2026 International Deaf Association Convention
Several of our church members enjoyed attending the 2026 International Lutheran Deaf Association Convention in Florence, KY. We enjoyed several productive workshops and resources at the Ark Encounter to learn His Word and love for us.
Some of the attendants toured the Ark Encounter displaying a replica of Noah’s Ark. I learned a lot about the Ark Encounter. Many people don’t understand how Noah could accomplish his mission. Here are examples of questions with summary answers below. You can find further info via https://answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark.
Some of the attendants toured the Ark Encounter displaying a replica of Noah’s Ark. I learned a lot about the Ark Encounter. Many people don’t understand how Noah could accomplish his mission. Here are examples of questions with summary answers below. You can find further info via https://answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark.
What Tools and Technology Did Noah Use?
The construction of Noah's Ark, as described in the Bible, involved significant engineering and craftsmanship. It is clear that the ancient world was more technologically advanced than many realize.
How Could All the Animals Fit on the Ark?
The Bible describes that a pair of every animal “kind” boarded the ark. Animal kinds refers to broader groupings than modern species classifications. This greatly reduces the number of animals that would have been on board the ark, as only a limited number of original kinds were needed.
Could Noah’s Family Care for All the Animals?
Research into low-tech animal care methods shows that a small group of people could manage the needs of up to 16,000 animals effectively. There are simple systems that Noah could have used to allow his small family to reasonably care for the thousands of animals aboard the ark.
The construction of Noah's Ark, as described in the Bible, involved significant engineering and craftsmanship. It is clear that the ancient world was more technologically advanced than many realize.
How Could All the Animals Fit on the Ark?
The Bible describes that a pair of every animal “kind” boarded the ark. Animal kinds refers to broader groupings than modern species classifications. This greatly reduces the number of animals that would have been on board the ark, as only a limited number of original kinds were needed.
Could Noah’s Family Care for All the Animals?
Research into low-tech animal care methods shows that a small group of people could manage the needs of up to 16,000 animals effectively. There are simple systems that Noah could have used to allow his small family to reasonably care for the thousands of animals aboard the ark.
The website also provides a lot of information proving the evolution theory is incorrect. Biblical sources are well documented. The rainbow represents God’s promise to us.
The Lost Squadron story proved that deep freeze is consistent with the creation/flood ice age model. Six P-38 fighter planes crashed in 1942 and were found under more than 250 feet of snow and ice in less than 50 years in 1988 reveals the unreliability of using so called annual layers as a dating method. Observational science agrees with the biblical timeline and rejects evolution teaching millions of years.
Frozen Faster than Imagined | Answers in Genesis
The Lost Squadron story proved that deep freeze is consistent with the creation/flood ice age model. Six P-38 fighter planes crashed in 1942 and were found under more than 250 feet of snow and ice in less than 50 years in 1988 reveals the unreliability of using so called annual layers as a dating method. Observational science agrees with the biblical timeline and rejects evolution teaching millions of years.
Frozen Faster than Imagined | Answers in Genesis
Deaf Ministry Workers (Pastors & Deaconesses) attending the ILDA convention
See more ILDA convention photos below.
Did angels impregnate women to create giants (Nephilim)?
The answer is NO, due to the following reasons:
See christdeaf.org/bible for more studies in Scripture about angels.
The answer is NO, due to the following reasons:
- According to Genesis 6:2-4: “The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose…There were giants in the earth in those days…mighty men were of old, men of renown.” The term “Elohim” (sons of God in Hebrew) can refer to human rulers, elites who claimed divine status, not as angels.
- The Bible confirms that angels are spirit beings. They don’t marry or reproduce like humans do. Jesus said in Matthew 22:30 that in the resurrection, “they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but like angels of God in heaven.” It is clear that fallen angels don’t produce babies via sexual union.
- Incorrect interpretation of what the “Fallen angels” are. Some believe that they took human form to mate with women resulting the Nephilim. Lutherans reject that theory as non-biblical.
- The notion that angels are male and have sperm seed (note there are no angelic women), and that they are able to mate with human women comes from pagan Greek and Roman mythology, not from Holy Scripture.
See christdeaf.org/bible for more studies in Scripture about angels.
Forgiving is hard! (Part 2)
When someone does something to hurt me, my natural reaction is to become angry. I want them to experience the same kind of hurt that they inflicted on me. But most of all, I want them to wake up and feel sorry for what they did.
If they repent and ask for my forgiveness, I, as a follower of Jesus, want to forgive them. I want to experience the joy and peace of my enemy becoming my friend.
But that rarely happens. Many folks who hurt us don’t even realize what they have done. And those who do know either feel justified in their actions or they simply don’t care. Yet Jesus commands me to forgive them anyway. How can I do that?
In part 1 of this study, I described the first step I need to take that helps me let go of my bitterness and anger. I examine my own heart. I take an honest look at my own sinful attitudes, especially my attitude against the one who hurt me. I thank Christ that He has forgiven me, and I pray for my offender that Christ will also forgive him.
As I pray for the one against whom I harbor feeling of bitterness, I ask Christ to give me His eyes, that I may see the one who has offended against me as Christ sees him. I pray for the vision to have pity on him, as Christ does. What is missing in that person’s heart and life that causes him to act as he does?
With that mindset, I can sincerely pray for my enemy – not pray for revenge, but pray that he will see and experience the love and mercy of God, that God will heal his mind and heart, and that God Himself will fill the empty places of his heart.
In quoting Proverbs 25:21-22, Paul wrote: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them...To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:14-21)
If they repent and ask for my forgiveness, I, as a follower of Jesus, want to forgive them. I want to experience the joy and peace of my enemy becoming my friend.
But that rarely happens. Many folks who hurt us don’t even realize what they have done. And those who do know either feel justified in their actions or they simply don’t care. Yet Jesus commands me to forgive them anyway. How can I do that?
In part 1 of this study, I described the first step I need to take that helps me let go of my bitterness and anger. I examine my own heart. I take an honest look at my own sinful attitudes, especially my attitude against the one who hurt me. I thank Christ that He has forgiven me, and I pray for my offender that Christ will also forgive him.
As I pray for the one against whom I harbor feeling of bitterness, I ask Christ to give me His eyes, that I may see the one who has offended against me as Christ sees him. I pray for the vision to have pity on him, as Christ does. What is missing in that person’s heart and life that causes him to act as he does?
With that mindset, I can sincerely pray for my enemy – not pray for revenge, but pray that he will see and experience the love and mercy of God, that God will heal his mind and heart, and that God Himself will fill the empty places of his heart.
In quoting Proverbs 25:21-22, Paul wrote: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them...To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:14-21)
The International Lutheran Deaf Association
June 11-14, 2026
Hilton Cincinnati Airport
Florence, Kentucky
Photos courtesy of David Brown
Click on photo to see full size.
June 11-14, 2026
Hilton Cincinnati Airport
Florence, Kentucky
Photos courtesy of David Brown
Click on photo to see full size.
The phrase that Jesus often used to refer to Himself is “SON OF MAN.”
Most serious students of the Bible understand that Jesus was not using this phrase as a statement of humility, emphasizing His humanity, as casual readers of the Bible often assume.
Just the opposite. By this phrase, Jesus was affirming His identity as Messiah.
The term SON OF MAN is a reference to Daniel 7:13, where Daniel says:
Most serious students of the Bible understand that Jesus was not using this phrase as a statement of humility, emphasizing His humanity, as casual readers of the Bible often assume.
Just the opposite. By this phrase, Jesus was affirming His identity as Messiah.
The term SON OF MAN is a reference to Daniel 7:13, where Daniel says:
I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
(Daniel 7:13-14 NASB)
There is no doubt about whom Daniel was describing.
You may recall that when Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin, He refused to answer the accusations against about what He said or did. The only question that He did answer was the question of His identity – who He is. And in His answer, Jesus quoted this prophecy from Daniel.
You may recall that when Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin, He refused to answer the accusations against about what He said or did. The only question that He did answer was the question of His identity – who He is. And in His answer, Jesus quoted this prophecy from Daniel.
Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?”
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. (Mark 14:61-64 NASB)
Indeed, every time Jesus referred to Himself as “the Son of Man,” the religious elite were angry, because they understood exactly what He meant.
In the Hebrew Old Testament we find two different phrases that are both translated to English as “son of man.”
BEN ADAM is the common Hebrew phrase that is translated as son of man (Ps 8:4; Dan 8:17; God addresses Ezekiel 93 times as BEN ADAM, son of man, son of Adam, son of earth; not meant as a complement).
But in Daniel 7:13 the phrase we find there is not Hebrew, but Aramaic (the official court language of Babylon, where Daniel was serving) – BAR ENASH. This is the Aramaic expression that correctly translates as “son of man.”
Jews returning from Babylon brought the Aramaic language back with them. So New Testament Jews in Israel commonly spoke Aramaic. Hebrew was spoken only in the recitation of Scripture in the synagogue.
So Jesus, speaking Aramaic, referring to Himself as BAR ENASH, directly quoted Daniel 7:13, thus identifying Himself as the Messiah. And everyone who heard Him understood this.
In the Hebrew Old Testament we find two different phrases that are both translated to English as “son of man.”
BEN ADAM is the common Hebrew phrase that is translated as son of man (Ps 8:4; Dan 8:17; God addresses Ezekiel 93 times as BEN ADAM, son of man, son of Adam, son of earth; not meant as a complement).
But in Daniel 7:13 the phrase we find there is not Hebrew, but Aramaic (the official court language of Babylon, where Daniel was serving) – BAR ENASH. This is the Aramaic expression that correctly translates as “son of man.”
Jews returning from Babylon brought the Aramaic language back with them. So New Testament Jews in Israel commonly spoke Aramaic. Hebrew was spoken only in the recitation of Scripture in the synagogue.
So Jesus, speaking Aramaic, referring to Himself as BAR ENASH, directly quoted Daniel 7:13, thus identifying Himself as the Messiah. And everyone who heard Him understood this.
This lesson is from a series of studies which Pastor Ron has published on YouTube: Digging for Gold. www.christdeaf.org/gold
| O Liberty, a precious gift Of which so many are bereft, ‘Twas bought with blood of men so brave, And all they had they freely gave The stars and stripes to raise aloft, The path they trod - it was not soft; But filled with pain and misery, They died to give us Liberty. ~~ Lessie P. Perdue |  |