{"id":29346,"date":"2014-11-26T03:38:02","date_gmt":"2014-11-26T09:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=29346"},"modified":"2014-11-26T03:38:02","modified_gmt":"2014-11-26T09:38:02","slug":"lubbock-opens-first-church-dedicated-to-deaf-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2014\/11\/26\/lubbock-opens-first-church-dedicated-to-deaf-worship\/","title":{"rendered":"Lubbock opens first church dedicated to deaf worship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lubbock opens first church dedicated to deaf worship<\/strong><\/p>\n

See video – check the link below.<\/p>\n

Reported by: Sydney Ryan
\nEmail: sryan@fox34.com<\/p>\n

November 23, 2014<\/p>\n

There are only 11 churches in the entire state of Texas dedicated to deaf worship. The closest in West Texas is an hour and a half away in Amarillo. The opening of Lubbock’s first deaf church Sunday made the number grow to 12. Although deaf worships have existed in Lubbock for years, congregation<\/span><\/span> and staff members said having their own church means so much more than just having a building.<\/p>\n

“We used to be across town at Oakwood Baptist Church but<\/span><\/span> we moved over here, this is our first day. It’s very beautiful and we have several visitors here with us today. We’re following God and He led us here,” congregation member Randy Long said. “It gives them a place, a place to worship here.”<\/p>\n

Elm grove church<\/span><\/span> disbanded in September. This gave the 4.5 acre property back to Oakwood Baptist Church, where pastor Marcus Murphy came up with an idea to reuse the land for it’s<\/span><\/span> deaf congregation. The offer could not have come at a better time, according to it’s<\/span><\/span> staff, who had been praying over and planning for a building for more than 13 years. The building is still in need of some work, but the congregation insisted it open for Thanksgiving week, symbolic of the blessing they are so thankful for.<\/p>\n

“He called us up and was like, hey Scott, do ya’ll<\/span><\/span> want a church?” church interpreter Randy “Rok” King explained. “The blessing shows up when we have the maturity, we have the capabilities, we have the ability to do to run a church and stand independent<\/span><\/span> as a deaf church. The deaf have felt for years that they’ve been pushed aside, that they are not given as many opportunities as hearing people. This is giving the deaf the opportunity to be equal in a way that, in Lubbock, Texas, has never been given to the deaf. The opportunity for someone to go and to worship in their native language, which for deaf people is ASL, is amazing.”<\/p>\n

“We have our own building. For the deaf, it’s their identity,” deaf pastor Scott Steggs said. “They can say this is my home. We’ve prayed for many years for this church to be successful and be a part of this group and this is their home, it’s not mine. I am excited to be the pastor, to be leading them, encouraging them. I’m excited to see what happens in the future, see how it’s going to grow even more.”<\/p>\n

“Now, we’re growing. There was<\/span><\/span> 80 people here today, including hearing and deaf and children all together,” church treasurer Lynn Bogle added. “We had over 80 people! The church is wonderful. It is wonderful. I look around at these people and I see, it’s just so inspiring, the sermons, it’s all very important.”<\/p>\n

The deaf church believes the building will help their community grow but<\/span><\/span> it will not change them.<\/p>\n

“It’s not about a building. You know, it’s an honor to have it, don’t get me wrong, but it’s about the people trying to have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Steggs said.<\/p>\n

Reverend Scott said the next goal for the church is to train and send out deaf missionaries. For more information, visit Oakwood Baptist Church’s website.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.obclubbock.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

SOURCE:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.myfoxlubbock.com\/news\/local\/story\/Lubbock-opens-first-church-dedicated-to-deaf\/93cWBpJ23kmmgUMvnLuhLw.cspx<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lubbock opens first church dedicated to deaf worship See video – check the link below. Reported by: Sydney Ryan Email: sryan@fox34.com November 23, 2014 There are only 11 churches in the entire state of Texas dedicated to deaf worship. The…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[1629,4621,23,94,24,996,22742,22741,553],"class_list":["post-29346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-american-sign-language","tag-article","tag-asl","tag-church","tag-deaf","tag-lubbock","tag-oakwood-baptist-church","tag-randy-rok-king","tag-west-texas"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-7Dk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27938,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2014\/07\/16\/isaiahs-place-hosts-lubbock-summer-fun-days\/","url_meta":{"origin":29346,"position":0},"title":"Isaiah’s Place Hosts – Lubbock Summer Fun Days","author":"Chrissy Snider","date":"July 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Isaiah's Place Hosts Who: Deaf Families from the Lubbock Area What: Lubbock Summer Fun Days When: July 17 - 20, 2014 Where: Oakwood Baptist Deaf Church -\u00a0 60th & Ave. U - Lubbock, Texas July 17, 2014 5 pm - 8 pm (family meal included) July 18, 2014 1 pm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1823,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2007\/06\/21\/texas-baptist-deaf-youth-camp\/","url_meta":{"origin":29346,"position":1},"title":"Texas Baptist Deaf Youth Camp","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 21, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Annual Texas Baptist Deaf Youth Camp July 27-31, 2007 Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose, Texas Theme: The Price is Life Camp Pastor: Cameron House You will have a lot of fun! 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