What if the problem isn't that churches don't care… but that they don't know where to start? In this episode of Every Child Belongs, Kim Botto sits down with ministry leader Ryan Faulk to talk about what it really means to help neurodivergent and disabled kids belong in church communities. Ryan serves as Director of Children and Disability Ministry at Cornerstone Church in California and has spent years helping churches move beyond good intentions into meaningful discipleship.

Ryan shares how he "accidentally" created a low-sensory youth ministry environment that drew neurodivergent students in, and how that experience completely changed the way he viewed church, inclusion, and discipleship. Together, Kim and Ryan discuss student ministry transitions, sensory environments, disability ministry silos, church fears around feeling "unequipped," and why every church must move from passive welcome to active belonging.

This conversation is deeply practical for pastors, ministry leaders, volunteers, and parents alike. Ryan offers simple but powerful frameworks that help churches think differently about disability ministry, including one unforgettable analogy about goldfish transitions and another about gardening that may completely reshape how you think about supporting kids and families.

"Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links)

Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more.

Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.