Transforming Access: The Mission of Deaf Bible Society

SPEAKER 01 : 0:00

Well, hey, it’s Mike Trim with Crawford Media Group. Today we’re joined by Chantel Pagan with Deaf Bible Society. And Chantel, thank you for taking time with us.

SPEAKER 02 : 0:09

Absolutely. It’s a privilege to be able to have this conversation today.

SPEAKER 01 : 0:13

Well, thanks. We want to learn more about what you do at Deaf Bible Society. There’s Bible by video and 350 plus sign languages, all sorts of things that you do. So give us kind of the big picture overview first, and then we’ll get into some details.

SPEAKER 02 : 0:29

Absolutely. Deaf Bible Society is a nonprofit organization that is really centered in God-given dignity for every deaf person. And our mission is to provide the Bible by video in the world’s many sign languages. As you’ve mentioned, there are over 350 sign languages, unique and distinct around the world. What makes me so passionate about this work is that 1% of our entire population globe’s population are actually deaf, or what we like to say, native signers who use these sign languages. And it’s our passion and our mission to reach them with the gospel, specifically the Word of God.

SPEAKER 01 : 1:09

Shantel, this is so cool, because this is basically the Bible by video. And I don’t even know, how do you do 350 plus sign languages? How do you find the people to do those in these different languages?

SPEAKER 02 : 1:23

Yeah, it is definitely a God-sized mission and vision. But we know more than anything what Revelations tells us, that every tribe and every nation will be around the throne. And so for us, we know that that includes deaf people. And I have to be completely honest that we look back over the history of our organizations, which this year we celebrated 10 years of God-oriented, on the move through deaf people and we just like to look back and say look what god did he is the one that is raising up deaf people in these communities And it’s our distinct privilege to come alongside and to do work that we like to call community mobilization that leads into the equipping and training of deaf individuals to translate scripture. This goes as deep as learning Hebrew and Greek and exegete and providing the Bible in a visual format on video for their community to check, to work through, and ultimately to publish. We love, love, love. when God’s word is not only available, but is in the hands and then on the hearts of deaf people in these communities.

SPEAKER 01 : 2:35

So does that mean Braille too? So that there’s the, you know, touch and feel and being able to do it that way too?

SPEAKER 02 : 2:44

Well, you’ve hit on a really great misconception about the deaf community and the blind community. So the blind community does have a fully translated Bible in Braille. It is volumes big, volumes big. And so even for them, we like to think about that moment when that community had access to scripture and then how our deaf brothers and sisters and our deaf neighbors now have access to scripture. There was a time prior to all of our iPhones and this advanced technology where even the translators that they had content was on VHS. So if there’s any listeners today who can remember back in the day having to pop in a VHS or even a DVD. Can you imagine having to pop in a VHS to go through 25, 30, maybe more VHS tapes just to get through the entire Bible? What a privilege it is to say that our deaf neighbors carry the Bible with them everywhere they go on video now. We praise God for the advancements of technology that have done that.

SPEAKER 01 : 3:48

So that technology, does that help with the translation, too, so you can have that many languages? Or do you have to go out and find native speakers, if you will, so basically people who can do the videos in sign language for all those different languages?

SPEAKER 02 : 4:03

Yes. One thing that is so exciting about our work is that the translators are from their local communities. These are deaf people who use their sign language in their community, and they’re the translators. They’re the ones leading the way on this work. Okay. And so in many ways, the community… is large you know we said one percent of the world’s population is deaf which means they’re that’s a big number you know we’re talking 80 85 million at this point in time in this time in history. But at the same time, the deaf community is so tight knit. And so when we’re led to these communities, and these churches who are ready and receptive to begin Bible translation, we get so thrilled when then they’re ready to go and lead the way and we’re ready to be there as kind of a wind to their sail.

SPEAKER 01 : 4:56

Now we’re speaking with Chantelle Pagan with Deaf Bible Society. And Chantelle, what is one of the more exotic languages that somebody’s hand-signing by video that you work with?

SPEAKER 02 : 5:10

yeah we have some really exciting projects happening right now in cyprus and in zambia even not that far away in the dominican republic and puerto rico from the states and so there’s projects on every corner of the world in sign language because like we said 350 sign languages or more And so you can think of a location. There’s deaf people there waiting and longing to know the hope of Jesus in their language, the language that they know best, which is a visual language. And I always like to encourage my fellow hearing community that even today on this radio interview, as you listen to this, just stop for a minute and recognize that there are 85 million people people around the world who will not have the exposure and the experience that you are having now to reflect on the goodness and the hope of jesus christ and it’s because of that that we are motivated to just keep taking big steps of faith forward to say we will pursue a day when the deaf community is not the largest unchurched and unreached community in the world

SPEAKER 01 : 6:18

So is that where we’re at, Chantel, is that it’s been such a big barrier that it’s a huge gulf between where we want to be and where we know God wants us to be and where it is?

SPEAKER 02 : 6:29

That’s right, Mike. You know, we have one full Bible that’s Genesis to Revelations available, and that’s in American Sign Language. This was a 40-year feat by our friends and partners from Deaf Missions. And they, like other deaf people around the world, are waiting for allies and advocates like us at Deaf Bible Society and so many other partnering churches and friends and ministries around the world. who have said, we will not finish this great commission and we will not get to the finish line without one another. So let’s run this race together. It is a huge undertaking. It is a goal that we know will happen only by the goodness and the grace of our God working in and through us. But we lean into the scriptures that we find in Ephesians and we believe that for deaf people, Just like for hearing people, God created them in advance to do good works through Christ Jesus. And so we work towards that day. We believe for that day and we show up every day ready to see that be true.

SPEAKER 01 : 7:29

Chantelle, I think as our listeners hear about this, they’re probably going, oh, my goodness, did not realize. And it really makes a lot of sense once you tell us. It’s just they don’t know Deaf Bible Society. If they don’t know the need, then, you know, it just doesn’t connect. Tell us about growth, because I understand there’s been a lot of growth in need for sign language Bible translation.

SPEAKER 02 : 7:54

Yeah. As I shared, our organization is celebrating our 10th year anniversary this year in 2025, and we have seen unprecedented acceleration in sign language Bible translation. Just across this past year alone, we have seen over 31,000 verses of scripture that were never available before, now available and in the hearts and hands of deaf people around the world. And that represents one sixth of the total content that has ever been translated in all of history. We celebrate that since 2022 in all of history prior. And just imagine that from the time that creation happened until just 2022 till now. The dramatic gains that we’ve seen and that we’re approaching explain how much God is doing and how much he wants to do. We see on our Deaf Church Wear Network over 1,300 churches gathering with deaf people. They’re so hungry to know Jesus. They’re so hungry to see his word come alive in their language. So we’re excited that right now on our Deaf Bible app, we have 91 sign languages, unique sign languages available to watch and discover. I encourage you, get on your phone, go look up Deaf Bible, download it, pray over these communities with us. See the distinct nature and makeup of their grammar and their structure in language and their facial expressions, all declaring the word of God.

SPEAKER 01 : 9:33

We’re speaking with Chantel with Deaf Bible Society. And Chantel, amen on that point you just made about community. Somebody who’s deaf. As you bring it up, I imagine that’s hard to have community with other people who are deaf, perhaps somewhat spread out from where this individual is. Especially people that are believers have access to a Bible in sign language. So that connection part, that ability to fellowship together, your app allows that. And these churches that you work with, I imagine.

SPEAKER 02 : 10:09

Yes, that’s right. It’s one thing to have the word of God available, to have God’s word, but also to have community with God’s people. You know, a cord of three is not easily broken. And where two or more gather, Jesus is there as well. And so we want to provide spaces for deaf individuals growing in their faith to leading towards a thriving faith amongst their people groups. so that we can see dynamic growth in salvations, in deaf people coming to know and love Jesus, and a change for generations to come.

SPEAKER 01 : 10:47

Chantel, this is so helpful for all of us. I’d like our listeners to know how they get in touch. You mentioned how to pray, but let’s repeat that too. Can they volunteer? Can they give? What kind of things can they do to support your work?

SPEAKER 02 : 11:04

Yes, we would encourage you to visit DeafBibleSociety.com. From there you’ll be able to gather so much information about the impact that’s happened over this last decade. In addition to that, you’ll find additional ways to be in prayer and in partnership, whether that’s just praying every day for a deaf community or that’s choosing to give financially. We’re excited that right now $136 provides a deaf community to have access to one verse. And you can partner with us in that way. Go online, see what we’re all about, and come alongside. I encourage you. Be an ally. Be an advocate for deaf people to know Jesus.

SPEAKER 01 : 11:48

We, Chantel, have frequent interviews with a friend in our community that is deaf. And we basically have to translate. It’s fascinating because she’ll talk about some of the challenges of someone who’s deaf, not only from the standpoint of deafness, just getting through life and some things that are bigger challenges, but also for the Christian community, what kind of things we can pray for. And now that we know about Deaf Bible Society, I want our listeners to pray, consider how they might help. It’s deafbiblesociety.com, deafbiblesociety.com. And I think as you mentioned, pray over the app too. They can get the app and kind of check it out and see what it has on it too, right?

SPEAKER 02 : 12:33

Absolutely. Download it. Watch it. Check out Deaf Church Where. If ever, you know, you come across a deaf person and you don’t have the signs to communicate, open up your phone, turn it around, point them to Deaf Church Where. They can find a local deaf church in their community. Show them the Deaf Bible app. There are signs through words that your communication and gesture to provide access to scripture that would reach them in ways that you would never imagine. And we encourage you to take that step of confidence and boldness if you ever do encounter a deaf person, to just show the love of Jesus in your own walk.

SPEAKER 01 : 13:14

Chantel, you’re challenging us again for another way to spread Jesus’ love. So thank you for taking the time with us. We’re really grateful for it.

SPEAKER 02 : 13:23

Grateful for you. Keep doing incredible work in ministry. And for everyone listening, we pray you have an incredible day and that this conversation encouraged you, that it awoken something new to you, and that it leads you to greater understanding as to how we can be more inclusive to see all of God’s people know his love and have access to his word.