God’s Word for a Deaf World
Willard J. Madsen, formerly a professor of sign language at Gallaudet University, wrote a classic poem in 1971 on the experience of being deaf. The end of that poem reads as follows: What is it like to comprehend
Some nimble fingers that paint the scene,
And make you smile and feel serene
With the "spoken word" of the moving hand
That makes you part of the world at large?
You have to be deaf to understand. In many ways, the deaf live in their own world defined by cultural and linguistic boundaries. Many of them prefer to associate with other deaf. They share a common language and values. They have experienced many of the same daily frustrations in trying to communicate with the hearing people around them. In coming together, the deaf find the same kind of understanding and acceptance that hearing people have among good friends. The deaf community is their home.
It was in that deaf world that our LCMS deaf churches began. In 1873, the Lutheran School for the Deaf began in Detroit. In 1894, a graduate of that school encouraged Rev. Augustus Reinke to begin serving the deaf in the Chicago area. Soon there were deaf congregations all around synod. These congregations were strongholds in the deaf community, places where the deaf, their language, and their community flourished. A fairly uniform system of education, a cohesive community, and mission-minded Christians created great opportunities to reach out to the deaf with the good news of Jesus.
Those were the good old days and those days are fading quickly. Today, the education system is not very uniform. Years ago, students went one state school for the deaf. Today, many students are mainstreamed through their local schools. Creating a strong community for the future is difficult when the students are spread out over hundreds of miles. Naturally, that creates a similar challenge for the church when our target population is scattered.
How should the church respond to these changing times? There is still an important place for deaf churches. Deaf people tend to congregate in cities where there are more job opportunities and deaf fellowship. Deaf congregations will usually be the most equipped to reach out to them. However, there are some deaf who, because of their education, personal or family reasons, prefer a hearing church. Hearing churches can meet this need with interpreters and loving members who are eager to embrace someone using a different language. Hearing churches are also well-positioned to help the smaller numbers of deaf in small towns and rural areas.
The future of the deaf community seems uncertain. The path for deaf ministry is a little more certain. God has put hearing churches and deaf churches in one body so that we can work together. Hearing churches with their physical presence can provide more outreach locations. Deaf churches offer training and expertise in working with the deaf. Together we can make a difference for the largely unchurched deaf community. Certainly the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” (1 Cor. 12:21) Rather, let us pray that God would establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17) to declare His salvation for the deaf. Please contact your district missionaries to the deaf to find out how you can bring God’s word to this population.
Rev. Mark Anderson, (866) 373-8480, or maandrsn@t6b.com.
Rev. Tim Eckert, (563) 359-7105, or DeafLutheran@q.com.
