The American Sign Language Version (ASLV) and was primarily translated by Deaf people, for Deaf people. Deaf Bible Society helped propel this translation project over the last 38 years along with Deaf Missions, American Bible Society, Deaf Harbor, DOOR International, Pioneer Bible Translators, The Seed Company, and Wycliffe USA.

Chantel Pagan with Deaf Bible says, “It’s been years and years in the making. So it’s such new ground to say, yes, we have every book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in American Sign Language — the first sign language of many, many that are still waiting.”

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Missions)

Deaf Bible is also celebrating the ASL Chronological Bible Translation (CBT), recently completed with a coalition of Deaf ministries. The CBT consists of 119 biblical stories from Genesis to Revelation and is more intended for Deaf individuals who are unfamiliar with the Bible.

Deaf Bible’s website and app are easy ways for Deaf individuals to access sign language Bible translations. Deaf Bible works diligently with its partners to get these translations as soon as they are available and publish them on their digital platforms for distribution.

With the completion of the ASLV and CBT Bible translations, over three million Deaf individuals now have access to all of God’s Word in their heart sign language for the first time in history.

Pagan says, “We believe that providing access is really what can…create an opportunity for individuals to live a life that’s biblically-centered and where they can have culturally relevant conversations within their communities centered around the Gospel.”

The ASLV Bible is available now at DeafBible.com and the Deaf Bible app, and Pagan says they hope to have the CBT translation up as well by the end of the year.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Missions)

“For Deaf individuals, what we see often is they say it’s the Bible coming alive… To them, it’s signs being shown in video format in their native language, and it speaks and it communicates directly to their heart.”

Of course, Pagan says they are far from finished with sign language Bible translations. “As we celebrate the American Sign Language Version, Deaf Bible Society is excited to share that we’re also participating in accelerating 20 other sign language Bible translation projects. This is one of many to come.”

As Deaf Christians have greater access to Scripture in their heart language, they will be better equipped to engage in a local church and the global Body of Christ.

“[Pray for] the Bible being distributed, and that Deaf people would become aware…and be open to receiving what Scripture has to offer.”

Learn more about Deaf Bible’s ministry here!

Header photo courtesy of Deaf Missions.

(Graphic courtesy of World Federation of the Deaf)

Each of the seven days has a specific focus, and IWD aims to raise Deaf awareness and advocacy among the wider hearing community. Read past IWD stories here.

There are approximately 70 million Deaf people worldwide who use more than 350 unique sign languages. Until this summer, no sign language had a complete Bible. Today, U.S. Deaf believers rejoice as the first to have all of God’s Word within reach. Watch the ASLV Bible here.

“There has been a tremendous and exciting reaction from the U.S. Deaf Christian community,” Deaf Missions President Chad Entinger says via email. Earlier this month, the first-ever ASLV Bible “went live” on Deaf Missions’ app after 38 years of labor.

“Doing sign language Bible translation with video drafts takes longer than text or printed drafts,” Entinger explains.

“Our patience was tested at times as this journey was a long marathon, not a sprint.”

“The amount of technical skill needed is so much more than what we need for written translation, so it is a bigger task. It often takes longer,” Wycliffe USA’s Andy Keener says.

In 2016, Wycliffe USA joined American Bible Society, Deaf Bible Society, Deaf Harbor, DOOR International, Pioneer Bible Translators, and Seed Company in a new collaborative effort to help Deaf Missions cross the finish line.

“Four years ago, [Deaf Missions] said, ‘we’re about 16 years from completion.’ Several organizations got together and said, ‘if we had the resources, could we do it in four?’” Keener recalls.

Entinger adds, “thanks to God’s provision through the generosity of Deaf Missions donors and funding partners, we were able to overcome funding challenges and onboard more translators to accelerate completion of the Bible, thereby finishing in 2020 instead of our original projection of 2033!”

Find your place in the story

Now that you know, what will you do? You could move on with no further action, or you could celebrate Deaf ministry in four ways on IWD using the suggestions below.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Missions)

First and foremost, pray. “Spend time in prayer for the sign language Bible translation projects currently happening, and for future projects. [Pray] for sign language Bibles to impact Deaf Christians more than ever before,” Entinger requests.

Second, consider investing in the work of Deaf ministries like Deaf Bible Society, Deaf Missions, or DOOR International. “These are organizations ministering with and to Deaf people worldwide. Get to know them; come alongside one of these organizations, and help them carry out the ministry that they’re engaged in,” Keener suggests.

Third, help raise Deaf awareness by sharing this article using the buttons below. “The Church is [relatively] new to this whole world of sign language Bible translation,” Keener observes.

“Raising that awareness helps make sure we’re connecting well with Deaf people, and they’re not left out, especially in the message of the Gospel.”

Fourth, learn more about Deaf culture in case you cross paths with a Deaf individual. “Learn a few signs; be prepared to greet someone and let them know that you care. There is a cross-cultural aspect to engaging with Deaf people,” Keener says.

“Take your cell phone, go to wherever you get your apps and look for the Deaf Bible app. Find the American Sign Language version of the Bible. Have it on your phone when you meet a Deaf person [and share it with them]. Many Deaf people don’t even know that the Scriptures are available in sign language.”

Header image courtesy of Deaf Missions via Facebook.

CEO Chantel Pagan says Deaf Bible Society marks a half-decade of ministry this summer.

“We are so excited to look back and consider all of the wonderful things that the Lord has done in and through Deaf Bible Society and our incredible partners.”

In the summer of 2015, a team within Faith Comes By Hearing laid plans for reaching Deaf people with God’s Word. Whereas only the Deaf Bible app existed previously, the Deaf Bible Society began to take shape as a formal organization. Today, Deaf Bible Society works in 76 sign language communities around the world. They’re distributing Bible content, training distributors, researching, building relationships, and funding Bible translation efforts.

See a full timeline here.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

“Through the course of this five-year history, it has been so incredible to see the Lord align and set into motion new levels of collaboration to see His Great Commission take shape for Deaf people worldwide,” Pagan says.

DBS: a growing Deaf ministry

There are an estimated 70 million Deaf people worldwide. Deaf Bible Society connects these individuals with God’s Word in their heart sign languages. More about that here.

Less than five percent of the world’s 400+ sign languages have any Scripture. But that’s exactly what makes sign language Bible translation such an essential task.

“We’re doing everything we can to set into motion key strategic initiatives to see greater translation growth, as well as seeing new Deaf leaders arise and participate in the Great Commission’s call,” Pagan says.

In the years to come, “we look forward to seeing more content available and distributed to Deaf people,” she adds.

Your participation is vital to continuing this movement.

Partnership propelled the ministry so far, and it fuels Deaf Bible Society’s forward motion.

“We did not get to this point alone. Those who have faithfully contributed through prayer, encouragement, and through resources [have] allowed Deaf Bible Society to have the impact that it has,” Pagan notes.

“In the next five years, we are looking forward to the Lord taking Deaf Bible Society and our partnerships in translation, acceleration, and Bible distribution to a whole new level.”

Here are four ways you can support the Deaf Bible movement.

Header image courtesy of Deaf Bible Society.

For one, most masks are not Deaf-friendly, since many Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals rely on lip-reading along with sign language. Some masks are being produced or used at hospitals with clear panels so the Deaf can still see the speaker’s mouth.

Without the clear panel, masks are another layer widening the divide between the hearing and Deaf worlds.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

Zoom and other video conference apps can also be challenging. For a Deaf person, as long as they have good eyesight and a solid internet connection, video conferencing is an excellent way to communicate while social distancing. But without one of these, even Zoom falls short for the Deaf.

Finally, getting information about COVID-19 is difficult. Some of the ways hearing people get information – such as television, radio, or conversations – are not easily accessible to all Deaf people.

Catherine Shorrock with Deaf Bible Society says that in conversations with the Deaf, “I think the biggest impact that I’ve seen…is more on an emotional/mental effect of just being in isolation and not having their normal community to be able to interact with.”

During a time of limited human interaction, God’s Word is a great encouragement to believers. Unfortunately, the Deaf community still doesn’t have one full Bible translation in any sign language.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

Deaf Bible Society works with ministry partners around the world who are translating Scripture into sign languages. The pandemic may have slowed translation work, but it hasn’t stopped.

“I know of some people who are literally staying at the translation centers so they can continue working there because they can’t travel back and forth between their house and the translation center,” Shorrock says.

“I spoke with someone yesterday who told me that he walks two hours each way to get to the translation center every day and get home before the [curfew]. They have to be at home by 7 pm. I think that despite slowdowns and barriers, I think all over the globe we see Deaf people who are committed to this work and are doing the best that they can in a hard situation.”

Some Deaf translation teams are even making additional sign language videos with COVID-19 information to distribute among Deaf communities.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

If you want to be an encouragement to the Deaf at this time, link arms with them by supporting Deaf Bible Society here!

Shorrock also offers these prayer requests: “I’ve been just praying that the Lord would show His presence to [the Deaf], that He would be an encouragement to them.

“I even spoke to someone the other day. I could just see the downcast on their face. They’re just tired and they’re alone. So just [be] praying that the Lord…would surround people to check in on [Deaf people] and to say, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ That’s one of the biggest things I feel like we can do to be an encouragement to them.”

Header photo courtesy of Pixabay.

As described here, a majority of governors have imposed statewide stay-at-home orders, and the decision to lift those restrictions remains at the state level. Experts continually debate the balance between public health and economic impact.

COVID-19 updates have consumed national headlines for weeks. See our full coverage here. Nearly every major televised address features an American Sign Language interpreter. Deaf Bible Society’s Chantel Pagan says this inclusive access to vital information is a new development. “Over the last two years, we’ve seen a wave of awareness to the Deaf community at large,” she explains.

(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

“I think that has opened up a new desire in many news outlets and government agencies to recognize the need for communication in sign languages, and to provide quality interpretation for information… especially when it comes to emergencies.”

Informing and encouraging Deaf communities

There are some sign language platforms focused solely on Deaf audiences, but they are few and far between. “[DPAN.TV] is a sign language channel that focuses on providing access to interpretive content, updated news, and other resources as well,” Pagan says. Check it out here.

In this unprecedented time of nationwide isolation, Deaf Bible Society connects Deaf people to the most important information of all: God’s Word. “One of our core desires is for the Deaf community to be engaged with God’s Word and encouraged with God’s Word in community,” Pagan says.

Since “many states have opted into ‘stay in place’ orders, this led us to encourage others to be refreshed by the Christian community through technology,” she adds.

“We want to make sure that our fellow Deaf… have an opportunity and an access point to be encouraged by the Church and refreshed by God’s Word.”

On its website, Deaf Bible Society keeps a running list of U.S. churches offering Deaf-led and interpreted services. Click here to see the list.

Find your place in the story

Lord, we lift up the world today in prayer. May Your peace descend as we navigate difficult times.
(Photo, caption courtesy of Deaf Bible Society via Facebook)

Using the buttons below, share this article with Deaf friends. They may be unaware of the communication outlets and resources available to them. “Join us in praying that the Lord would move greatly through the Church and with the use of technology to be a beacon and a shining light for every Deaf person,” Pagan requests.

“Though this season is one of trial and struggle, I believe so strongly that the Lord is raising up the Church at-large to be the Church from anywhere, and in this case, from home.”

Use this Prayercast video to pray globally, and use the prompts listed alongside this article to intercede for needs specific to Deaf believers. While most of Deaf Bible Society’s U.S.-based partners have adapted well to lockdown measures, that’s not the case for international teams.

“We have projects [with limited] ability to work from home, and so if the government puts a restriction in place…that can really limit our ability to work with them and see projects move forward,” Pagan explains.

Header image depicts Vice President Mike Pence meeting with the White House Coronavirus Task Force Principals on Monday, March 2, 2020, in the White House Situation Room.  (Wikimedia Commons)

Thankfully, these numbers are changing as Deaf believers translate God’s Word into their heart sign language.

George*, a Translation Field Coordinator with Deaf Bible Society, supports these Deaf translation teams in critical ways.

Field Coordinators aim to serve

George has been in the “Deaf world” for decades, working cross-culturally with Deaf believers in a variety of ways. He began serving in his current role approximately one year ago and is one of Deaf Bible Society’s four Field Coordinators.

“I’m working with teams in Eurasia, and then on larger-scope things, [I work with] maybe another eight to 10 groups that are just getting started or have a fledgling translation project,” George says.

As a Field Coordinator, George makes sure the team has everything it needs to finish the translation on time and under budget.

Through internet-based video calls, George gets to know each Deaf translator and the team’s overall needs. “One of the most important tasks of a Translation Field Coordinator is building and maintaining a close relationship with teams; building confidence, making sure expectations are clear… so that they can accomplish the translation of the Word of God on time and within budget,” he says.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

Whether it’s resources or training, George makes sure each team in his charge gets what it needs to succeed. Plus, “I work behind the scenes to help facilitate… discipleship, sometimes just building skills so that they can be effective both in their translation work [and] in their personal lives,” he adds.

Going above and beyond

Sign language Bible translation is like a two-sided coin. On the positive side, Deaf teams are translating God’s Word into their heart sign language – a desperately-needed resource. When they finish their work, a Deaf community will have God’s Word in a language they know and understand.

On the negative side, Deaf translation teams often lack spiritual maturity. This is no fault of their own; it’s caused by the very same reason they started a translation in the first place. Without God’s Word in a language they understand, Deaf believers struggle to grow in the knowledge of Christ.

When Bible translators work on a “spoken language… you have trainers and [staff[ who are, in many cases, mature Christians. They have the entire Word of God, maybe one or two more translations available to them… and some foundational training that they’ve received,” George describes as an example.

“Often, with Deaf translation teams, they do not have access to the same opportunities.”

So, George walks alongside each team member through every struggle. “It’s actually been a great joy to encourage the team [and say], ‘Let’s look at Scripture together to find the biblical solutions for the challenges’,” he says.

“That builds hope that God has provided the answers they need.”

Next steps

Visit Deaf Bible Society’s website to learn more about their ministry.  Most importantly, pray.  “Pray that Field Coordinators stay close to our Heavenly Father; that we would walk in the Spirit [and] understand how best to serve the teams in their context,” George requests.

(Graphic courtesy DBS via Facebook)

Furthermore, “when you see a team grow… and you see them flourish, that has an impact not just on their personal lives in the team, but [it also] gives hope for other Deaf communities, other Deaf Christians,” he continues.

Seeing God work through the translation teams encourages fellow Deaf believers to pursue “impossible” goals, George says.

“If God can do that through them, God can also work in and through me.”

*— Name changed for security purposes.

Header image courtesy of Deaf Bible Society.

Besides the obvious benefit of connecting Deaf believers to the Body of Christ, it can also be an invaluable connecting resource to pastors of Deaf churches.

“You have to understand in the Deaf community, it’s very spread out so finding pastors can be very scarce.” Sims says. “I, being a pastor myself, can reach out to another church and I can talk about the frustrations that I have and some of the stress that I have and see if that person has any wisdom and advice that they can give me. We can come together and pray. Vice versa, they can share their frustrations and problems.”

Pastors of Deaf churches can feel alone in ministry, especially in rural areas where Deaf resources may be spread out and disconnected.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

“Out of a big city, you’ll have a variety of [Deaf] churches, but just outside that, those pastors might feel isolated.” With the help of tools like Deaf Church Where, “They’ll be able to reach out for help [and] be able to build relationships and have accountability.

“If you’re looking in Acts 1:8, it talks about spreading out God’s Word in essentially the local area and then to the greater area and then to the world. So it’s the same concept with the big city and then the cities surrounding that large city of little towns and then the world. We don’t want to miss that in between.”

Sims says before the advent of Deaf Church Where, a major connection point for Deaf Christians were conferences. But conferences for the Deaf are few and far between, and when searching for a church, Deaf people can find themselves in embarrassing or uncomfortable situations.

“Some [Deaf] people, they’ll go to a church and [realize] there’s no interpreter. Oftentimes, they feel like, ‘Oh, I wish I had called ahead of time.’ It’s a feeling of embarrassment for them. Then that church is like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, we don’t have anything to meet your need.’ So it causes guilt within the church and causes embarrassment for the Deaf people.”

Deaf Church Where tool developed by Deaf Bible Society. (Image courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

In creating Deaf Church Where, Deaf Bible Society hopes to bridge the gap between Deaf believers and church communities. Ultimately, they hope to see more Deaf leaders rise up in the Church family and reach other Deaf individuals with the hope of the Gospel.

Sims hopes that Deaf Church Where can grow as a platform with new features. For example, he would like to eventually see Deaf accessible churches add links to sermons and notes, and indicate if they are sign language accessible in other languages besides English. Sims would also like to see Deaf Church Where go international.

“Oftentimes [the Deaf] are more of an overlooked people group so they are viewed as hidden,” Sims says. “But their relationship with the Lord is just as vital.”

There are several ways you can get involved — Deaf or hearing — and Sims says, “One of the most important ones is prayer. We cannot do this without God’s leadership and wisdom. Pray for leaders so they can feel that they’re not alone…. Pray for God to be involved in these specific churches.”

You can also support Deaf Bible Society here and help connect our Deaf Christian brothers and sisters to the Body of Christ!

“We really want to make sure we have the opportunity to connect with every Deaf person because our mission at Deaf Bible Society is that every person will be able to experience God’s Word in their heart language, and we don’t want to miss anyone for any reason whatsoever.”

Header photo courtesy of Cytonn Photography via Unsplash.

Through an interpreter, Deaf Bible Society’s Director of Technology, Scott DeLoach, tells MNN the Deaf Bible app and Deaf Church Where? website now work together.  Click here to see a beta version of the Deaf Bible app integration.

“We’re really hoping that the two apps will work in tandem and encourage more Deaf people to be involved and engaged with our products,” DeLoach says.

Why is this important?

Many Deaf people in the West can read English Bibles.  However, since it is a translation of a spoken language, Deaf will not connect with it on the same level as sign language Scripture.  Deaf Bible Society’s Deaf Bible app provides free and easy access to Scripture portions in many of the different sign languages used around the world.  This way, Deaf people can receive the promises of Christ.

(Photo courtesy Deaf Bible Society via Facebook)

However, communication barriers often mean that Deaf believers are stuck in isolation. They may have Scripture access, but many lack a local church family.  “(Deaf) People in general don’t oftentimes go to church. Maybe because they don’t know where the church is; or, they think [the church is] not going to have an interpreted service,” DeLoach explains.

“[Deaf have] very limited options as opposed to people who can hear, [who] can pick any church you want.”

Now, thanks to the Deaf Church Where? integration, believers can search for and find the closest Deaf-friendly church through the Deaf Bible app.  The process also works in reverse, DeLoach says.  Deaf people may be using the Deaf Church Where? website, but didn’t realize there was sign language Scripture.

Thanks to the integration, “they can then click the Deaf Bible icon and it’s then going to open up the website, and they’ll see, ‘Oh, they actually do have a sign language Bible!’,” DeLoach says.

Deloach’s team also made a number of improvements to the backend of the Deaf Bible app.  Previously, making Scripture accessible on the Deaf Bible app was a very time-intensive process requiring lots of step-by-step manual work.

Now, however, DeLoach’s team can get completed translations to users of the app much sooner. Deaf Bible Society also added a full-time employee to focus on content management, which further helps to get translations and videos out faster.

(Photo courtesy Deaf Bible Society via Facebook)

“I don’t want them to have to wait months at a time, or weeks at a time, to get the content. I want them to get it as soon as we get it,” DeLoach says.

How to help

Whether you’re Deaf or not, you can help Deaf Bible Society provide God’s Word in every sign language. “We always need prayer,” DeLoach says.

“Your help through prayer and financial support really helps us get God’s Word out in sign language.”

Furthermore, “we have various campaigns to raise funds for targeted languages,” he says. “The translation team is really reliant on those funds and contributions to help expedite their work.”

Please pray that God would use the Deaf Church Where? platform to grow churches around the world, and that many would receive the Gospel through the Deaf Bible app.  To learn more or to give, click here.

Header image courtesy of Deaf Bible Society via Facebook.

Through an interpreter, Chief Programs Officer and interim co-CEO Adan Burke says they’re celebrating several “milestones” from 2019 as leaders plan for 2020. “Right now, we have 30 languages that are accessible. Our goal is to hit 40 or 50 by the next calendar year,” he says.

Celebrating 2019 gains…

There are more than 400 sign languages and none of them have a complete Bible. Deaf Bible Society’s progress may seem small compared to the overall need. However, Burke says each completed translation is a victory for the Deaf community.

(Photo courtesy Deaf Bible Society)

“We were able to achieve [in 2019] five new languages… [for] four of the five languages, it was their first Scripture translation,” Burke says.

“To us, that is a huge success. That is something that’s not easy to do in regards to introducing first Scriptures.”

Deaf Bible Society also made significant accessibility progress, Burke adds. First, the team added more sign language Bible translations to the Deaf Bible “library.”  See a full list here.  Secondly, Deaf people can now access new translations soon after they’re completed thanks to technological upgrades.

“Before, we weren’t able to upload Scripture… to the app,” Burke explains. “Now, the website and the app are actually coinciding in one… [we were] able to actually release both the Philippines and Romanian [translations] within months after… being completed.”

Last but not least, Deaf Bible Society launched a new program in 2019 to support its partnering Deaf translation teams. “The Josiah School of Translation [is] a pilot program and we launched that in August. It’s for our translation teams to actually gain experience,” Burke says.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

“We see so many translation teams that will [only] have two- to four weeks’ worth of training in three years… [we] are trying to change that from four weeks to… six months’ worth of training in three years.”

… and planning for 2020

In the year ahead, Burke and his fellow leaders hope to develop a “more fine-tuned vision” of success. Deaf Bible Society is also well on its way to achieving Burke’s goal of 10 to 15 new sign language Bible translations in 2020.

“We are actively supporting 23 [sign] language [Bible translations], including the five new languages, and… we are on track to get three or four languages within the next few months,” Burke says.

Support sign language Bible translation through Deaf Bible Society here.  Most importantly, pray. We’ve listed prompts alongside this article to get you started.

Header image is a stock photo obtained via Unsplash.

Through an interpreter, Deaf leader Tanya Polstra tells MNN that people who can hear often have a flawed view of the Deaf community. This misconception blocks attempts to reach the Deaf for Christ.

“The world sees Deaf individuals [as] something that needs to be fixed. We are not a complete or a whole human being in the eyes of many people.”

In the Asia-Pacific region and around the world, Deaf Bible Society helps Deaf believers find their place in God’s story through Scripture engagement training.

Why does Scripture engagement matter?

Deaf Bible Society holds Scripture engagement training in many countries. In essence, “Scripture engagement is how we see the world as a Deaf person, and that is through the use of sign language,” Polstra says.

“When we have sign language Scriptures in our language it helps us to see who the Lord is. We can dive into His Word… and we can see how He expects us to live as His light.”

The goal is for Deaf Christians to study God’s Word and then teach others how to do the same. This training is essential because “Deaf have a misconception of who they are,” Polstra explains.

“Society has already told them that they’re incapable; they have been told they have demon possession. So, [the training is] reframing their thinking of their identity and who they are.”

Through the training, Deaf believers learn how God values them and He doesn’t view their deafness as a flaw. In fact, He’s given them the same intelligence and abilities as the wider hearing community.

How to help

See your money (up to $14,000) go twice as far towards sharing Hope in Kenyan and Spanish Sign Languages. All funds go towards training and equipping 20 local Deaf leaders to distribute and engage with the Scriptures in KSL & SSL!
(Graphic, caption courtesy of Deaf Bible Society via Facebook)

Your gifts to Scripture engagement are doubled today on #GivingTuesday. Find more details here. Whether you’re Deaf or not, Polstra says God can use you to further Deaf ministry.

“We need hearing individuals to ask us, ‘Hey, what do you need?’ And then we need…them [to] say, ‘Great, do it! How can I help you do this?’”

Prayer is an easy way to start, Polstra adds. Become a Deaf Bible Society prayer partner here.

“Please pray with us… that partnership in prayer helps us grow. The Lord answers and helps us to run hard and fast.”

Header image courtesy of Deaf Bible Society.