Neurodivergence and the Christian life
Hosted by Tony Payne (Centre for Christian Living, 2025)
“‘Oh, sorry, I don’t—I’m not in a head space where I can process eye contact right now. Do you mind if I just keep my [sunglasses] on?’ [He said], ‘Oh, no worries at all. Do you want me to dim the lights?’ And he just dimmed the lights slightly.”1
Above is a neurodivergent person’s account of the best doctor’s appointment she ever had. What follows is another person’s account of feeling radically accepted by people from her church.
“The other day in my Bible study, I was saying . . . ‘What do you think I should do [at church] on a day where I just want to, like, rock backwards and forwards? . . . The amount that I need to stim2 to be able to process the environment around me is really intense.’ And they’re like, ‘No, still come to church. But maybe just sit in the foyer where you can still hear the message.’”3
Unfortunately, this is not yet the norm. Recently in Australia I came across multiple families who are currently only able to attend church online. Going to church in person is too hard, whether because of social anxiety or sensory overwhelm. Other families deal with meltdowns or struggling to be at kids’ church on a weekly basis. As I began to think through this challenge I was pointed towards this podcast, “Neurodivergence and the Christian life” (three-part series).
The Bible work is excellent and the science reasonably thorough, however what glitters in this podcast, the real treasure, is the voices of Christians with ADHD and autism, and their parents.
We hear from an autistic woman how she is “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “knit together in her mother’s womb.” As much as she struggles with the symptoms of autism, she is held firm in her knowledge that God made her and made no mistakes in his creation of her.
Body of Christ
What does it mean to be the body of Christ? We learn that those of us who are neurodivergent need those who are neurotypical along with their gifts. In equal measure, the neurotypical among us need the neurodivergent, with their gifts. Without each other we are not the church as God intends it.
We hear from a mother of autistic children that the treasures of the gospel are hers as she parents her kids. She does not save her kids; Jesus does that. More than being her kids, they are God’s kids, and she can entrust them to his loving care.
Let’s learn more together
I am moved by what I’ve learned. When I first noticed the way pastoral families with neurodivergence attract neurodivergent congregants, I began to get excited for this new challenge of how to cater for those kids and adults at church. But now I am excited to understand more of what the treasures of the gospel are for neurodivergent people. I am excited to learn how we accommodate neurodivergence on Sundays, not only because it is fair and right, but because without neurodivergent people we aren’t what we were made to be as the body of Christ. Please have a listen to these podcast episodes. I would love to hear from you how your church is doing this well.
1. Tony Payne, host, Centre for Christian Living, podcast, episode 145, “Neurodivergence and the Christian life (Part 3),” Centre for Christian Living, https://ccl.moore.edu.au/resources/podcast-episode-145 (September 9, 2025).
2. Stimming is a repetitive action, such as tapping, rocking or humming, that helps a person process sensory input, calm themselves, or express strong feelings.
3. Episode 145.