In this episode of The Leader’s Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor is joined by Mac and Josie McCarthy for a deeply honest conversation on disability, faith, and the church. Sharing their journey as parents of a child with Down syndrome, Mac and Josie open up about the grief, growth, and spiritual reframing they experienced, and how it has changed the way they see God, themselves, and their community. Together, they challenge us to move beyond pity and mere inclusion toward presence, dignity, and belonging, recognizing the gifts individuals with disabilities bring to the body of Christ. Whether you are a parent, pastor, or community leader, this episode will encourage and challenge you to see disability not as a problem to fix, but as a call to deeper love and interdependence.

Mac McCarthy is the lead pastor of Crosspoint Community Church near Milwaukee and a coach with The Leader’s Journey, where he helps leaders build emotionally healthy, systems-aware communities rooted in Christian values. Learn more about Mac’s coaching work here.

Josie McCarthy is a nurse, mother of three, and passionate advocate for recognizing the dignity and gifts of individuals with disabilities, bringing practical wisdom and deep faith to this conversation.

Conversation Overview:

• Moving through grief and acceptance after a disability diagnosis

• How disability challenges and reframes our theology and expectations

• The way Jesus sees and engages individuals with disabilities

• From pity to presence

• The pitfalls of prejudice, disability blindness, and transactional service

• Seeing individuals with disabilities as vital, gifted members of the church

• Navigating the tension between challenge and joy in disability

• Encouragement for leaders feeling overwhelmed in creating spaces of belonging

Resources:

• Mac McCarthy at The Leader’s Journey – Learn more about Mac’s coaching and leadership development work.

• Zoom Dialogue on Disability (July 24 at 1:00 PM Central) – A live dialogue with Mac and Josie exploring how leaders can practically engage these conversations.

• Disability Theology (to be explored in Part 2) – A framework for understanding faith and disability in the church.

• Find The Leader's Journey on YouTube

Dive a little deeper into the conversation pertaining to disability by reading these recommended books:  

• Amy Kenny's My Body Is Not a Prayer Request 
• Nancy Eiesland's The Disabled God

Organizations that equip churches to be places of inclusion & belonging:

• Key Ministry -- https://keyministry.org
• SOAR -- https://soarspecialneeds.org