Displaying items by tag: sign language

Less than 2% of deaf people follow Jesus. A new form of sign language technology can now transform presenting Scripture to a deaf person. ‘Chameleon’ features a digital avatar, or animated character, signing the Bible to the viewer. Chameleon technology offered by Wycliffe Bible Translators and global partners transcends race and culture. ‘As a white man, if I sign the Bible to another culture, I don't want that culture to think the Scripture is merely “the white man's beliefs”.’ The avatar can be converted to the local nationality, making the translator's appearance anonymous. Filming someone signing the gospel in one of these countries can be dangerous. The avatar allows Christian sign language to be presented in countries unfriendly to the Bible while protecting the person responsible for the translation. A win for the deaf community, taking Bible translation to the next level.

There are some Christian deaf leaders and deaf believers in South Africa who now have scripture published in sign language by Door International. That gives them a perfect opportunity to move into training local leaders in how to evangelise, disciple, and plant churches. Published sign-language scriptures and deaf leaders are rare. Deaf people are one of the world’s largest unreached people groups. Less than 2% of the world’s 70 million deaf people have access to the Gospel. Using a new technique, Door is teaching deaf leaders from Angola and South Africa how to reach their people for Christ. The programme ‘2×2’ is based on Christ’s mission approach in Luke 10. Between now and June four leaders are going into the field to live, work, observe, and serve alongside existing two-by-two teams to gain some of the tools they need and then return to their country and continue the process.