Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf

Press Release

INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD PRESIDENT JERRY RANKIN ANNOUNCES NEW IMB POSITION – GLOBAL DEAF STRATEGY CONSULTANT  

and

VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD, SBC TO SPEAK AT SBCD AND INTRODUCE THE IMB’S GLOBAL DEAF STRATEGY CONSULTANT

 Throughout the sixty-year history of the Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf there has been a passionate commitment to reach the Deaf throughout the world for Christ.  Deaf Southern Baptist have prayed and worked on behalf of the lost Deaf people.  Consistently God has moved through YOUR prayers and efforts.  SBCD has both pioneered mission efforts and has under girded the mission efforts of the International Mission Board, SBC.  During this past decade there has been an aggressive effort on the part of SBCD to move in partnership with the International Mission Board through the creation of the IMB/SBCD Task Force.  This has indeed resulted in the desire on the part of the IMB to strengthen their ability to work with the Deaf around the world.

 I am pleased to announce that the Trustees of the IMB have met to support the creation of a new position in the Richmond office called the Global Deaf Strategy Consultant.  This consultant will give Deaf initiatives such as Deaf Church Planting a higher profile and will coordinate a number of activities that I believe will strengthen Deaf Southern Baptists for years to come.

 What will the GLOBAL DEAF STRATEGY CONSULTANT do?  Some of the responsibilities that the consultant will have and that will be of benefit for SBCD include:

 ● Identifying and facilitating the sharing of strategies and fruitful practices among IMB workers with the Deaf and their partners in ministry, such as SBCD.

 ● Planning and coordinating an annual meeting for our IMB workers with the Deaf that will provide fellowship, spiritual renewal, training, and strategic planning.

 ● Planning and implementing a strategy to develop video versions of Bible stories told in sign languages and distribute them via electronic means for use worldwide.

  ● Serving as the IMB liaison to the Deaf community, the SBC, the SBCD, and to other organizations interested in partnering in work with the Deaf.

  ●  Informing IMB leaders about trends, needs, opportunities, and strategies related to global work with the Deaf.

 During our annual meeting at FBC, Arnold in the St. Louis area, Dr. Gordon Fort, Vice President of Overseas Operations at the IMB will be with us at SBCD and will bring us a message.  We are excited to hear about the vision that the IMB has for reaching the Deaf World and hearing how we can be involved.  Dr. Fort will also be introducing the IMB’s newly selected DEAF GLOBAL STRATEGY CONSULTANT.

 The person selected has had a life-long involvement with the Deaf due to being a child of Deaf parents.  She is well known in the Deaf community and to many at SBCD.  She is well qualified for this position.  She and her husband, have seen Deaf churches started in several different countries in the previous and current assignments.  They have learned a number of things that the IMB believes will benefit Deaf work worldwide.  For security reasons they will be serving under the names Matt and Virginia Stuart [pseudonyms] to protect their work with the Deaf in other countries.  You can contact Virginia Stuart after July 1, 2008 at Deaf@imb.org.

 As President of the SBCD,  I express my gratitude to the leadership of the International Mission Board for how they endeavor to strengthen their position and ours to lead Deaf Southern Baptists to be on mission with God to bring all Deaf peoples to saving faith in Jesus Christ.  It is indeed an answer to many of your prayers and mine.  Now let us move forward ever more diligently to seek points of partnership between the IMB and SBCD in effort to bring the gospel of Jesus to every Deaf Community in the world.

 J. Aric Randolph

SBCD President

SBCD WEBPAGE: UPDATED - April 24, 2008

Welcome to S.B.C.D. online.  Please feel free to look at our Web site and let us know if you have suggestions.  We welcome all visitors and feedback to sbcdjed@earthlink.net

The visitation of First Baptist Church in Arnold, Missouri, site for SBCD 2008, was made in March 2007 by one member of the Executive Committee and one Board member. During January 23-26, 2008, the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees met at New Life Deaf Fellowship in Fort Worth, Texas for conference planning. The purpose of this meeting was the scheduling and selection of workshops and worship guest teachers/speakers.  During the conference on July 12-18, 2008, we will be staying entirely at two nearby hotels with which SBCD has made contracts. There will be bus shuttles between the church and those two hotels only. (More details will be made as soon as they are available.)

There will be wonderful programs for JrSBCD, KidSBCD and LittleKidSBCD. These programs will be near the Worship Center for easy access to parents and volunteers will be greatly needed to participate. For more information on volunteering on these programs, please contact Jenny Partain (LittleKidSBCD), Dorothy West (KidSBCD), Avey Jane Easterling (JrSBCD) to volunteer. (Click underlined name for email).

Background checks for volunteers must be made prior to attending the conference. Background check form can be retrieved from this website and printed from the top menu titled "Publications." Forms should be forwarded to SBCD, P.O. Box 8885, The Woodlands, TX 77387-8885.

For registrations- The two forms (PDF and HTML) for SBCD Registration can be retrieved from this website and printed. Information is on the form. Please click "Registration" for this information. The deposit of $50.00 per adult or $100.00 per family is required in order to assure the number of the attendees for meals and banquet.

If you decide to bring the SBCD registration form with you after JULY 1, 2008, A LATE FEE OF $25.00 WILL BE ADDED.

SBCD/FBCA GENERAL RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION Forms-

    ● Each Participant over age 18

    ● Parent/Guardian Release for Each Minor Participant (under age 19) 

General Release & Indemnification can be retrieved from the under the top menu titled "Registration." These forms can be mailed with SBCD registration forms. 

This website will have the hotel Lodging Reservation information. You will find this information when you click "Conference" on the top menu and then click "2008 Hotel Information."

Booth/Exhibits Contract form under the top menu titled "Booth" can be retrieved and printed (PDF format only). Information is on the form.

2007 SBCD Directory Order can be retrieved either on North American Missions Page or "Publications"

 If you have more questions, please email to the webmaster at sbcdjed@earthlink.net.

 Thank you!

Copyright 2008,  All rights reserved.