Your church is full of chronically ill people, whether they’re vocal about their daily struggles or not. And those people might be struggling to truly connect with a church.

As my health has deteriorated over the last few years, I’ve experienced firsthand how chronic illness can make it difficult to get plugged in at a church. I’ve heard similar stories from other chronic illness warriors, too. We desperately need the support of a church body, so it’s hard when we’re unable to experience that fellowship.

Throughout my own chronic illness journey, I’ve identified several things that might help chronically ill people be able to participate more fully at their church. Here are five things churches can do to help people with chronic illness.

Seek Us Out

You might not think your church has anyone who is chronically ill. But you’d probably be wrong. Six in 10 adults in the United States have a chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more illnesses! And since so many of these illnesses are invisible, others might never know.

People with chronic illnesses might be hesitant to speak up about their struggles, thinking that no one will relate or people might not respond in the right way. That’s why churches need to be vocal about wanting to connect with chronically ill people. People will be more likely to speak up if it’s clear there is a place for them.

Think Practical

When I took a poll of my chronic illness community to ask how many people had ever been unable to participate in a church service due to their chronic illness(es), 82% of the 22 people who voted said they’d experienced this problem. 

My church didn’t start offering online sermons until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As the pandemic grew and in-person activities were canceled, I enjoyed watching Sunday sermons from bed when my legs hurt too much to get up and joining my weeknight Bible study via video call after getting home from long days at the infusion center. Prior to COVID-19, I would’ve simply missed out.

Kenna McEvoy is a 20-year-old Christian who lives with multiple chronic illnesses and needs to eat gluten- and dairy-free, and she’s also benefited from churches committing to these small changes. Her family once specifically attended a church because the pastor’s family was gluten- and dairy-free as well, meaning all food served at the church was safe for Kenna to eat.

“I didn’t have to worry about communion either because they always used gluten free wafers — a huge plus!” Kenna says. 

Accessibility in churches can go a long way in reaching more chronically ill individuals — especially when churches think outside the box and recognize the myriad of different obstacles that chronically ill people face. 

Listen to Our Boundaries

Most of us probably wish more than anything that we could be involved with the same church ministries and mission trips we used to love. But in many cases, our bodies just won’t let us. If we say we can’t do something, accept that instead of continually pushing. Feel free to brainstorm alternate opportunities with us, though, because we still want to serve in the church! Maybe we’d be a perfect fit for the prayer ministry, or writing cards to other members of the congregation. 

It’s helpful for people in church leadership to understand our limitations so they can help us find ways to still participate. For example, I can no longer serve as a church pianist and vocalist due to the nature of my seizures, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue. But I love hosting the teenage girls from my church at my apartment every month or two and working in the nursery as I can.

Many of us simply can’t serve the same way anymore because of illness. And that’s okay. God recognizes that although what we have to offer looks a little different now, it’s no less valuable. But we need the church to recognize it, too.

Recognize Our Long Term Suffering

The practical aspects are important. But the American church also needs an overall mindset shift in how it thinks about chronic illness. As author and counselor KJ Ramsey asks in her book This Too Shall Last, “What if the church treated suffering like a story to tell rather than a secret to keep until it passes?”

It’s difficult for chronically ill people when healthy people can’t relate to our lives. Chronically ill people are often forgotten when they don’t get “better” right away. But as KJ says, this is not a before and after story. Our pain is present-tense, and we need support long term. Asking the Lord to take away our suffering isn’t wrong (2 Corinthians 12:8). But if He doesn’t, we don’t want to get stuck there, praying His will over ours. 

Respect Our Privacy, But Meet Our Needs

Healthy church members, we are so thankful for your support! And we’re also thankful when you respect our boundaries. If I’ve shared something about my health in confidence, for example, I don’t want that information to be shared from the pulpit or as a group prayer request. If you aren’t sure what our boundaries are, please feel free to ask us — but don’t just assume that we want everybody to know everything.

It’s also helpful for our family in Christ to find ways to meet our needs outside the four walls of the church. People who are chronically ill often need help completing everyday tasks. For instance, I’ve had women from my church offer to come over to wash my dishes if I’m too unwell to clean. And a close friend used to drive me to Bible study every single week because it’s very difficult for me to drive at night. 

We Need Each Other

I love the church. I love the chronically ill community. But sometimes, I feel like there’s a bit of a disconnect when you try to bring them together. I hope these simple ideas will encourage you to think about how you can strengthen these relationships in your own church and help encourage unity in the body of Christ.