“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14
Are you a disciple with autism? Do you have a friend or loved one with autism who you support? Some of the most prominent people of our time have shared their gifts with the world through their unique perspectives as people with autism. From mathematicians to actors and inventors to professional athletes, their contributions to science, entertainment, business and more have influenced and benefited our society in more ways than we’ll ever know. As the number of people with autism continues to increase through a combination of better diagnosis, changes in diagnostic criteria and an overall increased awareness, it’s important that we recognize that the number of disciples with autism also continues to increase, and does so to the glory of God!
Whether you are a disciple with autism or not, we here in the DFW Church want to shine a light on this growing population and help raise awareness, acceptance and ultimately develop a greater sense of belonging in the church for everyone. To that end, we are excited to announce “Belong,” a growing community within the church of people with autism and those who support them. As we are guided by the Holy Spirit, we are in the early stages of gathering information from across our fellowship that will be used to inform and help us develop an in-person event designed specifically for disciples with autism, would-be disciples with autism, spouses of people with autism and in general those who support a friend or family member with autism.
Although a specific date for “Belong” has yet to be set, we are looking at an event in 2026 in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area. Some early areas of interest include:
- Helping disciples with autism to be you, be included and be unafraid
- Studying the Bible with people with autism
- Meeting the emotional/spiritual needs of brothers and sisters with autism
- Social anxiety and autism
- A day in the life of the neurodivergent vs neurotypical disciple of Jesus
- Supporting newly diagnosed adults with autism
- Sin vs syndrome
- Understanding autistic tendencies and common misconceptions
- Spouses of people with autism
In addition to ideas like these, we also want to build community and relationships through a variety of fun activities like:
- Enjoying a meal together
- Watching a movie together
- Smash Bros tournament
- Get to know you “speed dating”
- Bible Trivia
We welcome your feedback and even more your willingness to contribute to this event by volunteering to participate in a committee or however you’re called to support. Click here or scan the QR code to complete a brief survey and sign up to receive future updates about “Belong”.
