Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities a Leading Voice in Inclusive Ministry at National Disability and the Church Conference
The Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) played a significant role at the 2025 Disability and the Church Conference (DATC), held April 29 to May 1 at McLean Bible Church in the Washington metropolitan area. Hosted by Key Ministry, the national conference convenes annually to inspire and equip pastors, ministry leaders, advocates, parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities working to build more inclusive church communities.
Prominently featured at the conference was leading-edge research from the team at the Baylor Collaborative on Faith and Disability— a key initiative of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. Thought leadership from the Collaborative team was embedded throughout the conference’s three-day schedule, engaging the more than 650 attendees on the mainstage, in workshop presentations, and community conversation gatherings.
Erik Carter, executive director of the BCDD, gave a keynote presentation describing current research on the church stories of families with children with disabilities. Based on a recently completed study of Texas families, Carter’s talk highlighted the difference families report when they belong to churches with a formal ministry or emphasis on disability in their congregations. Following the talk, Program Director, Jason Le Shana and BCDD Research Associate, Melody Escobar joined Carter for a mainstage panel discussing implications of the research, reinforcing the indispensable need for churches to cultivate work around disability.
The work of Collaborative members was featured in multiple conference workshops, highlighting the diversity and relevance of its current projects. Highlights included:
- Bridges to Belonging Project - Erik Carter and Elyse McMullen, program manager of the Bridges to Belonging Project, co-presented on the project’s work with a cohort of 18 Texas congregations working to foster belonging for youth and young adults with disabilities, mental health challenges, and chronic illnesses.
- Respite Care - Carter, Escobar, doctoral student Shannon Eshman, and Joel Dillon of Jill’s House co-presented findings from its recent study on the impact of respite care on families who experience disability.
- Pastors and Ministry Leaders Research - Le Shana, Carter, Eshman, and doctoral students Abigail Roe da Silva and Cindy Utama shared preliminary findings from a national study on the disability-related beliefs, feelings, and experiences of pastors, youth ministers, and children’s ministers.
- Church Websites and Disability - Le Shana and Eshman led a workshop discussing initial research on the approach churches take when talking about disability ministry, providing practical reflection and guidance on creating a more welcoming digital presence.
In addition to these significant research presentations, the Baylor team hosted an opportunity for dialogue and ideation focused on one of the most pressing questions in disability ministry: how do churches move toward more faithful inclusion? Collaborative members collectively facilitated an interactive community conversation focused on this question. The gathering of 75 ministry leaders continued a tradition of community conversation events at the DATC conference. Last year’s gathering on belonging and worship resulted in practice guides on Accessible Worship and Belonging. The insights and ideas from the 2025 community conversation will inform the Collaborative’s emerging initiatives aimed at leading the conversation on helping churches take their next steps in becoming communities where people with and without disabilities belong together.
“For our team, this conference underscores the need for ongoing research at the intersection of faith and disability. We are committed to scholarship that is deeply connected to the stories, hopes, and challenges of real faith communities,” said Le Shana. “We feel so blessed to share our emerging work, and to continue to learn from and build connections with hundreds of dynamic leaders and ministries across the country.”
A recording of mainstage sessions from the conference can be viewed here: