Deaf Deacon Hears and Meets Their Needs

It was an historic moment in the 60 year history of the Deaf Ministry at the First Baptist Church Texarkana and in the life of Terry Tribble and his wife Debbie. Terry was one of thirteen Deacons to be ordained at FBC Texarkana and the first Deaf Deacon to be ordained at the church. The service was held at FBC Texarkana during their Wednesday night service on January 30th, 2008. Dr. Jeff Schreve is the Pastor and he too was delighted to charge these Deacons with their Godly duty and responsibilities. It was also a memorable moment for the Deaf Community across Texas to see that God has not forgotten them as He continues to call forth Leaders and Servants to meet needs in the Deaf Community. Terry Tribble and his lovely wife have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord through meeting needs in the Deaf Community. Terry and Debbie are former members of the Silent Friends Chapel at First Baptist Dallas and have been serving in the Deaf work at First Baptist Texarkana for the past six years. Terry and Debbie are viewed as “the best huggers and hand-shakers” as they greet people at the church each Sunday says Dr. Larry Sims, Associate Pastor – FBC Texarkana. Terry is called on to make home and hospital visits to the Deaf Congregation. He also visits the Deaf Widows. It makes a difference to the Deaf when one of their own shows up to minister to them in their time of need. Dr. Rolf Wylie, Deaf Interpreter congratulates Terry and his wife on this special occasion. The couple was also presented a plaque from the Local Transformational Missions office of the Baptist General Convention of Texas for their dedication and service to the Deaf Community. May the Hand of God remain upon this couple as they live out their life of service to the Lord and the Deaf Community.

Healing Hands Ranch

In February of 2006 Deaf Prison Ministries Network was given the opportunity to acquire a twenty-seven acre retreat center. This facility previously provided aftercare for hearing ex-offenders. It is located approximated fifty miles north of Houston, Texas near the beautiful Sam Houston National Forest and has been named Healing Hands Ranch. This aftercare facility is also approximately thirty miles from where over one hundred deaf offenders are housed in Huntsville Texas. Our needs are tremendous but we are trusting God, and praying that all resources and programs will be in place by January 2007 so that we can begin accepting residence who are deaf ex-offenders.

Our Program at Healing Hands Ranch will consist of:

• Spiritual growth and discipleship training.
• Life skills training.
• Education and GED completion.
• Mentoring.
• Addiction rehabilitation.
• On-site job training opportunities.

For more information contact HHR at 936-856-0819 or Pastor Arthur Craig 713-467-3325 or email him at Arthur.craig@hfbc.org. Their website is: www.healinghandsranch.org

Click Here for the Healing Hands Brochure

Texas Baptist Conference for the Deaf Web Site Online

The long awaited TBCD Website (www.tbcdtexas.org) is now up and running. The website has been developed to improve communications between the Deaf and Hearing Community across Texas. The site currently contains all of the pre-registration forms and information for the upcoming Texas Baptist Conference for the Deaf which is scheduled for June 13-15 on Baylor’s Campus in Waco. It will hopefully be the place where the Deaf can come to discover the latest happenings among the Deaf. Roberta Green, Assistant Secretary made this a priority and has given long hours towards launching the site. Thank you Roberta. We have been struggling to have ongoing communications between the Deaf and the office of Local Transformational Missions and this site will definitely improve communications. We can now post the Deaf Newsletter, Contact Information for officers, Deaf Ministries and Churches in Texas. We also have plans for adding videos of deaf ministries around the state. The site will be an important link to and with the Deaf Community. Check it out and let us know what you think. It is still under construction as we try to make it the most effective communication tool between the Deaf and Hearing world.

Gerald Davis
BGCT Deaf Consultant

Texas Baptist Conference of the Deaf

59th Anniversary
June 13 – 15, 2008, Baylor University, Waco, Texas

Greetings from the President-
Grace and peace unto you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Are you here by chance? No, the Lord brought each and every one of you here at Baylor University for His purpose and pleasure! We are one year away from the great 60th Anniversary of T.B.C.D. making this year 59th Anniversary! T.B.C.D. and the officers welcome each one of you and may you receive unlimited blessings this year.

We are now at half way of F.A.I.T.H. cycle. We started with Fruit of Spirit in 2006 led by Reverend Jeff Brewer of Silent Friend Chapel, Dallas, TX. He used Galatians 5:22-23 to lead the F.A.I.T.H. conference. Reverend Danny Bice led the TBCD 2007 with Philippians 2:5 as we learn about Attitude.

We are honored to have Kevin Clark from North Carolina as our Conference Pastor as he leads us to study the word Integrity, the third letter of F.A.I.T.H. LaBretta Flores of San Antonio Baptist Deaf Mission will lead the music. Family Celebration Night will be a blessing to us all! T.A.S.B.I.D. will be teaching the interpreters during workshop on Saturday morning.

It is the prayers of the Officers and the President that after this conference, we will all go home and share with those who were not able to attend. What to share? The word Integrity and why it is important for every Christian to have this characteristic in their lives. America is in desperate need for more people with integrity.

I encourage you to pray daily for T.B.C.D. to continue to stay strong and be ready to return in 2009. We will look at the fourth letter of F.A.I.T.H. which is Trust.

In HIS Unfailing Love,
Rev. Bill Atwell
TBCD President

Deaf Ministry Across Texas, What are we going to do about it?

As the Deaf Liaison of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, I have asked several Deaf Leaders to describe the state of the Deaf Ministry across Texas from their perspective.  I’m sure that you will be enlightened by this fresh insight from individuals that are on the front lines of this very important ministry and a vast mission field.  Listen to Nancy Parrish, a very significant figure and leader to and in the Deaf Community.

“As I see it, Deaf Ministry is and always has been an after-thought of most Southern Baptist Churches.  I do not know a polite way to say this, but this is a people group that has no “VOICE” when it comes to speaking up for themselves.  Perhaps this is due to the on-going communication barrier between the deaf and hearing.  Most churches see this small group of people as a large Sunday School class and do not think of it as a rich cultural group of people with different communication needs.  In the past, churches began all services to the Deaf.  Churches provided interpreting services for appointments during the week, they provided family counseling, job placement, other social services needs all week long.  Any person with a need could come to the church for assistance.  Now, there are many other organizations who serve some of their needs.  No one, except the few churches with deaf ministries, is serving the spiritual needs.  Many years ago, people who are Deaf were educated in State Schools for the Deaf which taught Bible classes in the schools.  Then churches that surrounded the State Schools set up ministries to reach out to them as students.  Thus, grew a strong group of Deaf leaders.  Now, with many mainstreamed programs, the Schools for the Deaf are declining in numbers of students and are in fact closing in some states.  So are the churches that minister to the Deaf.  We are losing our young adults and the children as well.  We have few strong Deaf leaders left and nothing is being done to cultivate those coming along now.  The future does not look very bright as far as Southern Baptist Churches locally reaching those who are Deaf and bringing them into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Many other denominations and especially cults are actively reaching them instead.”

Hear what Aric Randolph; Pastor of the New Life Deaf Church in Fort Worth, Texas has to say.  “The work in Texas among the Baptist Deaf Churches is going along good, however, we are in either a plateau or decline state.  In my opinion the reason for a plateau or declining state is our failure to reach the young Deaf teens/children.  During my youth, the youth and children programs across Texas were very strong and vibrant and now we have all gotten older and many of us are gone.  We have not been able to reach those young people coming up behind us.  Why are we struggling to reach this specific group?  Lord knows!  This young generation is called the Millennials, Net_Gen, and Gen Y.  They are a civic generation and they are inner driven with the information revolution, striving to get ahead. (Population of this generation is 78 million and this covers those from 1982 to 2001).  Those in the generation between 2002 and 2025 are called the Cyber Generation.  Another thing is many of the schools are mainstreaming their Deaf students and dropping the self-contained Deaf classes and they are getting lost in the system.  Thus is the reason that I started the Deaf Empower Evangelism Conference with the focus on sharing the gospel and reaching the Deaf.  I remind each one of us that we are called to go out and reach people for Christ!”

As you can see from these two significant leaders in the Deaf Community, we have a problem!  Not only do we have a problem but we have the answer in Jesus our Lord.  What are we going to do about ministering to the Deaf Community with intentionality and strategically?  Nancy goes on to suggest the following:  “I see a great need for Bible classes and training for young people and people of all ages who wish to teach, preach, or become missionaries and who may or may not feel called to go to seminary full time.  Perhaps they are supporting a family, but desire to just become a better Bible teacher and leader, but they need training.  I think one of the main weaknesses in young Deaf people who want to serve in a church is their lack of knowledge in administration.  Basic skills in these areas are needed as well as on-going Bible training.  North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee are joining hands in the tri-state Bible classes held in their states.  They have classes several times a year in various locations and these hours count toward a seminary degree.”

What will be our response?  The fields are ripe for harvest.  What can you do to help us reach this population for Christ?  Feel free to respond to this challenge via an email to me at gerald.davis@bgct.org with your suggestions or comments.  We will be dialoging concerning this issue at the upcoming Texas Baptist Conference for the Deaf, June 13 – 15 at Baylor in Waco.  Thanks in advance for your prayers on this issue.

Gerald Davis

A Gentle Giant Gone to Glory

Marvin B. Loeb went home to be with his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on February 11, 2008. Marvin was such an inspiration and leader to the Deaf Community across Texas and in Southern Baptist life. He served as the Treasurer to the Texas Baptist Conference for the Deaf for many years and Deacon at the Silent Friends Chapel for 33 years. May the God of all Comfort and Peace demonstrate His love to all of us that were blessed to know him during this time of grief. Marvin was born on July 25, 1939 in Chicago, IL. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Dianne Loeb, daughters and sons-in-law, Allison & Aric Randolph and Laura & Dirk Hill; his grandchildren, Jordan, Caleb, Dakota, and Lexi. He walked with the Lord daily and cared for the Deaf Community deeply. He will be missed by all that loved him.

In memory of our dear brother Marvin, you can donate money to the following to honor his legacy:

Texas Baptist Deaf Youth Camp
c/o New Life Deaf Fellowship
6917 Brentwood Stair Road
Fort Worth, TX 76112
or
Silent Friends Chapel
c/o First Baptist Church
1707 San Jacinto
Dallas, Tx 75201

Deaf Deacon Hears and Meets Their Needs

It was an historic moment in the 60 year history of the Deaf Ministry at the First Baptist Church Texarkana and in the life of Terry Tribble and his wife Debbie. Terry was one of thirteen Deacons to be ordained at FBC Texarkana and the first Deaf Deacon to be ordained at the church. The service was held at FBC Texarkana during their Wednesday night service on January 30th, 2008. Dr. Jeff Schreve is the Pastor and he too was delighted to charge these Deacons with their Godly duty and responsibilities. It was also a memorable moment for the Deaf Community across Texas to see that God has not forgotten them as He continues to call forth Leaders and Servants to meet needs in the Deaf Community. Terry Tribble and his lovely wife have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord through meeting needs in the Deaf Community. Terry and Debbie are former members of the Silent Friends Chapel at First Baptist Dallas and have been serving in the Deaf work at First Baptist Texarkana for the past six years. Terry and Debbie are viewed as “the best huggers and hand-shakers” as they greet people at the church each Sunday says Dr. Larry Sims, Associate Pastor – FBC Texarkana. Terry is called on to make home and hospital visits to the Deaf Congregation. He also visits the Deaf Widows. It makes a difference to the Deaf when one of their own shows up to minister to them in their time of need. Dr. Rolf Wylie, Deaf Interpreter congratulates Terry and his wife on this special occasion. The couple was also presented a plaque from the Local Transformational Missions office of the Baptist General Convention of Texas for their dedication and service to the Deaf Community. May the Hand of God remain upon this couple as they live out their life of service to the Lord and the Deaf Community.