Jesus film released is ASL; Resources for churches serving special needs families; Jesus is sufficient for all

Good News for Today

Communicating with the Deaf community in its heart language is a key concept of Jesus: A Deaf Missions Film portraying the story of Jesus entirely in American Sign Language (ASL), billed by Deaf Missions as the first-ever ASL adaptation for the silver screen.

The film removes all barriers Deaf people face when viewing spoken-language films with subtitles, a standard that Josselyn says makes it difficult for Deaf viewers to experience the emotions critical to any given story.

“Having an experience where Jesus is Deaf, is signing, and a Deaf cast where they’re all signing, so they could see all the emotion, they could see what was happening,” is what Josselyn sees as critical to the production. “There wasn’t anything they had to detach from. There were no barriers. They didn’t have to go through an interpreter … or a second party to get that information. To me, that’s why this is so important.”

Showings are scheduled in at least 275 theaters in the U.S. June 20 and 23. Deaf Missions recommends early ticket purchases and group attendance to encourage theaters to expand the schedule.

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Almost all churches believe they are welcoming places for everyone. But many families that include individuals with special needs often feel otherwise. Experts say it doesn’t have to be this way.

Churches that want to welcome everyone, including those with special needs, should begin by asking questions, said Sandra Peoples, the disability ministry consultant for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and mother of a son with autism. Leaders often make assumptions about what happens in their congregation and whether needs are being met.

Nearly every U.S. Protestant pastor (99 percent) and churchgoer (97 percent) believe a person with disabilities would feel welcome and included at their church, according to a 2020 Lifeway Research study. However, for many on the other side of that question – families of people with special needs – churches’ actions don’t always match their intentions.

Find resource at Lifeway.com/SpecialNeeds

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During the growth of the early church, Gentiles, people from non-Jewish backgrounds, were coming to faith in Jesus Christ. The church had to ask whether someone first had to become Jewish to follow Jesus — whether they had to be circumcised and follow the law. Some believed that they did, while others did not.

The Jerusalem Council met to resolve this dispute. Peter argued that because Gentiles received the Holy Spirit and God knows the hearts of all, He doesn’t make a distinction between circumcised and uncircumcised. Peter affirmed that faith for all is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Affirming the sufficiency of faith in Jesus for justification, the apostles, elders, and the entire church selected representatives to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch with a letter confirming the council’s decision. The church in Antioch was encouraged and strengthened by this news, finding unity in Christ alone.