By Rhea Choudhary | Staff Writer
Baylor will take stories of disability inclusion in the church to a national level after receiving a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch “The Whole Body Project: Flourishing Together in Faith and Life.”
Beginning in the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, the five-year initiative will share stories from congregations across the country where people with and without disabilities or mental health challenges worship and serve with one another. The funding comes from Lilly’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life, which places a strong emphasis on expressions of what Christian faith in action means.
Founded in 1937, Lilly Endowment is an Indianapolis-based private foundation that supports initiatives in religion, education and community development nationwide. A primary focus of its grant-making is strengthening congregational vitality and leadership in Christian communities.
For Executive Director of the Center and The Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities Dr. Erik W. Carter, the project is about transforming one’s narrative from accommodation to belonging.
“The stories from ‘The Whole Body Project’ will portray the goodness and hope of Christian faith and life by highlighting faith communities that invite the whole Body of Christ to envision and practice a more accessible and connected common life,” Carter said.
Individuals struggling with disabilities or mental health difficulties are members of nearly one in three families. However, many churches continue to choose how to move from inclusion in theory to participation in their practice. Carter explained that the initiative will have congregations where belonging is connected to discipleship, leadership and one’s daily church life, along with each person’s gifts and abilities having a part in the community as a whole.
“Through a first-of-its-kind national campaign — rooted in research, supported by deep partnerships and sustained through practical resource pathways — we will inspire and equip tens of thousands of church leaders, members and families to reimagine and pursue faithful life together,” Carter said. “We are grateful for the support from Lilly Endowment as we embark on this important work to proclaim the power and beauty of the Whole Body of Christ.”
The project’s plan is to produce a documentary-style film, digital shorts and podcasts, along with an online “Belonging Hub” that provides tools to reflect, small-group resources and ministry-specific guidance. Alongside a storytelling team, there will also be a resource creation team and an external advisory council to structure strategy and implementation.
President Linda Livingstone emphasized the significance and her appreciation for the grant, calling it “more remarkable news” for the institution. She described the initiative to be of Baylor’s Institutional Bold Pursuits, stating it demonstrates the university’s mission to embody the love of Christ in tangible ways.
“This initiative — identified as one of our institutional Bold Pursuits — reflects Baylor’s deep commitment to embodying the love of Christ by ensuring that every member is seen, valued and invited into flourishing community,” Livingstone said. “I am grateful for Dr. Erik Carter and his team in the Center and the many Baylor faculty and partners leading this transformative work that leverages our world-class interdisciplinary research with congregations to inspire and equip communities of faith nationwide towards deeper collective life, belonging and faithful witness.”
This initiative will be led in partnership with Rev. Dr. Jason Le Shana, director of the Baylor Collaborative on Faith and Disability, and Dr. Dustin D. Benac, director of the Program for the Future Church at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Across the university, faculty and staff, including the Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies, the Center for Church and Community Impact and the Institute for Faith and Learning will each contribute to the collaborative effort.
Carter’s goal for the project is simple, yet strong. He hopes to tell the stories that many churches are already living but only few have seen.
“When we lift these stories up, we bear witness to the truth of the Gospel and invite others to do the same,” Carter said. “When we tell these stories together, we invite the whole body to live more faithfully, receiving the gifts of God and helping the church live more fully.”
