In the News

Bailey Thompson, a contributor to the Center’s Bridges to Belonging project, recently authored an opinion piece in Good Faith Media exploring what it means to practice truly inclusive worship. In “Blindness Is Not Brokenness,” Thompson challenges common assumptions about disability within faith communities and invites churches to move beyond deficit-based views. Drawing on personal experience and theological reflection, the piece highlights how accessibility, intentional design, and a posture of belonging can reshape worship spaces so that people with disabilities are not simply accommodated, but fully valued as essential members of the body of Christ.

Baylor's Bridges to Belonging project recently concluded its inaugural two-year congregational cohort, equipping churches across Texas to create more accessible and welcoming ministries for youth and young adults with disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses. Through interdisciplinary collaboration among the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, Truett Theological Seminary, and the Center for Church and Community Impact, church leaders engaged in worship, training, and research-informed practice that led to meaningful changes in awareness, accessibility, and belonging. 

The Bridges to Belonging project is equipping congregations across Central Texas to more fully welcome youth and young adults (ages 13–25) facing disabilities, mental health challenges, and chronic illnesses. In its first year, the project has begun sparking dialogue and fostering new relationships among local churches, all aimed at making congregations more accessible, inclusive, and truly representative of the body of Christ.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 11, 2023) – Baylor University has been awarded a  $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish an interdisciplinary project that focuses on helping congregations embrace young people with disabilities, mental health challenges and chronic illnesses.