering to families ready for someone to help shoulder the burdens they bear. The whole family is affected when one member has special needs. In fact, Peoples argues there are five phases of special-needs parenting. They begin with the initial diagnosis, where many families struggle to reconcile God’s Plan A with their own expectations. The phases progress through establishing new routines, wrestling with the problem of evil, and rebuilding relationships to eventually serving others in ways previously not possible. The process Peoples outlines offers a hopeful vision for special needs families at every stage of their journey. It also provides pastors and church leaders with a way to thoughtfully engage families affected by disability wherever they are in life. Assess the Church For churches with little to no formal disability ministry, considering next steps can feel daunting. The best place to start is by simply going to the Lord in prayer. Boldly ask God to send people with disabilities and their families to your church. Pray for the Lord to raise up volunteers, to provide resources, and to give direction for the path ahead. The whole family is affected when one member has special needs. The start of an effective disability ministry doesn’t require a multiyear program, a separate sensory room, or purchasing a bus for transportation. It begins with a humble attitude and a willingness to make adjustments so those with disabilities and their families can join the ongoing life of the church. Some churches may be able to create formal programs with budget line items right out of the gate, but that’s not where most congregations will begin. Throughout the book, Peoples offers simple suggestions, some with nominal cost, such as creating intake forms that will identify people’s needs, lanyards that assist volunteers in remembering those specific needs, and family care plans that can help church leaders and families coordinate efforts to run an effective ministry. But assessing the church doesn’t stop with asking how we’re serving those already among us. We need to look outside the church’s walls and ask who’s missing. Are there people in the community affected by disability who feel particularly unwelcome in the church? We should consider reaching out there. Additionally, we can broaden our understanding of disability beyond the most obvious challenges. Peoples identifies three categories to consider: “Those with physical and cognitive disabilities (sometimes referred to as special needs), learning disabilities, and mental health conditions” (29). Churches should proactively evaluate how they serve those in each category. Equip the Church Accessible Church is a treasure trove of ideas for church leaders striving to better minister to families affected by disabilities. Some of the ideas Peoples outlines may be difficult to apply for smaller churches with limited resources. Yet the principles are clear and adaptable to various contexts. An effective disability ministry begins with a humble attitude and a willingness to make adjustments. Some aspects of disability ministry aren’t addressed in the book. For example, questions about navigating baptism and church membership for those with various disabilities are unaddressed. No single resource can do everything. Nevertheless, ministry leaders working to begin a disability ministry or improve an existing one will benefit from this invaluable resource. Portions of Accessible Church would fit well into training church volunteers on classroom management and hospitality. Even pastors with decades of experience are likely to have ministry blind spots revealed as they read this book. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to serving those with disabilities. However, Peoples shows that disability ministry is inescapably important, even as she details reasonable, concrete recommendations for how to do it well. Accessible Church is a vital resource for pastors and church leaders as they equip their churches to reach often underserved people who need the gospel in fellowship with a local congregation.