Interpreters aren’t enough
I was chatting with a wonderful friend of mine, Karen Treu, who has a tremendous heart to build a bridge between the hearing the deaf. She isn’t deaf, but because of the nature of the ministry she is involved with, she has many opportunities to interact with the deaf culture.
And, to be quite honest, she’s just great at developing relationships with people who are deaf, at least from my perspective.
Anyways, during our Facebook chat she pointed out something very interesting.
She said a lot of churches have a small section for people who are deaf and the church will interpreter there for them. However, community doesn’t happen because before/after the service because of what…fear, maybe?
I mean, we’re in the same service worshipping God, that means we’ve done our job, right? It means we’re multicultural? It means we’re unified?
Just because we sit in the same church with someone of another culture doesn’t mean our job is done. It’s only just begun. We need to get past our fears and get immersed into someone’s life.
During the Proskuneo Multicultural Worship Convergence 2010 I attended the one hour session on the deaf culture. (Karen was actually team teaching with some friends.)
They told us right away we’d be learning a song in ASL and leading everyone in worship with a simple/familiar song “I love you Lord.”
I remember shedding a few tears when we, as a group, were worshipping in ASL. I felt like my worship experience was deepened.
Having interpreters is a great first step. It really is.
At the same time everyone in the congregation needs to take the time to learn one another’s heart language, which is the language that people feel at home with. It could be Korean, Spanish, or ASL
Even when I talk in English, there are complexities within that language too, such as talking with those who are more analytical, like my wife.
Lesson 1: As a worship team, please take the time to learn the heart languages of those in your congregation and incorporate it into the service with song, scripture reading, preaching, prayer, etc.
Lesson 2: As a congregation, please take the time to learn, at least, a few words in another heart language to show that you want to honor them and care about them.
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
© 2010, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
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