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Just thinking out loud
By Carl Ziemer:Bio on August 7, 2008
Sometimes the things we search for are hidden in plain sight! For example, when searching for evangelism prospects we’re willing to look long and hard. We canvass neighborhoods, hand out pamphlets and publish ads in newspapers and magazines. Many churches even build elaborate Web sites, all in hopes of winning an opportunity to witness for Jesus.
All that’s just fine, but isn’t it sad when we look right past souls ripe for harvest, souls who are literally right before our eyes? ”Who’s that?” you ask.
I’m talking about the many hard-of-hearing (and sometimes deaf) people who live all around our churches! Some may even have attended a worship service once or twice, but because they couldn’t hear well enough to understand the pastor as he preached or led Bible class, they never came again. And no, they wouldn’t think of telling anyone they couldn’t hear; that would cause a fuss or be too embarrassing!
Some pastors and church members tell me, “Well, we don’t have many hard-of-hearing people in our congregation. We really don’t need to spend money on a better speaker system or on assistive listening devices. That money is better spent on mission work!” I try to be tactful but still reply, “Don’t un-churched people who are hard-of-hearing need Jesus just as much as those whose hearing is normal? Do you really think that they will come to your church if they can’t understand what your pastor is saying?
Investing in a good sound system and assistive listening devices is an important part of mission work! Call it “pre-evangelism” or preparing for witnessing opportunities or whatever! Depending on the community in which you live, consider looking into interpreted worship services and Bible classes for those who are deaf or whose hearing is severely impaired. You may just discover a heretofore soul or two that you had overlooked before. If you’re wondering what Jesus would do, read Mark 7:31-37.
I hope you would like to learn how you and your church might reach out to hard-of-hearing people and/or the deaf community more effectively. If you are, please attend the 2008 National WELS Special ministries Conference October 3-5, at the Milwaukee Brookfield Sheraton Hotel. There you’ll learn a great deal about sharing Jesus with people who have special needs. God has blessings just waiting for you (and for them)!
Topics: Parish Services