Cripping Youth Ministry: An Intersectional Vision for Working with Disabled Youth

Cripping Youth Ministry breaks new ground by showcasing the ministry and leadership of disabled youth. Organized around a powerful theological framework of lament, protest, praise, and prophecy, this book challenges churches and theological institutions to repent of ableism and embrace the transformative ministry disabled youth are already doing.

Through original prayers, youth perspectives, and practical exercises, readers encounter how disabled youth navigate faith, resist injustice, and proclaim the gospel in revolutionary ways. Each chapter addresses contemporary issues intersecting with disability: mental health, sexuality, race and ethnicity, neurodiversity, and more. Discussion questions and resource lists make this volume immediately useful for congregational leaders and seminary classrooms alike.

Cripping Youth Ministry goes beyond advocating for inclusion; it shows how disabled youth are creating new vocabularies, ministries, and ways of carrying the gospel forward. In these pages, readers will see disabled youth leadership in action—and learn why it matters for the church.

Contributors:

Avery Arden, Carmelle Beaugelin Caldwell, Erik W. Carter, Michael Paul Cartledge, Morrigan Clarke, Letiah Fraser, Zach Grant, Lamar Hardwick, Samantha Houser, Deborah Huggins, Amy Jacober, Chris Larocque, Sarah Griffith Lund, Pepa Paniagua, Riley Pickett, Rudolph P. Reyes II, Cody J. Sanders, Andrew Scales, Len Scales, Hunter Steinitz, Joshua Taylor, Avery Williams