New IMB-SBCD Missions Connection IMB at SBCD 2010 Article by John Folker               Over 400 Southern Baptists gathered in Lancaster, PA, for this year’s SBCD.  As true to Southern Baptists, missions was at the heart of many prayers and meetings. Deaf Southern Baptists desire to reach their world for Christ and are thankful to have their own agency, IMB, working to serve them as they connect with each other and a lost world.           SEE  ABOVE VIDEO ... where Jim Dermon, Deaf President of SBCD, expresses his excitement  how SBCD has been able to CONNECT and PARTNER with the IMB to reach the Deaf all over the world!           SEE ABOVE VIDEO ... where our beloved Carter Bearden, retired Deaf Ministry Consultant, shares how only in the last few decades has the IMB of the Southern Baptist Convention seen successful progress in reaching people around the world. These Deaf people have never before been recognized, read about, or known about until the last few decades. Carter shares his excitement at seeing missionaries endeavor to share the Word of God with different nations, in obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.           SEE ABOVE VIDEO ... where Sherry West, Deaf Educator,  shares a memory from 1982 when she first came to SBCD in Waco, Texas and there was little said about IMB and little opportunity for the Deaf. Sherry shares how touched she was at SBCD this year [28 years later] to see our IMB missionaries lined up on the stage! Sherry and her husband share their own experience about a short-term mission trip to the Ukraine (Soviet Union) where God used her and others to establish a Deaf Training Center.           SEE ABOVE VIDEO ... where Sue Hill, Deaf Educator,  explains the many changes with the Deaf throughout the years. Since the time she was a little girl, Sue saw many amazing changes: first Deaf pastor, first Deaf Churches, first Deaf (short) mission trips, and finally, the appointment of the first Deaf missionary in 1989.           SEE ABOVE VIDEO ... where Laramie Burris, Deaf layman from Georgia, shares his gratefulness to God for IMB’s hard work throughout the years, fighting to see Deaf join the international mission field. Laramie understands the challenge is how, in the future, Deaf can get the training they need to become missionaries. He says he will continue to pray for that.           SEE ABOVE VIDEO ... where IMB Vice President, Gordon Fort, during SBCD, explained the problem of Deaf who apply to be missionaries with the IMB.  Often they must have a degree, or maybe take courses at a seminary. This is very difficult. IMB wants to help set up a system of training that will help Deaf to navigate the missionary application process more easily.           SEE ABOVE VIDEO ... Finally, Jim Dermon stresses that SBCD wants to continue to strengthen its relationship with IMB. The word “Deaf Affinity” is a new word to us. (Deaf Affinity means that all Deaf all over the world are joined together with the same heart!)                                                   Return home