LDMS will engage in evangelism and Christian education training to help Deaf Persons and their families see Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and engage in stewardship and leadership training to help Deaf Persons serve Jesus Christ as His redeemed people.
The Lutheran Deaf Mission Society (LDMS) will raise funds to support its Mission Purpose and help congregations and districts of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod promote the Mission Purposes in their respective ministries with Deaf Persons. See our Core Values
Deaf People and the Gospel
The heart language of the Deaf community in the United States is American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is the language of worship for Deaf people. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has had indigenous deaf churches that communicate the Gospel in ASL since 1894.
In 1994 it was estimated that approximately ninety percent of Deaf people in the United States did not attend church. This was, in part, due to the limited number of indigenous deaf churches. In 2009 the estimate has risen to ninety-eight percent.
In 1994 we had we had sixty-one indigenous deaf churches in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, and a number of interpreted ministries. The number of full-time pastors serving indigenous deaf churches has decreased since 1994. To see our churches in North America click on Directory (indigenous churches in bold).
While the number of full-time pastors serving Deaf churches has decreased, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has seen an increase in the number of Deaf pastors, deacons, deaconesses, and lay leaders who use ASL to communicate the Gospel message. This has happened because of programs like Deaf Pah and the Deaf Institute of Theology. We praise God that He continues to use His people to share the love of Jesus with Deaf and hard of hearing people.
OUR WORK
The LDMS provides online training for Deaf lay Christian leaders through our DeafPah! program.
Working in partnership with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, we help to equip Deaf Christians become commissioned and ordained church workers through the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology/Deaf Institute of Theology.
The LDMS offers training and ministry resources to hearing congregations engaged in Deaf ministry in their local community through DeafLITES and our Interpreted Ministries Support network.
Through our World Missions support, the LDMS seeks to assist partner churches around the world to reach Deaf people in each of their unique settings.
For professional church workers who are currently serving in indigenous Deaf ministries throughout the United States and Canada, Ephphatha Conference serves as their support network.
History of Deaf Missions in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod