Worship HIM!

When someone signs the word “worship”, we often think of worship as simply signing songs to God during worship service on Sunday mornings. For some deaf people, signing songs is not as touching or as powerful an experience as it is for hearing people singing worship songs.

Really, worship is more than singing and praising God on Sunday morning. Worship is honoring God in everything we do in our lives.

There are many meaningful ways deaf people may worship God (besides signing songs). Here are several Biblical examples of how we may worship God in different ways.

II Chronicles 30:1 tells us, “Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel.” Hezekiah encouraged the celebration of what God had done. Your church may do the same. Consider doing a “praise report” every Sunday morning during worship service. Have different individuals share the wonderful things God has done and praise Him. This is a great and exciting way to worship God. Praising God for the things He has done brings glory and honor to Him.

In Luke 2:36, 37 we read, “There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Anna worshiped God through fasting and praying. Fasting and praying are great ways for deaf churches and ministries to worship God. Imagine the impact dedication to praying and fasting may bring to your group!

King David wrote and shared Psalms (all recorded in the book of Psalms in the Bible). Create some poems about God in sign language and share them with your church. I have personally seen some deaf people create beautiful poems that follow the alphabet in sign language (the first sign has the “A” handshape, the second has the “B” handshape, the third has the “C” handshape, and continues until the letter Z). I remember watching one young deaf man present an ABC poem in sign language and he went through the whole alphabet FOUR times telling the life of Jesus from birth until His ascension to heaven!

Jesus himself provides us a model of what we may do during church. In Luke 4:16, “He (Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.” Jesus read the Scriptures. We may sign Scriptures (the Bible) to others during worship service in church. Signing Scriptures to others brings glory to God because we are sharing His Word.

The early church in Acts shared their possessions with each other. As a result of what the early church did to honor God, He added more Christians to their group daily (Acts 2:47). Share your possessions, time, and skills with others. If you are skilled with acting, present dramas to your church. If you are skilled with construction, build a set for your church’s Christmas program or help another deaf person in your community who needs repairs in his or her house. If you are skilled with graphic design, create bulletins and newsletters for your church. Be creative in what you do to worship God. Eat together. Host potlucks at your church. Go out to eat at a restaurant after church. Laugh together when you fellowship. These are all ways to worship God because if you do all of these things for His church and for the purpose of reaching others, you bring glory and honor to Him. I Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

We may worship God in everything we do with our bodies, in every area of our lives, and every day of our lives. Romans 12:1 encourages us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

There is so much we may do to worship God. However, we need to be careful. Make sure everything that you do in your life honors God. Deuteronomy 11:16 warns us, “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.”

Worship Him.

Acts 20:35

"...remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

Merry Christmas!

A Social Network Christmas

Deaf Lady Baptized in Christ!

A deaf lady is baptized in Christ at First Christian Church of Merritt Island, Florida, on Saturday evening, December 11. PTL! Her sins have been washed away, she is now clothed in Christ and has received gift of the Holy Spirit.

Deaf Missions in Florida This Weekend

My daughter Shekynah and I are looking forward to our trip to Florida this weekend! Think they'll have any snow down there? Seriously, if you're anywhere near Orlando or the Cape Canaveral area, we'd love to have you join us for the Deaf ministry Christmas party on Saturday afternoon and Sunday school/worship on Sunday morning at MiChurch in Merritt Island.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Chad