The Chinese Churches Ministry for the Deaf and Mute has a history of over 100 years. Some mainland churches have already started the ministry for the deaf and mute. A church in the north, moved by the love of God, took the initiative to share the Gospel with them. By allocating a room for the deaf and mute to have fellowship, it made them feel deeply the love of God and the acceptance by its congregation. Below is a brief introduction of several churches, fellowships or schools for the deaf in China.
The ministry for the deaf in China can be dated back to 1887, 130 years ago. Pastor Charles R. Mills and his wife of the American Presbyterian Mission founded the school for the deaf in Yantai, Shandong in 1887. Later on, they promoted the education for the deaf. Until 1937, China had eleven schools for the deaf. In 1987, the 100th year of its foundation, the school in Yantai was renamed Yantai Center School for the Deaf and Dumb, which was renamed "Yantai Special Education School" in April, 2013.
On Nov. 1, the Christian fellowship for the deaf of Xiangyang, Hubei, held its 9th foundation anniversary as reported by China CCC&TSPM. About 20 deaf Christians attended the anniversary. Pastor Fu Yuhao of Zhong Nan Theological Seminary preached the sermon and a brother of the fellowship translated the sermon in sign language.
Pastor Fu shared shared from the book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 7, Verse 11, "Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun," in the title "Sweet Light". He hopes the deaf and dumb brother and sisters will be grateful for they can still see and that they will not dwell on negative emotions but live in light.
The Sign Language Church for the Deaf of Yantai, Shandong held its 13th Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship and more then 80 people attended the ceremony on Oct. 18, 2015. The church's history dates back to 1995 when some deaf people began to hear the gospel and had then gathered together in believers' families. In 2002, the church was founded. After its foundation, the church helped Weihai Church build a fellowship for the deaf.
The history of Shenyang Wanfang Church for the deaf goes back to 1998, when Ming Dasheng, who was a seminary student then, shared the Bible to some deaf believers upon their request. Later on, he devoted himself to shepherding the deaf. Currently there are over 100 believers in Wanfang Church. Fellowships for the deaf have been set up in the churches of the ten districts of Shenyang.
The fellowship for the deaf of Simon Church, which is in Donghe District, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, has passed its sixth year anniversary and has around around one hundred believers. The leader of the fellowship once studied in Harbin Bible School for the Deaf .
Besides those churches, Yanjing Church, Dalian Beijing Street Church, Mochou Lu Church of Nanjing, Hefei Shuangqi Church all have fellowships for the deaf and dumb.
