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So the impossible is possible with God.

Luke 1:37 Voice

What could happen if you believed the impossible was possible with God?

Our story starts 27 years ago in San Mateo at an elementary school parent meeting. Ines and Charles Larkin’s son, Larry, had recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Like all parents—and especially those who have a child with a disability—Charles and Ines were facing challenges with their son that seemed impossible to overcome. Larry was primarily nonverbal, and they didn’t know how to help him develop socially or build great friendships.

At that parent meeting, the Larkins started chatting with another set of parents who also had a child with autism. Through them, they found out about an event hosted by the Bay Area Christian Church for special needs families with a guest speaker who had expertise in helping kids with autism. When they attended the event, they heard about our Spiritual Resource Ministry (SRM), a church class designed to be inclusive for children with disabilities. 

At the time, Ines and her husband were not looking for a church, but they were curious about whether their son would like the SRM class and wanted to help him build friendships. They went to church together soon after that and loved it.

“We were amazed at how Larry didn’t cry when we dropped him off in SRM class,” Ines said. “He really liked it, and we never stopped going after that. I was really surprised at how people were so nice to us and how much they cared for Larry. Larry was so happy going to church.”

Finding Spiritual Resource Ministry was life-changing not only for Larry but also for Ines. Ines joined a Bible study group at BACC and met many women who became her best friends. Through the Scriptures, she learned about God’s love and started to understand herself better. She learned how to apply the Bible to her life, which changed her from the inside out. She became more patient and forgiving. Her marriage changed. Her relationship with Larry changed. And she decided to become a Christian. 

“If it weren’t for all the women that helped me through the Bible, I would have never had the life that I have now,” said Ines. “I’m so grateful I found God and for all the people who are still helping me through all the years.”

Larry loved Spiritual Resource Ministry and was part of it throughout his elementary and middle school years, enjoying close friendships and developing a personal faith in God. The teachers in SRM created an adapted Bible study curriculum to help Larry and other kids with disabilities process the Scriptures in the ways that worked best for them. Larry met friends and mentors who had vision for him and walked with him while he developed his communication skills. He learned that God loved him and made him unique.

Surrounded by the love of God, Larry thrived socially, emotionally, and spiritually in ways his younger self would never have thought possible.

Reading the Bible planted the seed in Larry that he was meant to make a difference in this world, and he decided to become a Christian when he was in high school. He believed God could do the impossible in and through his life. It was only a matter of time.

“God put me here for a reason,” Larry told us. “I had a story to share that could inspire other people and see that you can defy the odds.”

Spreading faith and changing lives 

Larry’s faith was contagious. It spread to his friends at Hillsdale High School as he shared about getting to know God and understanding God’s purpose for his life. Not only did his lifelong friend Cameron decide to become a Christian, but their faith spread to another friend named Krissie who became a Christian too. And not even the pandemic could stifle their dream to change lives; Krissie’s friend Danny also decided to become a Christian during the pandemic.

When talking about his experiences with helping his friends become Christians, Larry said, “That’s where I learned that God could make things happen. You may not realize it at the time, but you do one thing—one great thing—it can lead to another great thing.” 

Meanwhile, because one woman shared with her neighbors how Jesus exposed her past and present, the village of Sychar was transformed-many Samaritans heard and believed.

John 4:39 Voice

Just like the woman in this scripture, Larry believed that simply sharing his life would lead to God doing the impossible. As a result, many others’ lives changed. 

Making the impossible possible together

Moved by their gratitude for God and their empathy for other people with disabilities, Larry and his friends love to find ways to serve. One way they do this is by participating in and leading the various programs of E-Life, a community partner of the Bay Area Christian Church that promotes inclusion for people of all ages and abilities, with the “E” standing for how everyone is “exceptional.” Whether it’s through sports or artistic activities, E-Life programs have impacted countless lives, helping neurotypical and neurodiverse people learn new skills and become friends alongside each other. 

Larry was one of the first child participants at E-Soccer when it first began in 2000, and now helps lead it as an assistant coach. He’s able to help kids like him find inclusion and friendship.

“E-Soccer is like none other,” Larry said, “There are other families who have taken their kids to different soccer programs and then they come to E-Soccer and they learn that there is nothing like it.”

Larry’s faith has taken him from being a child with autism spectrum disorder who couldn’t speak to becoming a spiritual influence on his friends and an advocate for kids with disabilities through E-Life. 

Larry also recently graduated from San Jose State University and is pursuing his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster, having already made several appearances on programs like ABC7 News.

But now [as things really are], God has placed and arranged the parts in the body, each one of them, just as He willed and saw fit [with the best balance of function]. [21] The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” [22] But quite the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are [absolutely] necessary; [26] And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:18,21-22,26 AMP

At the Bay Area Christian Church, we care deeply about creating a culture that is inclusive of people with all abilities. When a church community believes that God made each of us unique with our own special purpose, we will celebrate our differences rather than diminish them. We will change each other’s lives for the better and make a positive impact on the world. 

That is why our church has invested in inclusive programs like E-Life, Spiritual Resource Ministry, and many more for over 25 years. Not only has this inclusive mindset positively impacted the surrounding Bay Area communities but has completely changed the fabric and culture of our church. Each person is an original. Each person has something to offer. Each person deserves to be loved, included, and celebrated. When we build each others’ lives in this way, it helps all of us grow and thrive. We don’t just want to keep it for ourselves, we want everybody to promote inclusion wherever they are.

Larry said it best: “It’s not about judging each other, it’s about helping each other. Inclusive means everybody is included—special needs or no special needs.” 

Larry’s story inspires each of us to ask ourselves: “What could happen if I believed God could do the impossible?”

Get involved!

When one person is included, we are all better for it, and it’s not hard to get started. Learn more about our inclusive programs, resources, and stories:

Written by

Bay Area Christian Church

This was created by a member of the Bay Area Christian Church team.

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