It’s the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act! Hear Joni not only talk about this law, but the most important one of all – the law of love.
Joni and Friends can equip you and your church with practical tools for including people of all abilities into the life and ministry of your church. Learn more here.
SHAUNA: I’m Shauna with Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Thank you for joining us.
JONI: Let me tell you about my friend Nancy who’s a wonderful advocate for people with disabilities, and she was telling me how the elders at her church were planning to add an extension to the church building. And so, Nancy reminded them to be sure that the new extension would be accessible for people in wheelchairs. She knows all about the Americans with Disabilities Act and how important it is to eliminate barriers in buildings that serve the public. Of course, when Nancy learned that the church extension would be a two-story building, she suggested that the elders include an elevator in the design. Well, they responded that they did not need to make provisions for an elevator, because it was not required under the ADA. And you know, they’re absolutely right. Churches aren’t required to provide access because a religious entity has protection under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. And that’s the “Freedom of Religion” Amendment and it prohibits the government from overreaching its boundaries and interfering with churches. And that’s a good thing. Requiring churches to alter their buildings under the ADA would be interfering with our religious autonomy.
And so, the elders at Nancy’s church did not think they were required to provide access to the second floor with an elevator. However, when they submitted their plans to the city, they quickly discovered that they were required to provide access according to state building codes. So, the leaders at Nancy’s church ended up including an elevator in the building plans. Not because it was required by the ADA [which is a federal law] but because of state law. And it’s true – you may not be aware of this, but many state requirements are far more stringent than the Americans with Disabilities Act.
But having said all this, I want to give a real big shout out to churches across the country that freely honor ADA codes even though compliance is not required. Most every church has handicapped parking. Most churches provide accessible bathrooms. Some have automatic doors or lightweight doors that are easier to open manually. And lots of churches do have elevators and sign language interpreters. There are even churches that offer large print bulletins and online services for people who have other disability barriers. And they do this even when federal and state codes do not require it. Because these churches understand that if they want to give the Gospel to everyone in their community, many of those people in the community will be wheelchair-users or will be hard of hearing; they may be elderly people who use walkers, people who cannot climb steps; who use canes or crutches, even young mothers pushing baby strollers. It’s why I’m proud of the churches and Christian organizations who follow a higher law than the ADA. And that of course is the law of love.
And that’s such a witness to the community. And to the special-needs families who live near your church. So, thank you for making folks feel welcomed. Tomorrow on Saturday is the 35th anniversary of the signing of the ADA. And if you have questions about access, let us help you put out the welcome sign to friends with disabilities. We can do that at joniradio.org. Again, there are resources for you at joniradio.org. And Nancy, kudos to your church for installing that elevator!
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