Will your child with a disability truly belong at church—or simply be accommodated? How can you recognize genuine welcome? How could a church rethink accessibility, Sunday school, and worship so your family can fully participate?
Nakoa Dantzler Merritt, the Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator for With Ministries, joins Amy Julia Becker to offer practical advice and real-life examples for families and churches. She invites families to approach imperfect churches with grace while still looking for a heart posture of welcome.
00:00 Nakoa's Story and Advocacy
04:14 Questions to Ask About Welcome
07:03 Understanding and Designing for Accessibility
09:00 Examples of Churches Moving Toward Welcome
10:18 Adapting Sunday School for All Abilities
13:23 Designing Worship Services for Accessibility
17:09 Starting Points for Families in Unwelcoming Churches
21:24 Practical Tips for Families Navigating Church Challenges
MENTIONED IN EPISODE 33:
Questions for families:
- Is my family welcome?
- Is my family included in decision making?
- Is the church willing to ask what my child needs?
- Is the church willing to meet us partway?
Questions for churches:
- How are we communicating welcome?
- Can people with different abilities actually participate?
- Are families affected by disability helping shape our ministry?
- Are we creating belonging, rather than simply accommodation?
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ABOUT:
Nakoa Dantzler Merritt is the Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator for With Ministries. She is also the Board Secretary for the Black Down Syndrome Association and an Advisory Board Member for the North Texas Disability Chamber. She combines professional leadership with lived advocacy to advance accessibility, inclusion, and equitable services both in churches and across communities. Nakoa is a devoted mother of twin boys and an advocate at heart. She enjoys encouraging others, spending time with her family, and creating meaningful opportunities for people to connect, contribute, and participate fully.
Socials
FB/IG: withministriesorg
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ndmerrittmba/
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Take the Next Step is a resource from the Hope Heals Network, a collective of thought leaders offering honest and hopeful wisdom to help people flourish in the good and hard parts of their stories. To learn more about the work of Hope Heals, visit hopeheals.com or follow @hopeheals on Instagram.
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