[Faith-Talk] Serving in Church and Related Issues

[Ericka]

Very well said Chris.   


Ericka Nelson
K E9DYN
Proud general class him license owner

> On Nov 7, 2025, at 2:03 PM, Chris Nusbaum via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Dear Friends:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been following with equal parts interest and concern the thread
> started yesterday by Andrew and PJ, which now contains contributions from
> several people who share widely varying perspectives on ministry, the Church
> (big C and little c), and even faith as a whole. In some ways there is too
> much here to respond to in one message, but I'll try to distill my thoughts
> into something that makes sense.
> 
> 
> 
> Let me first address Andrew and PJ directly. Andrew, I think you have
> brought up a problem that far too many of us can relate to. In fact, it may
> be true that there are more blind people who have struggled to be accepted
> in a church than those who have easily been accepted in one. Perhaps there
> are even more blind Christians without a church home than with one. I don't
> know if this is also true of other faiths, but I wouldn't be surprised. To
> my knowledge, no one has done a study on this to come up with any factual
> statistics, so anything I say on the subject would be my own speculation.
> Either way, it's a theme that comes up frequently on this list, and we have
> had at least 2 panel discussions about it at recent meetings of the NFB
> Blind Christians Group at our national convention. Furthermore, the
> underlying purpose of the call we hosted last year with the Prayer and
> Crisis Referral Network was to introduce our members and friends to a
> ministry that is already interested in including blind people and is a
> perfect fit for those who are having trouble finding their place in a
> church. The same is true of the Phone Faith ministry previously mentioned in
> this thread, which I haven't participated in yet but which I probably will
> call into soon now that I've heard more about it. I say all this to make the
> point, Andrew and PJ, that you are not alone-not by a long shot. In fact, I
> believe the great challenge for blind people in communities of faith is how
> to balance our desire to be included as equals with our need to advocate for
> the accommodations we require. This list, as well as the faith-based groups
> of the Federation, exist as a space where those challenges can be brought
> into the open and solutions can be developed.
> 
> 
> 
> Now that I've addressed the problem, let's see if I can suggest a solution
> or two. Back in 2015, I wrote an article for Future Reflections (NFB's
> magazine for parents and teachers of blind children) titled "Finding My
> Niche." Since its main focus was after-school extracurricular activities, I
> won't quote it or link to it here; you can look it up if you want to read
> it. But the main point of the article applies as much to church life as it
> does to after-school life: If our goal is to be included in the wider
> community, the first step is to find our niche-the part of that community
> that fits our talents and interests. I got involved in the NFB during middle
> school and became more involved in student leadership as I went through high
> school and college, partly because I had trouble finding a place in the
> clubs sponsored by the school, even in the music-related activities that
> should have been where I belonged. As I progressed through college, however,
> I was blessed to find more acceptance in certain small groups there, and
> made friends within those groups. I was also in another state, so I wasn't
> as involved in NFB. Now I'm working and have lived in 2 more states, finally
> coming back to my home state of Maryland. I have been in a variety of
> churches, sometimes finding a niche, sometimes not. But I'm now back in NFB
> again at various levels. So, apparently, the blind community is my niche-or,
> at least, one of them.
> 
> 
> 
> The same, I think, is true of a church. Most churches have many ministries
> and multiple small groups and Bible studies. So, I urge you to try one out.
> If it doesn't work, try another, and another, and so on. Eventually, you
> will find your niche. Like any leader, the pastor does not lead a church
> alone, nor is it the pastor's responsibility to find a place where each
> member belongs. The pastor can provide support and solve problems among
> members, but ultimately one's involvement in a ministry is between that
> person and the ministry's leadership. So, I urge you: Keep trying until you
> find your niche, even when it gets discouraging (notice I said when, not
> if). If it's not at one church, it may be at another. Or it may be on the
> Prayer Line (shameless plug), in our Christians Group, or in some other
> virtual ministry. Whatever it is, as you pray for discernment and keep
> trying, I believe you will eventually find it.
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I want to try to lovingly and prayerfully address the expressions
> of depression expressed in this thread. First, as a brother in Christ and as
> a fellow member of our blind community, I'm incredibly sorry to hear that
> you are going through this, and my prayers are with you. I also note that
> this depression has been solely attributed to the struggles with church, as
> if your challenges in gaining acceptance in a faith community defines your
> life. If you really feel that you are a "failure," that God has "forgotten"
> you, I wonder if that depression really goes deeper than that. I'll just
> leave that there for you to think and pray on. Let me also commend to you
> these lyrics from an inspiring contemporary Christian song:
> 
> 
> 
> "The truth is I am my Father's child.
> 
> I make Him proud and I make Him smile.
> 
> I was made in the image of a perfect King,
> 
> He looks at me and wouldn't change a thing.
> 
> The truth is I am truly loved by a God who's good when I'm not good enough.
> 
> I don't belong to the lies, I belong to You.
> 
> And that's the truth." -Megan Woods
> 
> 
> 
> I have probably gone on too long already, but all of this has been weighing
> heavily on my heart, and I'm grateful for this platform which allows me to
> share it. Thank you all for sharing your hearts with us.
> 
> 
> 
> With prayers that the "peace that passes all understanding" will remain with
> each of us,
> 
> 
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> 
> Christopher A. Nusbaum
> 
> Assistive Technology Trainer for Blind/Low-vision Students and Adults
> 
> Board Member, Assistive Technology Trainers Division, National Federation of
> the Blind
> 
> Cell: (443) 547-2409
> 
> Work: (443) 487-6262
> 
> Personal email:  <mailto:cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com> cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com
> 
> Work email: canaccesssolutions at gmail.com
> <mailto:canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>  or cnusbaum at ais-llc.com
> 
> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-nusbaum-274384136> LinkedIn
> 
> Schedule a meeting with me <https://fantastical.app/cnusbaum/cas>
> 
> 
> 
> "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to help you
> and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11
> 
> 
> 
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