Photo by Peter Burdon on Unsplash
Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians that Jesus, “gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:1–12). Some of the people given for building us up are (knowingly or not) neurodivergent.[1] Neurodiversity, neurodivergence, and even neuro-spiciness are emerging ways used to describe human ways of engaging with the world in thinking, behaviour, and social interactions that differ from the typical (neurotypical) ways people might. In reality, we are all diverse and “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14), we all experience the world in God given unique ways; neurodivergence is one way people (self)identify in regards to being on the Autism Spectrum, experiencing ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or similar.
We want to write this encouragement for siblings in Christ who are neurodivergent and their family, parents, friends, and loved ones, to say that you are a blessing to the church. Both of us are friends with, have been ministered by, and minister to people who are neurodivergent; Nick has ADHD, and Sam[2] is on the board of an organisation and works at a university college which both actively provide leadership opportunities and employment for people who experience neurodivergence. We have seen how deficit ways of engaging with neurodivergence can shame and harm the body of Christ, and firmly believe that “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor 12:26).
You are more than a stereotype, you are not a problem to be fixed, and you are not alone. We know that there can be difficulties from within, from others, and from systems; but you belong, are seen, valued, and loved. We’re blessed by the gifts that God has equipped you with and praise him for the ways you serve and lead his people.
It is often said that when you meet one person who is neurodivergent, you meet one person who is neurodivergent – so there wouldn’t be enough room to share the many ways Christians have been impacted. But here is a short summary of some of the ways that we have experienced God’s blessing through neurodivergence in care of souls, ministry of the word, and theological insight.
Care of Souls
There are unhelpful assumptions about the capacities of neurodivergent people in ministry. For instance, beyond assumptions of being socially disconnected or lacking emotional responses, we have found that ministers with neurodivergence can excel in pastoral care. We have experienced a connection of the gospel with deep love of others and being present to others in their ministry.
When one minister with ADHD left a church in a multicultural area, a member of the congregation said, “Don’t go—we need someone who wears their heart on their sleeve, someone who can cry with others, who isn’t afraid of emotion.” In connecting with others, ADHD was a gift.
We have experienced ministry workers on the autism spectrum showing love in diverse ways. John Swinton reflects on the ways that people on the Autism spectrum love:
“The diversity of ways of loving revealed in the lives of people on the autistic spectrum is but a reflection of the diversity of loving possibilities that exist for God’s creatures in a world that was created from love and for love (from God and for God). If that is so, we should be very careful when we suggest that someone cannot love or accept love simply because they don’t appear to act or respond in the ways we have been conditioned into thinking are representative of authentic love.” [3]
We have felt incredibly seen when a minister is not distracted by social markers or traits, restricted by social rules of engagement. We have been struck by the authenticity of direct, insightful questions, and blessed by attention to detail, when our names and personal details are remembered quickly. I (Sam) have come to appreciate the directness of prayer, some requests shared unfiltered by social norms. This serves to rebuke me about the ways that I try to mask my vulnerabilities when I make prayer requests. I have been ministered to by deep yearnings for justice, strong moral compasses, and a tenacious pursuit to prevent the vulnerable from being marginalised.
One Christian sister wrote to me (Nick) recently,
“I know many people who are neurodiverse and hold various ministry roles. Their unique perspectives and keen memories of their own experiences allow them to better understand the inquisitive minds of children and the rebellious attitudes of teenagers as they search for their own place in the world. Many of them are incredibly thoughtful and meditative, and, as a result of their own need to think deeply about the world, have lots of wisdom for those who are struggling with doubts and questions.”
When we see neurodivergence as part of the variety of God’s gift to the Church, we can celebrate the constructive ways that ADHD or ASD contribute to ministry.
For me (Nick), I have found my ADHD to be a great blessing for ministry. I was thankful for my ADHD when our church faced a series of unforeseeable events. In a deeply sad and difficult year, I was involved in four funerals at our church, where the average age of the deceased was 17 years old. We also had multiple people in the community seeking help after fleeing domestic violence. The patterns of weekly ministry were thrown out the window as we sought to grieve with, love, and care. In God’s kindness, I found that some of the ways he has wired me, like being able to respond quickly to change and stay grounded in crisis, were unexpectedly helpful. They allowed me to stay present and responsive in times of great need. I am thankful for how he has wired me – he gave me the brain he wanted for that situation.
Ministry of the Word
People with neurodivergence can see the Word and our lives differently, making connections and contrasts that are not immediately apparent, allowing jumps between concepts, and creating unique “aha moments.” Through diverse eyes, we can all enjoy God’s word in fresh ways.
For a neurodivergent pastor, comments like the ones below can be commonplace:
“I would have never seen that in the passage before, the way you make connections between different parts of the Bible, I love it”
“Being in Bible Study with you is great, it’s like having Logos Software on demand.”
While everyone’s experience of ADHD is different, I (Nick) have found my hyperfocus (“locking in”) allows me to be fully immersed in preaching God’s word, crafting sermons well in advance and having those ideas bounce around and continue to form and develop. There are aspects of ministry I don’t enjoy – like admin! – but I am yet to meet a minister who enjoys every aspect of ministry. Being aware of this means I always try to organise planning rosters and structures well in advance.
Of course, not everything about ADHD makes ministry easier. I have had to work hard at listening well and not jumping ahead of people. But I have seen how God equips everyone for their callings.
Theological Insight and Conviction
We are particularly thankful for the ways neurodivergent ministry workers have been tenacious in understanding the intricacies of faith and uncompromising in their search for understanding. They are a part of the body of Christ who enable everyone to see more clearly aspects that might be missed.
One Christian, who is ministered to by a neurodivergent person, remarked,
“since many neurodiverse people have a stubborn trait to hold to what they know is right, their conviction of the truth of the Gospel – and the depth of research they had to do to be convinced themselves – is a clear and bright light to others as they approach life with “I know God is right, so how do I think about it from there?”
Thank you for fearlessly standing up for truth, pointing us back to Jesus, and standing firm in your place in the body of Christ.
It was to the Apostle Peter that God said, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” I am thankful that God has kept his promises, and that many neurodivergent ministry workers have continued the faithful legacy of the church. Praise God for all the neurodivergent brothers and sisters upon whose shoulders we stand upon. Without you, the body of Christ would experience the loss of irreplaceable members.
Nick* is a minister at an Anglican church in Sydney, having also previously served as Coordinator of Christian Education (P-12) at an Anglican School. He lives with the joys and adventures that ADHD brings. *surname withheld for privacy.
Sam Wan is the Dean of Academics at Robert Menzies College, researches in disability theology, and is a board member of Jesus Club Ministries, a ministry that supports discipleship of adults with intellectual disabilities. He has bipolar, which has helped shape his approach to pastoral care, academia, and growing in the fruit of the Spirit.
[1] There are evolving ways of describing people whose brains show variation from what is considered typical. We are neuro-affirming, believing in a non-deficit way of engaging in diversity; we also want to be honest that experiences can be positive and negative, but we have a desire to engage in difference from a strength-based perspective. We believe in a posture of pastoral language use which is guided by how those who experience neurodivergence self-describe. For this article, we have used the language of neurodiversity for the breadth of human experience, and neurodivergence for variance from what is considered typical. However, in conversation these terms can be used somewhat interchangeably and people have their own preferences for self-description. Language in quotations is kept unchanged.
[2] Sam experiences bipolar and there are debates as to whether it is considered neurodivergent. I (Sam) personally do not consider this part of my life to be so, though it certainly does shape how I experience the world.
[3] Swinton, J. (2012). Reflections on Autistic Love: What Does Love Look Like? Practical Theology, 5(3), 275. https://doi.org/10.1558/prth.v5i3.259
If you enjoyed this article you might be interested in the WADR episode on the same topic.
thewadrproject.com 