Introduction
In 1986 with my wife Sharon and our three children Jonathan, Julie, and Janelle, we left Canton, Ohio and moved to Columbus to start a Deaf church. What exactly was a Deaf Church? We really didn’t have muich of an idea. We had never seen one before. All we knew was that this was what He wanted us to do, and we were attempting to be obedient in that which He commanded us. The only thing we knew was that we wanted to be obedient to God, and that we were. To be honest with you, it’s. been one of the most exciting adventures any family could ever undertake. There are many Deaf churches in other countries around the world, but very few Deaf churches exist in the United States. Statistics report that there are approximately 250 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the world. Approximately 16 million deaf people live in the United States with 820,00 deaf people in the state of Ohio. These figures are mind boggling considering that fact that very little that is being done to reach these American Deaf people. Sue Thomas of Operation Sound states “if you took all of the deaf people in the world and put them in one country, it would make the third largest country in the world behind only China and India.
Personally, the concept of reaching the Deaf and starting Deaf churches is one of the most exciting things I can imagine. It is that excitement, that fire, that burning within my heart that motivates me to write this book. It is my prayer that we will see many more Independent Baptist Deaf churches established in America as well as around the world for the purpose of reaching and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who literally never heard.
Like the church at Antioch that sent out the first missionary team of Paul and Barnabas, Firestone Road Baptist Church in North Canton, Ohio sent the Bordean family: my wife Sharon, my three children: Jonathan, Julie and Janelle. We packed our bags and moved to Columbus, Ohio, in August 1986 for the sole purpose of reaching the Deaf community with the precious gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ– Pastor Eugene Bordean
Pastor Eugene Bordean
Founder/Pastor
1953-1999
Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf
1552 Elmore Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43224
PREFACE
“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou are the Christ , the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
— Matthew 16-15-19
The Lord told Peter that He would build “My church” on the rock of the testimony that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. He gave the “keys” to Peter andn the door to the Jews was opened on Pentecost. The door to the Gentiles was opened with Cornelious (Acts 10). The Lord is still building His church, but it seems there are few with “keys” to open the door to the deaf world. As God used Peter to open the door to the Jews and Gentiles. He has used Eugene Bordean to open the door for the Deaf world. As Paul finished his course to the Gentiles, so did Eugene Bordean finish his course to the Deaf. His ministry still continues!… Dr. Ted Camp, SWM.