Blessed Minds: Breaking the Silence about Neurodiversity
By Sarah Griffith Lund
Chalice Press, 144 Pages
Published March 24, 2025
What does it look like to embrace neurodiversity in theology and ministry? Pastor and parent Sarah Griffith Lund knows. Her family is part of the neurodiverse community, and she works to create positive worship and church experiences for those whose brains are differently wired. With poetry, story illustrations, parables, keywords and guiding questions, this short book lends itself to myriad uses in individual or group study.
Blessed Minds: Breaking the Silence about Neurodiversity first provides a basic introduction to neurodiversity, offering all readers equal footing, as neurodiversity has been used in academic circles for longer than in the church world. Lund’s theology of neurodiversity is that neurodiverse individuals are whole and loved in their neurodiverse experience, not a problem to be solved. As she expands on neurodiversity in ministry, I appreciated examples of churches offering support for neurodiverse folks in worship and reframing neurodiverse ministry leaders.
Practical examples of neuro inclusive church services illustrate that large and small ministries can apply accessible changes for little to no cost. Lund says, “Simple changes to the worship itself can be more neuro inclusive, such as offering multiple ways to pray and different ways to engage in faith formation.” Advocating for inclusive worship and education allows a more enjoyable experience for neurodiverse individuals of all ages and their families. Lund challenges some of the more traditional ideals — that worship is a quiet place of sitting still, where fidget items (commonly used to assist those with autism, anxiety or sensory issues) are unwelcome. Additionally, I appreciated the examples of churches that failed in attempts to be neuro inclusive, reminding readers to leave room for grace as we explore what it means to be inclusive.
Lund concludes with a theology of compassionate care for neurodiverse ministers, recognizing that we live in a world where neurodiversity is more publicly acknowledged but often stigmatized in Christian leadership. By offering examples of successful ministry leaders who experience ADHD, autism and other neurodiverse diagnoses, Lund offers a note of encouragement for those called to ministry who fall under the neurodiverse umbrella. Neurodiverse ministry leaders are encouraged not to hide their uniqueness but to utilize their particular experiences as a gift to the larger church. By ending with this call to compassion, Lund asks how congregations and ministry colleagues can provide helpful and healthy environments to allow all types of leaders to thrive.
Her perspective of neurodiversity embraces and enthusiastically welcomes the whole individual. It was a delight to see my own experiences with neurodiversity and building neuro-inclusive worship spaces reflected in Lund’s work. Through expansive interviews with people with all different types of neurodiversity, neurodiverse individuals and families can see their experiences thoughtfully represented. Although Blessed Minds should not be the only resource for communities to enhance their neurodiverse ministries, it is an excellent introduction to reframing traditional mindsets and how to begin to support all people. I’m excited to see how this book can equip churches eager to reach all those who worship with them and those called to ministry.
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