There are over 70 million Deaf people worldwide. Out of these 70 million, only 2% have encountered Jesus. This places the Deaf community among the largest groups unreached by the gospel. Deaf Missions, a ministry that communicates the gospel through Sign Language, aims to bridge that gap with their new film: "JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film."
“Now I get why many love Jesus,” said Nick*, who attended an advanced screening of the film. “I never knew and had no interest to know more about Christianity. I am really curious to know more about Jesus and His love.”
Nick is a friend of Michael Davis, one of the producers of “JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film.” Nick, who is Deaf, communicates through American Sign Language (ASL), and for the first time, he experienced the story of Jesus on screen in his heart language.
This ground-breaking film portrays the gospel story entirely through sign language. It was produced by a Deaf cast and crew for the Deaf community. Every actor in the film is a native signer.
Michael, the producer who invited Nick to the film screening, was encouraged when he heard how the film had affected his friend. After Nick shared his revelation, Michael told him, “That’s all I wanted—to share His beautiful love with you. That’s why I love Him.”
The release of “JESUS: a Deaf Missions film” in ASL is a beacon of progress and a testament to the power of representation. For the first time, Deaf audiences will experience the story of Jesus on screen through the lens of their community. This representation is not merely symbolic; it is a powerful affirmation of identity and belonging.
In a world where representation and inclusivity are increasingly vital, believers must persist in breaking down barriers that hinder accessibility to the gospel. Jesus is the perfect example. He gained a reputation for being radically inclusive during His earthly ministry over 2,000 years ago. As Christians we are called to emulate that example, and part of that calling is making the gospel accessible to everyone, everywhere.
One of the most effective ways we can increase accessibility to the gospel is to make it available in what we at Jesus Film ProjectⓇ call “heart language.” This is the primary language in which a person thinks and communicates; the language we learn on our mother’s knee. When presented in someone’s heart language, the life-changing power of the gospel is unstoppable.
Ministries like Deaf Missions understand this well. It’s why we at Jesus Film Project, along with many others, partnered in the production of this film. Since 1979, Jesus Film Project has translated its flagship film, JESUS, into over 2,000 languages and counting. By God’s grace, millions have come to know Christ through our gospel-centered media resources, many of which are available in multiple languages. We operate under the idea that everyone should have access to the story of Jesus in their language.
The release of this powerful film reminds me of a story one of our ministry partners shared about a Kurdish family from Iraq. This family has three children, all of whom are Deaf or non-speaking, and they all expressed excitement about watching the original JESUS film. The family invited their neighbors to watch the film with them, and many in the room that day came to know Jesus. It’s remarkable to see time and again how, if we can just present it, the gospel will transform lives.
Millions of Deaf people around the world are still waiting to encounter Jesus, and Deaf Missions aims to eventually translate this new film into over 400 sign languages worldwide. It’s an honor to come beside Deaf Missions as they remove barriers to the gospel for those in their community.
“JESUS: a Deaf Missions film” challenges us to continue making the gospel accessible to all. We are already starting to see the impact of this film at work, and we look forward to hearing more stories of people who will come to know Christ through this film.
This name has been changed to protect privacy.
About Jesus Film Project
Jesus Film Project is passionate about sharing Jesus with the world because they believe everyone, everywhere should have access to His life-changing love. That’s why, by God’s grace and through the help of their partners, their Christian films are available in over 2,000 different languages. They are designed to break language and literacy barriers so anyone can watch—no matter where they are in the world.
They have placed their sights on reaching everyone, everywhere, with a special focus on the areas of the world that have the least access to the gospel. And as the world changes, they innovate, adapt, and use new technologies to reach it with the story of Jesus.
（Holly Newell is Executive Development Representative of Jesus Film Project.）
