At the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Orlando, something significant happened — and we want every church in our convention to know about it.
The SBC adopted the report of its Disability Ministry Task Force, a group charged with studying how Southern Baptist churches are engaging individuals and families affected by disability, and what needs to change. The vote was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. Our own Executive Director, Tom Stolle — who chaired the task force and is himself the father of an adult son with severe disabilities — described it simply as the best day of his life as a Southern Baptist.
The Reality We Have to Face
The numbers tell a challenging story. A 2020 Lifeway Research study found that 99% of evangelical pastors believe people with disabilities would feel welcome in their churches. Yet only 15–20% of evangelical churches in the U.S. have any form of disability ministry. Approximately 2 in 7 American families include a member with a disability, a proportion that is simply not reflected in our pews.
The barriers are real. Families affected by disability often experience rejection, a lack of understanding, and the very real fear that their child or loved one won’t be welcomed. Many have stopped trying to find a church home altogether.
As Tom shared at the annual meeting, these aren’t abstract statistics. “Personally, my family, including my son, have experienced all of these stated barriers,” he said. “So many other families have experienced the same.”
What the SBC Is Asking Churches to Do
The task force’s recommendations to local churches are straightforward and actionable:
Recognize that individuals with disabilities and their families represent one of the largest underreached groups in America, and that reaching them is a gospel opportunity. Take time to identify leaders and families within your own congregation who are already navigating disability and let their experiences shape how your church responds. Develop a concrete plan — even a simple one — for including people with disabilities in worship, discipleship, fellowship, and service. And build trust in your surrounding community by meeting practical needs and pointing people to Jesus.
A New Observance: Disability Ministry Sunday
One of the task force’s recommendations that was adopted by the SBC is the addition of Disability Ministry Sunday to the Convention calendar — observed each year on the second Sunday of July.
This year, that’s July 12 — and we’re inviting every BCM/D church to participate.
Whether your church has a well-established special needs ministry or you’re just beginning to ask “how do we do better?”, Disability Sunday is an opportunity to pause, celebrate the people in your congregation and community affected by disability, and take a step forward together.
Resources are available to help you observe this day meaningfully. Find them here.
There Is a Place for Them Here
In Matthew 20, two blind men cried out to Jesus. The crowd tried to silence them. But Jesus stopped. He heard them. He saw them. He healed them.
Tom Stolle posed a question at the SBC that we want to carry back to our churches: What would it look like if our congregations took steps that essentially say, “We see you. We hear you. We love you. Jesus loves you. There is a place for you at our church”?
That’s not a program. It’s a posture. And it starts with a willingness to open the door.
We hope you’ll join us on July 12 — and beyond.
Somer is the Director of Communication and Marketing for the BCM/D and leads the charge for all things BCM/D Women