Deaf Table Talk with Dr. Toby V/Blog

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Toby

Deaf Table Talk with Dr. Toby #1

Introduction: 

Welcome to the Deaf Table Talk with Dr. Toby. I signed Table Talk (signing). How did I come up with “Table Talk with Dr. Toby”? I have been thinking about “Table Talk” since I subscribed to the magazine called “TableTalk.” For example, (I will show you the magazine “TableTalk”). That is a fantastic magazine with much information about theology, devotionals, and many different things. It is excellent! I subscribed to it and read it for years until some time ago, I stopped, but I found the TableTalk online, and I keep reading it. I really enjoy it because it is a meat of content to thought in the spiritual. TableTalk has many different topics, themes, and issues to discuss. The magazine has a theme each month to discuss. 

I thought about using TableTalk with deaf people. I thought I should create the Deaf Talk Talk with Dr. Toby. You know, deaf people tend to chat and discuss many things, such as joking, storytelling, serious discussion, church, the Bible, doctrine, etc., while they are at the table. So, I thought about “Deaf Table Talk with Dr. Toby,” and I thought I would start vlogging from now on. 

I want to tell you about my experience in a doctorate program over the past five years. For five years, I always thought I would use a doctorate for my job in the world, help me write a book, and develop skills in research. I thought about it until I started thinking about God. He guided me to accomplish the doctorate program and gave me the degree. Why did I mention a world job and not the Lord? I feel like I put a doctorate as the priority for the world and not God. However, the more I thought about it, the more I thought about how God gave me the degree. I decided to use it for Him by researching deaf churches, deaf pastors, and anything for deaf people to learn about the Bible, church, pastor, what the Bible teaches, etc. 

After graduating with my doctorate, I studied and researched deaf churches. I talked with different deaf people from the churches, such as discussing the deaf ministry, deaf church, and interpreter services. It makes me more passionate to study and share with you, deaf people. I want deaf people to understand the truth from the Bible from the deaf person’s view (deaf culture and language). I will also work with hearing people to get them to work with us. 

My plan for this project is to have different themes to discuss. Whatever the theme, we will learn and discuss it. Then the following video, we will discuss a different theme. It can be one to five themes in a video. It depends on the time in the video. My goal is to make a video of up to 30 minutes, but I will try to make it up to 15 minutes. It is familiar to some people who like to sit and listen to the host talk or discuss the theme, such as Jay Leno or other shows. They tend to host the show for an hour. However, my video will summarize a theme from the Christian perspective. 

How long will I make this video? About 15 minutes. I will edit the video and transcript for hearing people understand my video. I don’t know if I will add a closed caption/subtitle, but I will make a transcript under this video for hearing to read it. I want hearing people to know about us and help them understand how to minister to deaf people, such as how to set up a deaf church, a deaf ministry, or an interpreter service for the deaf. I want to work with them because many deaf people want to go to church when there is no deaf church or deaf pastor in their home area. They would like to go to the church and ask them to set up an interpreter service. My purpose is to make videos to help hearing people know how to provide for deaf people’s needs when they want to attend church. 

When I work on researching, I will collect information from deaf people or anyone by asking them questions or surveys. Once I collect the data information, I will share it with you all. The questions and survey will be based on deaf churches, deaf ministries, and interpreter services for deaf people to get the information. Unfortunately, we don’t have many resources for the deaf church. So I decided to develop resources for everyone to learn about deaf ministries. It will help you to get the information and be able to share it with hearing people. 

This vlog will have many different topics. Some topics can be short, and others can be longer. It depends on the theme and research I am working on the topic. I will collect people’s questions to research and study to provide answers. 

I want to see more deaf churches be established for God’s glory. I want to lift God’s glory through the churches. 

Theme: Deaf Pastors

Right now, I have two themes. I am not planning to expand the explanation on each theme, but I will raise it in the next vlog. 

I want to discuss the theme of Deaf Pastors. First, I wish to summarize this topic. Before I start discussing, I want to explain this theme. I am not here to talk negatively against other people, shooting talk against the person, such as “He is a lousy pastor,” and on and on. No. I am not here to discuss if the pastor is not good at preaching. However, I am here to discuss the perspective of the Bible. (Point at the Bible). It is what this Bible said. When we face a situation, the Bible helps us how to solve it. The essential is we need to look at God’s words. 

The reason I want to discuss Deaf Pastors is that there was a recent incident with a pastor who fell to sin, which the Deaf Daily Moth announced about the deaf pastor in public. I also noticed some non-Christians discussed it, such as they said Christians allowed pastors to be free and walk away from jail. It seems like there is nothing has happened. They believe the court should punish pastors by going to jail for committing the crime. What shall we do about it?

I want to show you a verse in Romans 13:1. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” This is why Paul wrote the letter to people and told them that they must obey the government’s law. 

The verse is helping the questions that you are wondering. If the pastor breaks the law, he is required to face the law, such as in court, and the judge will give him a sentence. Yes, we do forgive anyone who sins against us. If we forgive, we should let it go. No. It is wrong. We cannot exempt their crime due to forgiveness. If I sin against anyone, I would ask them for their forgiveness, but I still have to face the law because I broke the law. It is the consequence I have to face it. Sometimes court would exempt them if they were repented and were forgiven. Or they wouldn’t exempt it. It depends on the case/situation. 

The situation is that pastors who molest underage children must face the law becasue it is severely against it. So, therefore, he must face the court and accept the punishment. 

We, as Christians, are required to report anyone who committed the crime because we want to protect the children. Also, we watch the pastor from falling into severe sins because we don’t want him to sin against God and break more laws. We must report it. Any pastor who violates the law must face the court to be punished. 

I will expand more discussion on deaf pastors, such as their appearance, qualification, etc. But first, we must report on pastors who do not comply with the law. 

Theme: Deaf Churches

Another theme is Deaf Churches. I want to make it briefly. I will discuss more on deaf churches more later when I find more information from the research. As of now, I have a heavy burden and concerns about Deaf people. (See the slide). There are only 2% of deaf people know Jesus Christ. 2%! Wow! There are some sources on the internet by the Deaf Bible Society, Deaf Missions, and DOOR, the mission group.  They shared the information that it is only 2% of deaf people know Jesus Christ! That means what? 98% of deaf people do not know the Lord Jesus Christ! Or have no relationship with Him! 98%! Only 2% of us know and have a relationship with Jesus Christ! Wow! That is why I am very burdened! 

I have been thinking about it and plan to discuss and explain what the churches can do. I want to encourage you all to do this for 98% of deaf people. Let me know, and I will show you.

Pray for them and encourage or invite them to the church. Pray for the gospel to be preached to them. We need to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. We also explain to the churches that we need to have deaf people in their churches because they need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is essential to share with them.

I have found research on why deaf people don’t go to churches. Keep praying. This is the closed vlog. I will discuss the deaf churches in the next vlog. 

God bless you! I love you!