Statewide deaf conference mobilizes to reach lost

Though the Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf (ABCD) serves as a way to reconnect with old friends, this year’s participants implemented a plan that would allow them to make new friends across the state.
   
Alabama has 57 deaf ministries and two deaf churches, one in Birmingham and one in Talladega. The plan, titled “Heart for Missions,” will alter the structure of existing ministries with the goal of developing more leadership to spread the gospel by setting up new deaf interpreting ministries.
   
“This was a vision five years ago,” Cromwell Josey said of the plan approved during the annual conference. “I just knew the vision but I was not able to move.”
   
After Josey was elected president of ABCD in 2004, turning that vision into a reality became much easier.
   
ABCD encompasses two aspects of deaf ministry. It is an annual conference held at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega, as well as the name of an organization that does deaf missions work throughout the year. 
   
Josey said some deaf people are not familiar with the word “association,” so his solution is to take a top-down approach and divide the state into 12 districts to oversee local ministries rather than using the bottom-up model. 
   
The goals for each district include winning the deaf to Christ, church planting, church growth and development and leadership development. Each district will hold an annual meeting. The ABCD executive board will appoint a person from each district to serve a three-year term as deaf missions district coordinator. 
   
Josey is depending on these district coordinators to help establish a strong foundation, by representing each district and working with all the deaf ministries and churches within their district. 
   
“That vision is his and if we’re going to reach the deaf, it’s going to take the deaf getting involved,” said Richard Alford, who serves as the Alabama Baptist State Convention representative to the ABCD.
   
Josey noted that usually the hearing run church’s deaf ministries, but he wants the deaf to take ownership of those ministries by getting involved in and supporting districts, associations and the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM).
   
Ricky Milford, ABCD treasurer and pastor of Faith Baptist Deaf Mission in Talladega, said it is not that there is animosity between the hearing and the deaf worlds.
   
“If the hearing take control, the deaf won’t come,” Milford said. “We have a bond.”
   
In one of the conference workshops, he encouraged people to “Get out of the boat,” recalling Peter’s encounter with Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee. 
   
The workshop was designed to help people discover their talents or gifts, encourage them to venture outside their comfort zone and use those skills to help others. 
   
Milford’s emphasis on sowing the seed stems from the fact that seven out of 10 deaf are lost. 
   
He said the organization would like to have a deaf pastor in every large town, but it is sometimes difficult to attract one because of a lack of funds and a lack of a sponsoring church. 
   
One glaring example is Mobile with a deaf population between 3,000 and 4,000, but no deaf church to serve them.
   
Now in its 46th year, the conference, held March 4–6, hosted 190 people, including more than 20 first-time participants and approximately 40 youth.  
   
This year marked the first time that separate Bible study classes for children were offered. In addition to deaf adults, ABCD ministers to its ABCD kids and junior ABCD groups. 
   
The kids range in age from birth to age 12 and are divided into three groups, while the junior group covers ages 13 through 18. The activities also provide an opportunity for deaf children to interact with the children of deaf adults, who accompany their parents.
   
The conference is planned, conducted and run by ABCD’s deaf officers with support from the SBOM. The theme, “Be a True Disciple,” was taken from John 8:31–32 (NIV), in which Jesus says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
Bob Barker of Plano, Texas, was the guest speaker, and Josh Bonjour of Amarillo, Texas, served as music leader.
   
After three days of fellowship, workshops and worship, people scattered across the state.
   
“It’s like a battery,” Milford said of the conference. “They come here to get themselves recharged. Then, they go back home.”
   
For more information about ABCD, visit its Web site at www.albcdeaf.org or contact Richard Alford at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 220.