Including the People We Serve In Worship: Enabling Perspectives

If you are enthusiastic about listening and singing contemporary worship songs, you will be familiar with titles such as, “Come, Now is The Time to Worship,” “Refiners Fire,” and, “Hope of the Nations.”

You might even be aware that these worship standards have been written and preformed by popular, award winning, Canadian worship leader Brian Doerksen. But did you know that this SHAI and Gospel Music Association award winner is also a specialist at converting obstacles into opportunities?

Doerkson is a Father to six children, three of which have Fragile X syndrome. Fragile X syndrome is second only to Down syndrome as the most common form of developmental disability. The term, “Fragile X” is called such because when it is viewed under the appropriate conditions, the X chromosome appears to be broken or frayed.

Health risks associated with Fragile X include but are not limited to: seizures, heart problems, joint dislocation, learning and behavior challenges and facial abnormalities. Despite the obstacles that Fragile X presents to the Doerksen family; it is the stigma surrounding the disability which is perhaps the most challenging.

Jeremy Armstrong, a writer for, “Possibilities” Magazine who provides the working definition for Fragile X mentioned above recently interviewed Doerksen and makes the following comments:

“Most people with disabilities are not sought after in the church . . . they would never be turned away but accommodations are often difficult to find for people who do not fit the typical church goer mold.” For this reason the Doerksen family is aware that they must be surrounded by support from within their church family.

Brian comments:


“Sometimes it’s an incredible labor of love for us to go to church. If I am leading worship, it is really hard for my wife. We have to depend on our church family. They watch us and when we are feeling overwhelmed there are people who help. To include families like ours, it comes down to people having a heart for our needs. Several friends have made that choice.”

Brian Doerkson’s obstacles in life have encouraged him to take the opportunity to help disabled people find a place in worship. But that it is a pioneering effort. He comments: “I feel like I am in Kindergarten, I want to learn how to better serve people with disabilities among us, so that they can express their hearts in worship.”

How do you think we could demonstrate more inclusive attitudes toward the people we serve in our various worship settings?

Terry Harris