Times are changing. In the world times are changing and hopefully in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ also. Our perspectives are different than they used to be. That is good as well as bad. It is good that we are trying to reach the "up and outs" but in many places the "down and outs" are being neglected. I'm proud that the Church is ministering in the inner city, be it New York or Hong Kong. I am a bit disappointed however that the Church is not making a concerted effort to reach people who are marginalized because of disabilities.

My people who are developmentally disabled will not be in your church. They are not reachable by standard methods of evangelism. They do not have the cognitive skills that the average "down and out" person in our society has. The people I minister to week after week have the mental capabilities of a four year old or less. Do you remember what the terrible twos were like at your house? Could you deal with a church like that? (Some think they do.) My people will never enter a Nazarene College or University. They do receive the education that the federal law requires. It does little good to tell them that 1000 people are coming to Christ every hour when they cannot even comprehend that sixty cents for a soda is two quarters and a dime.

But my people have the need to know Jesus as well as they possible can. They will not be shut out of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. They may not worship with you but they will worship. Each Sunday morning two of my most capable young people become part of the worship team as we lead the people to Jesus. They may be moody or distracted. They may be a bit off key. I have been privileged to baptize them across the ten years I have served in this state operated facility for the developmentally disabled. Most of my people will never reach "the age of accountability," will never be morally responsible for their actions. Should we not try to share Jesus with them because we cannot reach them in traditional ways nor expect their ethics ever to be compatible with those in the pew at "First Church?"

I walk across the campus and someone calls to me, "Preacher wait, pray for my mom, she died." He has asked this of me many times. Mom died years ago. I stop and pray for mom and for him, because I have learned that the things that concern God's children concern God. My theology may tell me it does no good to pray for the dead, but my heart tells me that this man will benefit from knowing that someone cares about the hurts in his life.

Will he ever be able to voice the grace of God in the same way that you or I do? Probably not. But God loves him just the same. God has given to me the ministry to this group of people. I attempt to meet the spiritual needs which they present week after week. They will be closer drawn to God through the ministry I give. The broader church may not show much interest in these who have little to give back but God is interested in them. And so am I.

Don Schlough, Chaplain
Lincoln Developmental Center
Lincoln, IL 62656