The Deaf is one of the largest unreached and unengaged people groups in the world. A new effort is underway to change that
DOOR International President Rob Myers says partnership plays an especially vital role in reaching Deaf for Christ. He made the statement at the annual Missio Nexus conference where partnership was the overarching theme of this year’s event.
Myers said because signed languages each have their own unique structure and grammar. Deaf communities are considered their own individual people group. And, it’s actually most effective for Deaf people to reach out to other Deaf people.
It’s estimated that fewer than two percent of the world’s 70 million Deaf people follow Jesus.
Meyers added,
The needs of the Deaf community are immense, but there are only a handful of Deaf Christian organizations doing work in any of these areas.
We understand that DOOR International isn’t called to do all of these different things. No organization is called to do all of these different things.
Because God created the Body of Christ, we know it’s incredibly important that Deaf ministries come together.
Reaching Deaf for Christ on a global scale will require a multifaceted approach, Myers says. Gaps exist in nearly every corner of international Deaf ministry.
A handful of Deaf ministries got together in August to form the first-ever Deaf Strategic Alliance.
Only about 10-percent of the Deaf world has access right now to the word of God, so they’ve got a long way to go in the next several years.