DOOR’s Deaf staff have developed methods or styles of ministry which are “Deaf friendly.”
These tools are related to evangelism, discipleship, worship, leadership development and Bible translation. They are taught to all Deaf people who come into contact with DOOR staff.
DOOR Ministry Tools
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PERSONAL TESTIMONY
DOOR is training Deaf believers to share their testimony. Most Deaf people around the world have never been asked to share their testimony or had any training in how to do so.
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SHORT EVANGELISM STORY
A 7- to 10-minute, chronological Bible summary which establishes God, creation, man/woman, sin, Satan, need for a Savior, Jesus, salvation, Spirit-led life and the establishment of the church (A sort of "four spiritual laws for the Deaf" using their cultural propensity to chronological thinking patterns).
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"RELATIONSHIP BROKEN - RELATIONSHIP RESTORED" PROGRAM
A three-part, 20-minute, chronological evangelism program including dramas, songs and dialogue to be used for group evangelism.
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EVANGELISM SERIES
Selected Bible passages in Sign Language used as a foundational series (32 biblical passages from Genesis to Acts). Each session includes an introduction to key terms and name signs, the Bible story itself, and discussion leading to key doctrinal or application points.
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DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
Selected Bible passages in Sign Language used as a series for growth and discipleship (review of the 32 stories in the Evangelism Series, along with 45 new stories - a total of 77 Bible passages from Genesis to Acts). It is designed to assist the Deaf person in becoming an obedient, growing, and active follower of Jesus Christ.
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BELIEVERS' FELLOWSHIP SERIES
Selected Bible passages in Sign Language giving a biblical basis for believers' fellowships (35 stories from Acts to Revelation). It is designed to help Deaf believers to deepen their understanding of how to live within the church as well as how to relate to the world.
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TOPIC SERIES
Selected Bible passages in Sign Language are planned focusing on marriage, family, faith, prayer, obedience and other daily living concepts.
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BELIEVERS' FELLOWSHIPS
DOOR staff equip and empower local Deaf believers to gather together in reproducing believers' fellowships to learn God's Word, pray, worship God, give, partake of the Lord's Supper, encourage participants to use their spiritual gifts for the uplifting of the body, etc.
(DOOR's Deaf staff members worldwide have chosen to sign "believers' fellowship" rather than "church." They tell us that the connotation behind their sign for "church" is clearly a dedicated church building with a full-time paid pastoral staff. As they have learned about the New Testament church through CBS, they feel that the term "believers' fellowship" will assist them in remembering the biblical model of church and staying away from the traditional church model, which they have found is neither effective nor reproducible in the Deaf world.) -
LEADERSHIP
A group of 5 Deaf and 3 hearing from DOOR's International's staff are meeting regularly to focus on how to develop Christian Deaf leaders. They are working on developing leadership training courses in the context of Deaf culture and sign language. (Click here for more information: International Leadership Team)
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BIBLE ON DVD
DOOR International, in cooperation with Wycliffe International, is in the process of translating portions of Scripture in a number of different Sign Languages and putting them on DVD. (Click here for more information: Translation)
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STORYBOARD
Deaf artists are working with the translation teams in various countries to draw a frame for each action, concept or visual step of the biblical story. This black and white storyboard becomes a memory tool for those who have seen the story to help them remember it accurately when they do not have DVD access.
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"2 X 2" PROGRAM
Following the example of Jesus, DOOR is sending out teams of two or more well-trained Deaf leaders in India to develop Deaf Christian community leaders by offering them training in how to study the Bible, share their testimony, form Deaf believers' fellowships, train leaders, and manage projects and teams. Our Bible translation center staff in Kenya also does some "2 x 2" ministry in their local communities in Kenya.
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DEAF/HEARING CULTURE
DOOR continues to educate both Deaf and hearing people about Deaf culture and hearing culture.