May I introduce you to the silent ones? They live everywhere, and may even live on your block. They work, play, and live in your world. Are you aware their needs are no different than your own? Who are they? These people are a proud group of people known as the ”deaf community,” the silent ones in our country and in our world.

The deaf community is characterized as:

● Counting for more than 29 million in the United States.

● Comprising the largest un-reached people group in the US, and in the world.

● Living in the beauty of their language, sign language, which is the third most-used language in the United States, but also the most underappreciated. This distinct cultural language is represented in every country, utilizing its own syntax to share its own tradition, folklore, history, and culture.

● Together, the silent ones would become the fourth largest populated continent in the global community, with more than an estimated 290 million people living in their "country."

● Knowing no limitations regarding race, religion, creed, and nationality, comprised of people from all walks of life, language groups, cultures, and history.

● Being diverse as any, yet they are joined together by a common bond in their diversity—an experience of deafness and deaf culture. They have been separated, segregated, divided, put aside, ignored, misunderstood and forgotten—even in the midst of global evangelism—mostly because of misconceptions with respect to meeting their needs. For many years, they were perceived as a disability to be "cured." Now, they are being perceived as a distinct cultural reality to be embraced and accepted.

Recent studies by Deaf Missions, Deaf International, and Deaf Ministries Worldwide have shown that less than five onehundredths of a percent of the deaf community are members of any Christian church. Why? Perhaps this has resulted by their being denied the integrity of their own existence and forced to become a part of the mainstream of society. Or they have been neglected because they have not "measured up." The members of the deaf community are more than simply individuals who cannot hear. Dr. Harold Noe, lead translator of the Deaf Video Bible with Deaf Missions has stated, "Because they've lost their hearing, must they lose their souls?” (1980).

Aspiring to work with the deaf and hard-of-hearing (hereafter identified as HH) community in evangelism and church development must be understood to be no different than preparing for mission work in a foreign country. The deaf world is as culturally different, linguistically challenging, and experientially diverse as any other. No two countries have the same sign language systems, and yet, learning from them and being involved with them can be personally inspiring and motivating.

Deaf mission is first and foremost an interpersonal relationship. As Helen Keller is reported to have said, "Blindness cuts you off from the world, but deafness cuts you off from people." Deaf culture is a culture that requires a relationship with individuals who are no different than any of us, except for a communication gap that must be crossed with confidence, commitment, and compassion. Too often, many businesses, schools, and churches believe that simply providing an interpreter or visual stimulation with the use of notes and video projection units will satisfy the personal needs of deaf persons. Nothing can be further from the truth. This shows that there is no relationship, no awareness of how deaf people process information. There is a difference between simply providing an interpreter, and actively being involved in deaf culture.

To illustrate: imagine that you were in a world where people were communicating and sharing their emotions of joy, excitement, and tears with one another. It appears that you are in a fishbowl, looking out, and all you have received is the printed words, "The people rejoiced with great joy!" Would you not want to know, "Why? What's happening?" Would you not want to bridge the gap between the two worlds and your experiences? How do you help these people understand your world? And how will you be able to understand theirs? How do you bridge the gap between merely receiving information and truly experiencing the joys of the moment? The only answer is relationally.

To be actively involved in the cultural community, you must strive to remove this huge obstacle. This is the reason for most missions training programs in our churches today. It should be no different in training to work with and among the deaf.

The Church of the Nazarene is quickly preparing to enter her centennial year. This will be a time to encourage us to remember her history, cherish her memories, recall her beginnings, and recommit ourselves to her purpose in fulfilling the scriptural challenges into the next century. Phineas Bresee co-founded the Church of the Nazarene upon the timeless and universal Christian principles of preaching to the lost and forsaken of our community. As we reflect on our centennial, we would do well to remember the biblical challenge to proclaim God’s grace and salvation to the human family (Luke 4:18-19; 19:9-10; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:8-15).

As Keith Wright, former Kansas City District Superintendent, communicated, “Lost people matter to God; lost people should matter to us.” Likewise, we must remember that the deaf should be a part of that formula and among those we need to reach (Matthew 28:19-20). They are to be included in our mandate to make Christ-like disciples. We must never place an obstacle in front of the deaf when it comes to learning about the Lord (Leviticus 19:14). To do anything less is irresponsible and must be considered a sin of omission.

Do you know deaf members in your community? Do they know Christ? Have you asked them how things are in their spiritual lives? Are they growing in their spiritual pursuits? Are things relevant for them? Is there anything you can do to assist them in their spiritual growth? Just like Jesus met the deaf man on the road to Decapolis (Mark 7:31-37) because the community was interested in his salvation and healing, so should the church make an effort to bring the deaf to Jesus because they care. They should want to introduce Jesus to them, not simply to fix them, but to bring complete joy into their lives.

We are fond of saying, “Missions begin at home.” With respect to the deaf community, our distinctive characteristic as a holiness church requires that we do nothing else to the contrary.

by Rick McClain
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Deaf Online University

Resources and Links for ASL Dictionary, ASL Bible, ASL Sermons, Deaf Ministry Ideas, Deaf Ministry Publications, and Deaf Culture Information

Demographics:
• Gallaudet Research Institute www.gallaudet.edu/demographics
• DARS www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/dhhsfaqs.shtml
• www.deafness.about.com/cs/earbasics/a/demographics.htm
Resources:
• Harris Communications www.harriscomm.com
• Assemblies of God Deaf Ministries www.nfdeafaog.org
• Southern Baptist Conference for the Deaf www.sbcdeaf.org
• Deaf Missions www.deafmissions.org
• Deaf International www.deafinternational.org
• Brentwood Baptist Deaf Church www.brentwooddeaf.org
• Deaf Online University www.deafonlineuniversity.com
• Deaf Ministries Worldwide www.brightok.net/~dmw/
• Deaf Prison Ministries Network www.deafprison.org
• College Church of the Nazarene Deaf Ministry, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Mark Mitchum Ministries (Music and the Deaf ) www.markmitchumweb.com/
Articles of Interest:
• www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/21/deaf_ seminarian_has_visual_sense_of_religion/>
• http://strategyleader.org/deaf/deaf_pg.html
• http://www.deafculture.com/ethnic_culture/
• http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200010/ai_ n8905300/pg_1