calendar of events all events are held at evangel...

summer 2007 • volume 3 issue 3Calendar of events

October 12Deaf FellowshipGame NightWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 7:30 p.m.Cost: Free! Lots of fun!Come, eat and play!

October 20Deaf Worship ServiceDeafsouls CoffeehouseWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 6:00 p.m.Cost: Free! Hot chocolate, coffee, latteand tea will be served!

November 09Deaf FellowshipMovie NightWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 7:30 p.m.Cost: Free! Assorted Popcorn will be provided!

November 17Deaf Worship ServiceDeafsouls CoffeehouseWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 6:00 p.m.Cost: Free! Hot chocolate, coffee, latteand tea will be served!

December 15Deaf Worship ServiceDeafsouls CoffeehouseWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 6:00 p.m.Cost: Free! Hot chocolate, coffee, latteand tea will be served!

All events are held at Evangel Church, 1251 TerrillRoad, Scotch Plains, New Jersey unless noted.

January 11Deaf FellowshipGame NightWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 7:30 p.m.Cost: Free! Lots of fun!Come, eat and play!

Interviewwith deaf memberJanice Scagliottasee page 12

or more information about NJDDM, its services and subsidiaries, or to assist with monthly financial support and donations, pleasecontact Pastor Nancy Tonnessen at NJDDM, 1251 Terrill Road,Scotch Plains, NJ, 07076. Phone 908.322.9300 (Voice and VP) or

email [email protected].

CHURCH/DONOR

Bethany ChurchWyckoff

Bethel A/GLake Hiawatha

Bethel Christian Blackwood

Calvary A/GUnion

Calvary LighthouseLakewood

Calvary Temple Wayne

Capital A/GHamilton

Cedar Run AGWest Creek

Crossroads A/GEnglishtown

Englewood A/GEnglewood

Evangel ChapelBridgewater

Evangel ChurchScotch Plains

First A/GSalem

First A/GToms River

First A/GCarney's Pt.

First A/GFreehold

First A/GPennington

First A/GPt. Pleasant

Full Gospel Livingston

Jamesburg A/GJamesburg

Kingsway A/GCherry Hill

Lighthouse TabLumberton

Lambertville A/GLambertville

Mainland A/GLinwood

Marlton A/G Marlton

Metuchen A/GMetuchen

Monmouth Worship CenterMarlboro

Trinity A/GPassaic

INDIVIDUALS/DONOR

Barbara Rajcok Toms River

Carolyn R. MartonMercerville

Darnelle Forrester Woodbridge

Donna L. Miller Shamong

Finn & Gail Tornquist Somerset

Jim & Cheryl Barry Somerset

Evangel Church page

SUNDAYDeaf Adult Sunday School 9:00 a.m.Interpreted Worship Service 11:00 a.m.

WEDNESDAYDeaf Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTHDeaf Fellowship 7:30 p.m.His Kidz (Deaf Children Ministry) 7:30 p.m.

THIRD SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTHDeafsouls coffeehouse 6:00 p.m.

Sign Language Class (Contact us for times/dates)

EVANGEL CHURCH DEAF MINISTRY

FPartners’ page by Pastor Nancy Tonnessen

Partners - 2007

summer2007 232

ew Jersey District DeafMinistries (NJDDM)based at Evangel Church,Scotch Plains, NJ is a

division of the New Jersey DistrictCouncil Assemblies of God Fellowshipheadquartered in Burlington, NJ.

NJDDM, directed by HomeMissionary Pastor Nancy Tonnessen,provides services for persons who aredeaf. The aim of NJDDM is to developdeaf ministries and other services forthe Deaf within churches throughoutthe state of New Jersey.

Pastor Nancy Tonnessen and her staffprovide workshops for persons who aredeaf, Pastors and their churches, retreatsfor the Deaf, Christian Religious

Interpreter Training, American Sign Language classes, Counselingand Biblical Instruction for individu-als who are deaf and their familiesand Interpreter and state agencyreferrals.

Monthly finances and donationsgiven by generous individuals andchurches support all services and mon-etary funding for the provision of theseservices. This funding supports theNJDDM, Pastor Nancy Tonnessen andNJDDM subsidiaries. Also it’s devel-oped to minister to the Deaf and fosterDeaf Awareness to enhance communi-cation and understanding between theDeaf and the Hearing. For supportinformation, see below.

New Jersey District Deaf Ministries

hile enjoying the oppor-tunities of innovatively

setting up information,exhibits and distributing

flyers of upcoming events at theAmerican Sign Language (ASL) Festival(pictured above and below), the realitiesof where we are in reaching Deaf Soulsis so far from where it needs to be. It isonly through the power of prayer andthe leading of the Holy Spirit that wewill see lives change!

Included in this issue is an article

with the results of a survey takenwhile at the ASL Festival at UnionCounty College back in April. See“Are We Reaching the Deaf?” writtenby Dana Sawyer. You will be surprisedby the findings (page 8).

It is always exciting to share encour-aging stories about Deaf Souls whohave made Jesus everything in theirlife. This issue also includes an inter-view with Janice Scagliotta and an arti-cle from Deaf Pastor Jimmy Schwyhartwho shares his missionary experiencetraveling with several other pastors toNigeria, Africa.

If you have a personal testimonyor story you would like to sharefrom the Deaf Ministry at yourchurch; please contact me at [email protected]

Please continue to pray for DeafSouls as we, together, reach out in“Connecting Deaf People to God.”

Sincerely

Pastor Nancy Tonnessen

N

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NJ District Ministry Resource Center, Deaf MissionsP.O. Box 100, Burlington, NJ 08016 • (609) 882-0249 • www.njag.org

DearMinistryPartners & Readers

W

22

Editor-in-chief’s noteNJDDM page by Pastor Nancy Tonnessen

summer2007 3

Diana Hwaga works the exhibit table atUnion County College ASL Festival.

Dr. Susana Quale assists John Willard witha free blood pressure check held at theUnion County College ASL Festival whichwas provided at our table.

4 summer2007 21

deafs uls™Summer 2007

publisherTHE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

editor-in-chief pastor nancy tonnessenart director faithlyn robinsonstaff writer dana sawyercontributing writers pastor kevin brennan

pastor jimmy schwyhart

customer service

subscription servicesTo inquire about a subscription, tochange an address, to get a back issue ora reprint of an article, please write toCirculation, Deafsouls™, 1251 TerrillRoad, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 or [email protected].

contributionAlso, if you would like to make a dona-tion to help defray the printing andpostage expenses, please mail your contribution to the address below.

disclaimerMaterial contained herein is intended for information only. Not responsible forharm or injury resulting from Deafsouls™

articles.

editorial contributionThe editors invite letters, article ideas andother contributions from readers. Pleasewrite to the Editor, Deafsouls™, 1251Terrill Road, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. Anymanuscript or artwork should be accompa-nied by a self-addressed envelope bearingadequate return postage. Deafsouls™ is not responsible for the return or loss of submissions.

publicationDeafsouls™ is published four (4) times a year by New Jersey District DeafMinistries, 1251 Terrill Road, ScotchPlains, NJ 07076.

cover storyDeafsouls interviewed JaniceScagliotta. One of the originalmembers of Calvary Chapel of theDeaf whose life demonstrates faithful-ness and perseverance. As we talkedand laughed together, I learned so muchabout being faithful under fire. Readhow she kept her fire burning for Jesusdespite temptations, trials and tears. Seehow life has impacted Janice to under-stand the true meaning of faith.

Interviewed by Faithlyn Robinson

Read her story on page 12.

contact Pastor Nancy Tonnessen at:

Phone (Hearing):908.322.9300 ext. 11

TTY: 908.322.4553

Videophone (VP):908.322.9300

Email:[email protected]

To find how you can support

His Kidz Ministry by Sherri King, Director

“His Kidz”For Deaf Children and Hearing

Children of Deaf Parents

Crafts, Games, Bible Stories & more

Join us every second Friday of the month at Evangel Church

1251 Terrill Road, Scotch Plains, NJ

7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.(7:00 p.m. for snacks)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phoneat 908-322-7209 (V) or by email at [email protected]

page 20 His Kidz Ministrypage 22 NJDDMpage 23 Partnerspage 24 Calendar of Events

in every issue

Biblical TruthWhat is Heaven? page 6

by New Believer’s BibleNew Living Translation

“But even with all of this detail(of heaven), we still fall short ofunderstanding the ‘big picture’.”

Deaf issueAre we really reaching

the Deaf? page 8

by Dana Sawyer

“Twelve people said they attendedchurch with NO INTERPRETER!How sad is that?”

Deaf missionsWhat’s your name? page 10

by Pastor Jimmy Schwyhart

“We were at peace and trusting in the Lord to provide. HE DIDPROVIDE every penny andextra!”

Revelation seriesForgotten Love page 16

by Pastor Kevin Brennan

“…there is a word given that we must hear and apply to ourlives, if not we will be lost toGod forever…”

Table of Contents

summer2007 520

making you breakfast. When hebrings you the breakfast he says,“Oh, by the way I am taking the dayoff so I can do all those little projectsaround the house you’ve been want-ing me to take care of, and don’tworry about dinner tonight. Iarranged for a sitter for the kids, youand I are going out to eat somewherenice, and then we will go for a walk,it seems like forever since we had agood talk with one another.” If thiswere to happen you would be sothrilled. Then he turns to go tidy upthe kids rooms but remembers onemore thing, “Oh yeah, and I don’tlove you anymore like I used to.”Does anything else he said beforethat matter anymore?

What you do only matters if youremember why you do it. The activ-ity becomes meaningless when themotivation is lost. The Ephesiansendured, toiled, persevered, laboredhard, but what does the Lord careabout that, if they have lost sight ofwhy they do it in the first place?

Did you ever go to pull into a spotin a parking lot, and the car in thespot next to you is either right ontheir white line, or they have crossedit into your spot? You now have tomaneuver carefully and park out ofalignment as well, just so you can fitin the spot. But then as you arewalking along the line of cars younotice that he also had to park thatway because the car next to him wasalso over too far. And then younotice that every car is out of align-ment until you come to the first one,the one that started it all. It wasbecause that first one was out ofproper alignment, all the otherswound up out of alignment as well.

Nothing else in your life will fitlike it’s supposed to, if what youhave in the first spot is out of align-

ment. We’ve got to remember what’simportant first, and foremost.

Remove Your LampstandRemember the description of Jesus

back in chapter one? He was filledwith fire, His head glowed, His eyesglowed, His feet glowed. Hebrewschapter 12:29 says, “For our God isa consuming fire.” Do you knowwhat else God is? I John 4:8, “Theone who does not love, does notknow God, for God is love.” God isfire and God is love. The fire of Godis the love of God that burns withinHim. When you don’t have the loveof God in you burning first and fore-most for Him, then the fire is gone.What good is a lamp stand whichdoes not burn? He will come toremove it unless you repent. The fireof love for God must burn withinyou, otherwise whatever else you dofor God no longer matters.

Overcomes/Tree of LifeReceive what the Holy Spirit is say-

ing to you…you must remember whatyou once had for the Lord. You mustretrace your steps to get back there.You must repent of what has kept youfrom returning. Only then will youovercome, and be restored. TheLord’s plan is to get us back to wherewe started, in the Garden with Him innearness, intimacy, and first love.

Accept Jesus Christ as your Saviorright now. If you decide to do thatnow, pray this prayer: Lord Jesus,I’m sorry for my sin. Please comeinto my heart and make me a newperson. I want to serve You the restof my life. I put my life in Yourhands. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you said this prayer, we wouldlike to hear about it. Email your lifechanging experience to us at [email protected]

summer2007 196 deafs¤uls™

Biblical Truth by New Believer’s Bible - New Living Translation

NicolaitansNothing has changed since the

very beginning of the church 2,000years ago. Today there are manygoing around claiming to be apostles.But every Apostle in the Word ofGod was directly appointed byChrist, as were the first twelve, andPaul through the vision on the roadto Damascus. There is no such thingas a self-proclaimed apostle. We willsee as we get into the other lettersthat the Nicolaitans were teaching anearly form of what became known asGnosticism. Gnosticism teaches thatthe only real world was the Spiritworld and whatever you did withyour flesh didn’t really matter.Therefore they taught that it was finefor the Christians to participate inthe pagan practices and immoralityof their neighbors.

The greatest harm can come to ahealthy church through error inteaching and preaching. This is whywhen the wolves show up, they dressup like a sheep. But there is a way totell if there is a wolf beneath thosesheep clothes…wait for them to opentheir mouths. They may look likesheep, but if they speak like wolves,then it’s a wolf you are dealing with.Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the falseprophets, who come to you insheep’s clothing, but inwardly areravenous wolves.”

When Paul met with the Ephesianelders in Acts 20 he warned themabout this, Acts chapter 20:29, “Iknow that after my departure savagewolves will come in among you notsparing the flock.” Jesus holds thestars in His right hand. They are Hismessengers, and He holds them toanoint them, protect them, and keepthem, but He also holds them to beaccountable to Him for how theyconvey His message to His church.

But the Ephesians didn’t stand forfalse teaching, in fact they hated thefalse teachings and battled them. Inaddition, Jesus also commends them fortheir perseverance and hard work…

PerseveranceThey labored hard for their Lord,

persevered through trials, endured greatsacrifices and loss. You see, He knewthe Ephesian church well, and Heknows each of you as well. Did you seewhat it said at the end of verse 1…

He Walks AmongWhen John first saw Jesus in

Revelation 1:13, Jesus was standing,“…in the middle of the lampstands”.Now it says He is walking amongthe lampstands. He is like the officerexamining his men. While they standperfectly still he looks them over.You are being looked over right nowby a Lord who knows you well, bet-ter than we know ourselves, and Hedoes not mince words, to us, or tothe Ephesians.

In spite of all they have done, theirintolerance for false teachers, andtheir perseverance through trials, theLord has one matter of utmostimportance to reveal to them, soimportant that if it is not addressed itcould mean the end of their relation-ship with Him. It is an equally urgentmatter for you and I…

First LoveLadies imagine if for Father’s Day

your husband turns the tables, andsays, “In honor of Father’s day I’mgiving you a second Mother’s Day”.Imagine if on that special day he gotup early, and told you to stay in bed.He then got the kids up, dressedthem, fed them, and got them off toschool. While he was doing that hethrew a load into the wash, while

he Bible gives us wonder-ful, vivid descriptions ofheaven. From Scripturewe know that heaven’s

streets are made of gold, and thatpain, fear, and sorrow are notpresent there. But even with all ofthis detail, we still fall short ofunderstanding “the big picture.”That is because it is difficult for usto grasp the absolute perfectionand glory of heaven.

All splendor aside, though, whattruly makes heaven spectacular isthat we will be forever in God’spresence. As the psalmist sopoignantly expressed, “You willshow me the way of life, grantingme the joy of your presence andthe pleasures of living with you forever” (Psalm 16:11).

While we may not be able tohave all of our questions aboutheaven answered here on earth, the Bible does answer some of our

most probing questions.

1. Who will enter Heaven? Heaven isa place for those who have receivedJesus Christ as Lord (see John 14:1-6).

2. When does a Christian enterHeaven? When we take our last breathon earth, we will take our first breathin heaven (see 2 Corinthians 5: 6-9).

3. Will we recognize people in Heaven? While our heavenly bodies may resemble our earthlybodies, we will in some ways belike the angels (see Matthew 22:23-33).

4. What will life in Heaven belike? Our lives in Heaven will nolonger be consumed by the caresof this life, but we will be filledwith joy being in the presence ofour heavenly Father (see Revelation7:13-17).


continued from page 17

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What isHeaven?

Union County College hostedan American Sign Language(ASL) Festival on April 14at the Cranford campus.

The Deaf and interpreting studentsin the program directed this annualevent. There were a variety of ven-dors (Deaf and Hearing) who pro-vide resources for the Deaf such aschurches, phone companies, coun-seling and education. EvangelChurch Deaf Ministry was one ofthe exhibiting churches. The ASLFestival has been an annual eventfor the ministry over the past 6 or 7years. During the ASL Festival, Iconducted a survey for the Deafand Hard of Hearing people. Thesurvey consisted of two sets ofquestions. “Do you go to church?”

If the answer was YES then the sec-ond question was “Is the churchyou attend a Deaf Church or aninterpreted service?”

If their answer was, “No” that theydo not go to church, I would ask why.The two optional answers were “NotInterested” and “No Interpreter.”

Thirty five responses were collected.Out of 35 people, 11 went tochurch with an interpreted service.Four of those people attended aDeaf Church. Only five people saidthey were not interested in attend-ing church or they did not have anyway of transportation. Twelve peo-ple said they attend church withNO INTERPRETER! How sad isthat! How do the churches withDeaf members in their congregation

and one of the most immoral. Wecan learn a great deal about Ephesusfrom Paul’s visit there in Acts 19.There we learn that it was a centerfor the practice of magic and theoccult, and also the world capital forthe worship for Artemis, also knownas Diana, a fertility goddess. Hertemple was one of the 7 wonders ofthe world, taking up four footballfields in length and width, and tow-ering 60 feet into the air.

Ephesus had one of the largest the-aters in the Roman Empire, with aseating capacity of 25,000. This wasthe same theater where a near riotensued and Paul’s life was in dangerin Acts 19 and 2 Corinthians 1.

Ephesus was also known as thecenter of the Imperial Cult, theworship of Emperor Domitian.Archeologists have unearthed ahuge statue of Domitian from theruins of Ephesus at a spot overlook-ing the harbor. As ships made theirway into the Ephesian ports theywould see this 27 foot tall image ofDomitian with his clenched righthand raised above his head signify-ing his authority and control overthe city. Did you see how Jesusintroduced Himself in this letter…

One Who Holds The 7 StarsThey were known as the City

with the statue of the Emperorwhose right hand of power con-trolled all. But there is one who hassupreme authority, supreme control,and it is not Domitian, it is notGeorge Bush, Tony Blair, theIrananian President, it is not KofiAnan, it is not Osama Bin Ladin,not any ruler of this world. It is theLord Jesus Christ, and in His righthand of power and authority Heholds 7 stars. Look at the middle ofRevelation chapter one, verse 20…

7 Stars/7 Angels/7 ChurchesThe stars are the angels of the

churches. Each letter is written tothe angels of the churches, yetremember that in Revelation 1:1 itis an angel who gives John thisrevelation. Why would John bewriting to the angel, if the revela-tion comes to him from the angel?The angel of Revelation 1:1 showsup in Revelation 4:1 and revealsmany things to John in the chap-ters that follow. Also, why wouldletters that contain words ofadmonishment and rebuke con-cerning immorality, and doctrinalerror, be written to an angel? Hereis what I believe is going on here.The word for angel, angellos, sim-ply means messenger. The sevenangels of the churches, and theseven stars, are the conveyors ofthe message of Christ, His messen-gers. Christ is truly the Lord of achurch, and in control of a churchwhen He controls those who bringthe message to the church. This iswhy this pulpit represents one ofthe most responsible and danger-ous locations around. When apastor or preacher conveys themessage of Christ they become Hisangel to those hearers. This is whypreaching is the most dangerousand serious matter anyone canengage in. This is why any teacheror preacher of the Lord’s wordmust take James 3:1 seriously, “Letnot many of you become teachers,my brethren, knowing that as suchwe shall incur a stricter judgment.”Here is what is great about theEphesians, they knew how seriousthis was, and they did not toleratethose who abused their position ofauthority over them. Look at versesRevelation 2:2,6…


Deaf issue by Dana Sawyer

continued on page 18

Are we really reaching the Deaf?

his is the first of the sevenletters written to the sevenchurches of Southwest Asia.You cannot lift this book

out of its context. This unveilingwas meant for all those in thechurch, both the church of John’sday, and for you. The Book ofRevelation should not be read simplyas a travelogue of the future, but as aWord from the heart of the Lord toHis church about the profound andhidden forces at work in their lives,forces for their good, as well asforces out to destroy them. This is

why before these forces can beviewed on a grand scale, the churchmust see where these forces show upin their world. And to the church ofEphesus there is a word given thatwe must hear and apply to our lives,if not we will be lost to God forever.

Ephesus was one of the top fourmajor cities of the entire RomanEmpire, superseded only by Rome,Alexandria, and Syrian Antioch. Inaddition to having a wonderful har-bor, three major trade routes con-verged at Ephesus. It was one ofthe wealthiest cities in the world,


Revelation series by Pastor Kevin Brennan

TForgotten Love

Revelation 2:1-7

provide equal access to the ministrywithout an interpreter? Imagine goingto a lecture where the speaker isspeaking a language that you do notknow. How difficult it can be to sit ata lecture and receive no information!

On a personal note, I attendedchurch at eight years old. I neverhad an interpreter. I would go tochurch, sit in the pew and playwith my Bible. I couldn’t under-stand the sermon or the worship. Itwas very difficult for me. Becauseof this experience, I decided to stopgoing to church. Seventeen yearslater I finally found EvangelChurch Deaf Ministry through agood friend who is an interpreter. Ihave been an active member ofEvangel Church since February of

2005. I thank God that I had theopportunity to receive Christ as my Savior!

There is a great need for churchesto be educated about the Deaf worldand culture. A church not providinginterpreters for the Deaf is an ongoingand growing issue. There are 725,000Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons inNew Jersey. If there were twelve Deafpeople out of a group of 35 attendingchurch without an interpreter, imag-ine how many are out there sitting atchurch and missing the opportunityof receiving the salvation message ofJesus Christ! The results of this surveyhave made me realize that we as DeafChristians need to reach out to ourDeaf Community and share the gospelwith lost souls.

Deaf missions by Pastor Jimmy Schwyhart

ack in 1996, Janie and Iattended a revival during themorning service at EastlandAssembly of God, Tulsa,

Oklahoma. We sat in the front rowbecause there was no interpreter. Idid my best to read the speaker’s lips.Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to under-stand everything he said, but was ableto catch the main message. The serv-ice was wonderful, the sanctuary filledwith the presence of the Lord andthose who led worship flowed withthe Holy Spirit. The Evangelist was

Rev. Dale Gentry. While worshiping,the Evangelist waited on the timing ofthe Holy Spirit for when he shouldpreach. After preaching the message,the Holy Spirit led him toward bothJanie and I. He asked us our names.My first response was one word,“Jimmy.” God’s word in I John 4:1states for all believers to test the spirit,“Beloved, do not believe every spirit,but test the spirits, whether they are ofGod; because many false prophetshave gone out into the world.” Iwanted to be alert and prepared totest the spirit as the Word says. After Isaid my name, he began to prophesyover us. We purchased a copy of thetape the church made from that serv-ice. We listened to it few times andthen put it away. (See “Prophecy”).

Lord’s timingWe knew that the Lord has His

own timing and that He would openthe door of opportunity for us totravel the world, but we didn’t knowwhen and where. We have been faith-ful in everything we were called to doin the deaf church and community.

Open doorsIn 2006, (ten years later) the Lord

began opening doors for us to travelall over the world. We sensed theLord was preparing us to get readyfor travel. A woman in our deafchurch came to us and said that we

over for three years before moving toEvangel Church in Scotch Plains, NJ.I was the first person to be baptizedin the church in Cranford.

You have been a member ofCalvary Chapel of the Deaf

with Pastor Croft Pentz. What’sone positive thing you’ve learnedthat influences you today? PastorCroft Pentz’s sermons.

You have been a member of thedeaf club. What’s that like?

How is it different from being amember of Calvary Chapel of theDeaf? Very different. I didn’t feelcomfortable in the deaf club. Butwith CCD, I feel like I’m with family.

What is the most difficultexperience in your life and

how has God helped you throughthat situation? Losing friends. Mylifestyle and the lifestyle of my friends,who saw my life change for Jesus, didn’t match. It was difficult losingfriends, but I gained church familywhich helped me a lot.

What is the most joyful experi-ence you had and how has God

blessed you through that? Moving to Evangel Church in Scotch Plains.God blessed me with hearingfriends. My social life improvedand it’s much better than before.

You have been reading andstudying the Bible. Looking

back to when you were a babyChristian, are you the same personnow as you were then? Not the sameperson because of this church. Ilearn more and I am happy here.

You have moved from CalvaryChapel of the Deaf in Cranford

to Evangel Church in Scotch Plains,what was that like for you? Beforemoving to Evangel Church, I toldPastor Nancy that I prefer Hearingand Deaf to worship together. Whenwe moved to Evangel Church, Godanswered my prayers!

If you met Jesus, what wouldyou say or do? I would run to

Him, hug Him and kiss Him and tellHim, thank you for saving my life.

If you had one sentence to sayto a deaf person, what would

you say? You need to be saved.Without Jesus, where will you go?

Last comment: My life has beenawesome with Jesus!

Over the years Janice has written apoem and a song. The poem iscalled “8 colors of Jesus’ Way”.The song is called “Go, Fight,Win”. Janice has also written sev-eral devotions for Daily Devotionsfor the Deaf for Deaf Missions inCouncil Bluff, Iowa which havebeen published.


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At Evangel Church in Scotch Plains, NewJersey, Janice joyfully shares her experienceafter accepting Jesus.

Q

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Q

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WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

Q

Rev. Gentry: What is your name sir?

Jimmy: Jimmy and Janie.

Rev. Gentry: I want to pray for you (Jimmy and Janie). I don’t know any-thing about you but I hear you all speak-ing in several different languages andthe different languages are going to bequite easy for you once you start movingin that realm. Hallelujah! Several differ-ent languages, languages of the HolyGhost; supernaturally. God said, “I willrelease in day to come, you, into tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations.” I hear tribes saying comeover here. Come over here and help us.Come over here. Come, come over here.God said,” I am going to take youbeyond yourself. Beyond your own abili-ties, beyond your capabilities.” Tribesand nations.

Prophecy

sound. That’s when I consideredmyself Deaf, more than hard ofhearing.

How did you become deaf?Reason is unknown.

Do you accept your deafness? Sometimes. There are times I

find myself wishing I had goodspeech. If someone has good speech,it is easier to speak with others.

How many brothers and sistersdo you have? I have one sister,

no brothers. My sister’s name isMarlene. She was born deaf too.Reason is unknown.

Did you accept Jesus as yourpersonal savior? When and

how? Yes. I was saved in June 1982.I grew up Catholic and I didn’t fullyunderstand what Jesus did for me.Of course, I have heard the story sur-rounding His birth and His death onthe cross but I didn’t understand. Iwasn’t taught to read the Bible.When I went to NTID, that’s when Ifirst learned about Christianity. I wasso curious about it. My roommate,Ann became Christian. I went withher to different churches, but wasstill confused. One day, I read a tractcalled, “This Was Your Life”. It wasso powerful and upsetting, because Ithought I was a bad person. I was soupset that I kicked the trash can. Itwas frustrating and I didn’t fullyunderstand. My roommate called herfriends and they all came to calm medown. I was still confused. I graduatedcollege and got a job. Seven yearslater, I met my co-worker, Sharon. Iasked her if she was a Christian. Shesaid yes. I asked her to teach me theBible. Every week Sharon taught methe Bible, while I taught her sign lan-

guage at her church near the hospitalwhere we worked. Between 7 to 9months later I accepted Jesus.

What is it like being saved? Atfirst, it was difficult because I

didn’t fully understand, but I wasmotivated to learn about Jesus. I sawJesus Book and Gift store and I wentand bought children books and aBible to read on my own. The more Iread, the more I understood. I beganto understand Pastor Croft Pentz’s ser-mons during the Deaf service. Beingsaved wasn’t always easier. I almostgave up several times, but continuedto hold on! I thank the Lord that Hegave me the strength to be faithful tokeep going and not give up.

What makes you hold on? Ihold on because I don’t want

to go to hell. Hell is a real placeand it’s a very scary and painfulplace. That’s what’s motivated meto hold on. Jesus helps me hold on!

Are you the only saved personin your family? Only God

knows their heart and I keep pray-ing for my family and friends.

How did you find CalvaryChapel of the Deaf? I received

“The Deaf Evangelist” newsletter inmy mail. That’s how I found thatchurch. I asked Pastor Croft, howhe knew my name? He said thatGod led him to mail it to me.

How many years have you beena member of Calvary Chapel of

the Deaf in Cranford? I have beenmember of Calvary Chapel of the Deaf(CCD) for 17 years. I started going toCCD in 1982. I became a member inMarch 1984. In 1996 Pastor Pentzretired. Pastor Nancy Tonnessen took

should go to Africa. Shortly after, Ireceived an email from another personsaying that if Jimmy goes to Africathere was a person who would donate$300.00. It was at that point, that thedoors were opening in preparation forus to be ready. Janie (my wife)remembers what a missionary in thepast once said “If it’s God’s Will, thenit’s His bill”. We did not worry abouthow the money would come in. Wewere at peace and trusting the Lord toprovide. HE PROVIDED every pennyand extra! We had enough money forourselves, vaccines, and for helpingthe pastor with their needs.

NigeriaMarch 10 – 19, there was a group

of nine (4 Deaf, 5 hearing), who metin Amsterdam and continued ourflight to Abuja, Nigeria. We thendrove 7 hours to the city of Enugu.

First, we visited several DeafSchools, a TV Station, NigeriaHeadquarters and District of theAssemblies of God. After visiting theauthorities, the Lord opened doorsfor the deaf to attend the camp. Wereceived news from the government,that one of the school principals washappy to see us. After visiting theschool, the principal went to the gov-ernment and the government releasedthe Deaf from the school. The gov-ernment provided bus transportationfree of charge. Finally, it was time forus to go to the camp. There wereabout 2000 Deaf who attended. Theywere so hungry for truth. We wereonly able to minister for a short timebut the message of Christ was veryeffective. So many people raised theirhands for salvation, but we have noidea how many actually receivedChrist. The altar was packed withpeople for salvation, deliverance andhealing. They were so hungry for fel-

lowship with us and each other. Wewere there from early morning tillbefore sundown. Unfortunately, wewere not able to fully interact withthe deaf because the leader was pro-tecting us from any potential harm.We respected and trusted the wisdomof the authorities and relied on theirguidance. The A/G leaders (Hearing)were so open and ready to minister tothe Deaf. They asked us many ques-tions about how to communicate,minister, and possible training. TheA/G started the Deaf Ministries fouryears ago and it’s growing quickly.

Growing Burden to Meet NeedsWhile visiting the Enugu District,

we learned that Pastor Ugah was theonly woman official in the District.Her room was the only room withoutAir Conditioning. Our group had aburden to buy a window unit A/C forher. She and her husband were thrilled.After arriving home from Nigeria, theteam’s hearts were burdened for theDeaf School because they did not havewater. Several churches in the USAcame together to raise money fordrilling a borehole well, a laptopfor ministry use, and other needs.We praise God for the leadersamong the Deaf in Nigeria and forthe work they are doing to bringin the harvest. As the Holy Spiritbrings them to your remembrance,keep them in your prayers.


Q Pastor Schwyhart (left) and Pastor LeFors(right) with a native resident (middle).


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What do you call yourself? Deaf, HearingImpaired or Hard of Hearing? Deaf. My

mother and father called me Hard of Hearing.That’s what I thought growing up. It wasn’t untillater, that I realized the difference between beingdeaf and hard of hearing. I grew up speaking(oral). At that time, I did not know sign language.After I graduated High School, I went to NationalTechnical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) inRochester NY. It was there that I noticed the dif-ference between hard of hearing and deaf. I foundout that my speech was not as clear as a hard ofhearing person. I don’t hear words but I can hear


interview

QA&With Janice ScagliottaA long time member of Calvary Chapelof the Deaf, now Evangel Church DeafMinistry in Scotch Plains, New Jersey,Janice hold on to her faith in Jesusthrough trials, temptations and tears.Janice discovers faith, love, and joy inJesus Christ, her Savior.

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by Faithlyn Robinson

sound. That’s when I consideredmyself Deaf, more than hard ofhearing.

How did you become deaf?Reason is unknown.

Do you accept your deafness? Sometimes. There are times I

find myself wishing I had goodspeech. If someone has good speech,it is easier to speak with others.

How many brothers and sistersdo you have? I have one sister,

no brothers. My sister’s name isMarlene. She was born deaf too.Reason is unknown.

Did you accept Jesus as yourpersonal savior? When and

how? Yes. I was saved in June 1982.I grew up Catholic and I didn’t fullyunderstand what Jesus did for me.Of course, I have heard the story sur-rounding His birth and His death onthe cross but I didn’t understand. Iwasn’t taught to read the Bible.When I went to NTID, that’s when Ifirst learned about Christianity. I wasso curious about it. My roommate,Ann became Christian. I went withher to different churches, but wasstill confused. One day, I read a tractcalled, “This Was Your Life”. It wasso powerful and upsetting, because Ithought I was a bad person. I was soupset that I kicked the trash can. Itwas frustrating and I didn’t fullyunderstand. My roommate called herfriends and they all came to calm medown. I was still confused. I graduatedcollege and got a job. Seven yearslater, I met my co-worker, Sharon. Iasked her if she was a Christian. Shesaid yes. I asked her to teach me theBible. Every week Sharon taught methe Bible, while I taught her sign lan-

guage at her church near the hospitalwhere we worked. Between 7 to 9months later I accepted Jesus.

What is it like being saved? Atfirst, it was difficult because I

didn’t fully understand, but I wasmotivated to learn about Jesus. I sawJesus Book and Gift store and I wentand bought children books and aBible to read on my own. The more Iread, the more I understood. I beganto understand Pastor Croft Pentz’s ser-mons during the Deaf service. Beingsaved wasn’t always easier. I almostgave up several times, but continuedto hold on! I thank the Lord that Hegave me the strength to be faithful tokeep going and not give up.

What makes you hold on? Ihold on because I don’t want

to go to hell. Hell is a real placeand it’s a very scary and painfulplace. That’s what’s motivated meto hold on. Jesus helps me hold on!

Are you the only saved personin your family? Only God

knows their heart and I keep pray-ing for my family and friends.

How did you find CalvaryChapel of the Deaf? I received

“The Deaf Evangelist” newsletter inmy mail. That’s how I found thatchurch. I asked Pastor Croft, howhe knew my name? He said thatGod led him to mail it to me.

How many years have you beena member of Calvary Chapel of

the Deaf in Cranford? I have beenmember of Calvary Chapel of the Deaf(CCD) for 17 years. I started going toCCD in 1982. I became a member inMarch 1984. In 1996 Pastor Pentzretired. Pastor Nancy Tonnessen took

should go to Africa. Shortly after, Ireceived an email from another personsaying that if Jimmy goes to Africathere was a person who would donate$300.00. It was at that point, that thedoors were opening in preparation forus to be ready. Janie (my wife)remembers what a missionary in thepast once said “If it’s God’s Will, thenit’s His bill”. We did not worry abouthow the money would come in. Wewere at peace and trusting the Lord toprovide. HE PROVIDED every pennyand extra! We had enough money forourselves, vaccines, and for helpingthe pastor with their needs.

NigeriaMarch 10 – 19, there was a group

of nine (4 Deaf, 5 hearing), who metin Amsterdam and continued ourflight to Abuja, Nigeria. We thendrove 7 hours to the city of Enugu.

First, we visited several DeafSchools, a TV Station, NigeriaHeadquarters and District of theAssemblies of God. After visiting theauthorities, the Lord opened doorsfor the deaf to attend the camp. Wereceived news from the government,that one of the school principals washappy to see us. After visiting theschool, the principal went to the gov-ernment and the government releasedthe Deaf from the school. The gov-ernment provided bus transportationfree of charge. Finally, it was time forus to go to the camp. There wereabout 2000 Deaf who attended. Theywere so hungry for truth. We wereonly able to minister for a short timebut the message of Christ was veryeffective. So many people raised theirhands for salvation, but we have noidea how many actually receivedChrist. The altar was packed withpeople for salvation, deliverance andhealing. They were so hungry for fel-

lowship with us and each other. Wewere there from early morning tillbefore sundown. Unfortunately, wewere not able to fully interact withthe deaf because the leader was pro-tecting us from any potential harm.We respected and trusted the wisdomof the authorities and relied on theirguidance. The A/G leaders (Hearing)were so open and ready to minister tothe Deaf. They asked us many ques-tions about how to communicate,minister, and possible training. TheA/G started the Deaf Ministries fouryears ago and it’s growing quickly.

Growing Burden to Meet NeedsWhile visiting the Enugu District,

we learned that Pastor Ugah was theonly woman official in the District.Her room was the only room withoutAir Conditioning. Our group had aburden to buy a window unit A/C forher. She and her husband were thrilled.After arriving home from Nigeria, theteam’s hearts were burdened for theDeaf School because they did not havewater. Several churches in the USAcame together to raise money fordrilling a borehole well, a laptopfor ministry use, and other needs.We praise God for the leadersamong the Deaf in Nigeria and forthe work they are doing to bringin the harvest. As the Holy Spiritbrings them to your remembrance,keep them in your prayers.


Q Pastor Schwyhart (left) and Pastor LeFors(right) with a native resident (middle).


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Deaf missions by Pastor Jimmy Schwyhart

ack in 1996, Janie and Iattended a revival during themorning service at EastlandAssembly of God, Tulsa,

Oklahoma. We sat in the front rowbecause there was no interpreter. Idid my best to read the speaker’s lips.Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to under-stand everything he said, but was ableto catch the main message. The serv-ice was wonderful, the sanctuary filledwith the presence of the Lord andthose who led worship flowed withthe Holy Spirit. The Evangelist was

Rev. Dale Gentry. While worshiping,the Evangelist waited on the timing ofthe Holy Spirit for when he shouldpreach. After preaching the message,the Holy Spirit led him toward bothJanie and I. He asked us our names.My first response was one word,“Jimmy.” God’s word in I John 4:1states for all believers to test the spirit,“Beloved, do not believe every spirit,but test the spirits, whether they are ofGod; because many false prophetshave gone out into the world.” Iwanted to be alert and prepared totest the spirit as the Word says. After Isaid my name, he began to prophesyover us. We purchased a copy of thetape the church made from that serv-ice. We listened to it few times andthen put it away. (See “Prophecy”).

Lord’s timingWe knew that the Lord has His

own timing and that He would openthe door of opportunity for us totravel the world, but we didn’t knowwhen and where. We have been faith-ful in everything we were called to doin the deaf church and community.

Open doorsIn 2006, (ten years later) the Lord

began opening doors for us to travelall over the world. We sensed theLord was preparing us to get readyfor travel. A woman in our deafchurch came to us and said that we

over for three years before moving toEvangel Church in Scotch Plains, NJ.I was the first person to be baptizedin the church in Cranford.

You have been a member ofCalvary Chapel of the Deaf

with Pastor Croft Pentz. What’sone positive thing you’ve learnedthat influences you today? PastorCroft Pentz’s sermons.

You have been a member of thedeaf club. What’s that like?

How is it different from being amember of Calvary Chapel of theDeaf? Very different. I didn’t feelcomfortable in the deaf club. Butwith CCD, I feel like I’m with family.

What is the most difficultexperience in your life and

how has God helped you throughthat situation? Losing friends. Mylifestyle and the lifestyle of my friends,who saw my life change for Jesus, didn’t match. It was difficult losingfriends, but I gained church familywhich helped me a lot.

What is the most joyful experi-ence you had and how has God

blessed you through that? Moving to Evangel Church in Scotch Plains.God blessed me with hearingfriends. My social life improvedand it’s much better than before.

You have been reading andstudying the Bible. Looking

back to when you were a babyChristian, are you the same personnow as you were then? Not the sameperson because of this church. Ilearn more and I am happy here.

You have moved from CalvaryChapel of the Deaf in Cranford

to Evangel Church in Scotch Plains,what was that like for you? Beforemoving to Evangel Church, I toldPastor Nancy that I prefer Hearingand Deaf to worship together. Whenwe moved to Evangel Church, Godanswered my prayers!

If you met Jesus, what wouldyou say or do? I would run to

Him, hug Him and kiss Him and tellHim, thank you for saving my life.

If you had one sentence to sayto a deaf person, what would

you say? You need to be saved.Without Jesus, where will you go?

Last comment: My life has beenawesome with Jesus!

Over the years Janice has written apoem and a song. The poem iscalled “8 colors of Jesus’ Way”.The song is called “Go, Fight,Win”. Janice has also written sev-eral devotions for Daily Devotionsfor the Deaf for Deaf Missions inCouncil Bluff, Iowa which havebeen published.


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At Evangel Church in Scotch Plains, NewJersey, Janice joyfully shares her experienceafter accepting Jesus.

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WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

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Rev. Gentry: What is your name sir?

Jimmy: Jimmy and Janie.

Rev. Gentry: I want to pray for you (Jimmy and Janie). I don’t know any-thing about you but I hear you all speak-ing in several different languages andthe different languages are going to bequite easy for you once you start movingin that realm. Hallelujah! Several differ-ent languages, languages of the HolyGhost; supernaturally. God said, “I willrelease in day to come, you, into tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations, tribes and nations, tribesand nations.” I hear tribes saying comeover here. Come over here and help us.Come over here. Come, come over here.God said,” I am going to take youbeyond yourself. Beyond your own abili-ties, beyond your capabilities.” Tribesand nations.

Prophecy

his is the first of the sevenletters written to the sevenchurches of Southwest Asia.You cannot lift this book

out of its context. This unveilingwas meant for all those in thechurch, both the church of John’sday, and for you. The Book ofRevelation should not be read simplyas a travelogue of the future, but as aWord from the heart of the Lord toHis church about the profound andhidden forces at work in their lives,forces for their good, as well asforces out to destroy them. This is

why before these forces can beviewed on a grand scale, the churchmust see where these forces show upin their world. And to the church ofEphesus there is a word given thatwe must hear and apply to our lives,if not we will be lost to God forever.

Ephesus was one of the top fourmajor cities of the entire RomanEmpire, superseded only by Rome,Alexandria, and Syrian Antioch. Inaddition to having a wonderful har-bor, three major trade routes con-verged at Ephesus. It was one ofthe wealthiest cities in the world,


Revelation series by Pastor Kevin Brennan

TForgotten Love

Revelation 2:1-7

provide equal access to the ministrywithout an interpreter? Imagine goingto a lecture where the speaker isspeaking a language that you do notknow. How difficult it can be to sit ata lecture and receive no information!

On a personal note, I attendedchurch at eight years old. I neverhad an interpreter. I would go tochurch, sit in the pew and playwith my Bible. I couldn’t under-stand the sermon or the worship. Itwas very difficult for me. Becauseof this experience, I decided to stopgoing to church. Seventeen yearslater I finally found EvangelChurch Deaf Ministry through agood friend who is an interpreter. Ihave been an active member ofEvangel Church since February of

2005. I thank God that I had theopportunity to receive Christ as my Savior!

There is a great need for churchesto be educated about the Deaf worldand culture. A church not providinginterpreters for the Deaf is an ongoingand growing issue. There are 725,000Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons inNew Jersey. If there were twelve Deafpeople out of a group of 35 attendingchurch without an interpreter, imag-ine how many are out there sitting atchurch and missing the opportunityof receiving the salvation message ofJesus Christ! The results of this surveyhave made me realize that we as DeafChristians need to reach out to ourDeaf Community and share the gospelwith lost souls.

Union County College hostedan American Sign Language(ASL) Festival on April 14at the Cranford campus.

The Deaf and interpreting studentsin the program directed this annualevent. There were a variety of ven-dors (Deaf and Hearing) who pro-vide resources for the Deaf such aschurches, phone companies, coun-seling and education. EvangelChurch Deaf Ministry was one ofthe exhibiting churches. The ASLFestival has been an annual eventfor the ministry over the past 6 or 7years. During the ASL Festival, Iconducted a survey for the Deafand Hard of Hearing people. Thesurvey consisted of two sets ofquestions. “Do you go to church?”

If the answer was YES then the sec-ond question was “Is the churchyou attend a Deaf Church or aninterpreted service?”

If their answer was, “No” that theydo not go to church, I would ask why.The two optional answers were “NotInterested” and “No Interpreter.”

Thirty five responses were collected.Out of 35 people, 11 went tochurch with an interpreted service.Four of those people attended aDeaf Church. Only five people saidthey were not interested in attend-ing church or they did not have anyway of transportation. Twelve peo-ple said they attend church withNO INTERPRETER! How sad isthat! How do the churches withDeaf members in their congregation

and one of the most immoral. Wecan learn a great deal about Ephesusfrom Paul’s visit there in Acts 19.There we learn that it was a centerfor the practice of magic and theoccult, and also the world capital forthe worship for Artemis, also knownas Diana, a fertility goddess. Hertemple was one of the 7 wonders ofthe world, taking up four footballfields in length and width, and tow-ering 60 feet into the air.

Ephesus had one of the largest the-aters in the Roman Empire, with aseating capacity of 25,000. This wasthe same theater where a near riotensued and Paul’s life was in dangerin Acts 19 and 2 Corinthians 1.

Ephesus was also known as thecenter of the Imperial Cult, theworship of Emperor Domitian.Archeologists have unearthed ahuge statue of Domitian from theruins of Ephesus at a spot overlook-ing the harbor. As ships made theirway into the Ephesian ports theywould see this 27 foot tall image ofDomitian with his clenched righthand raised above his head signify-ing his authority and control overthe city. Did you see how Jesusintroduced Himself in this letter…

One Who Holds The 7 StarsThey were known as the City

with the statue of the Emperorwhose right hand of power con-trolled all. But there is one who hassupreme authority, supreme control,and it is not Domitian, it is notGeorge Bush, Tony Blair, theIrananian President, it is not KofiAnan, it is not Osama Bin Ladin,not any ruler of this world. It is theLord Jesus Christ, and in His righthand of power and authority Heholds 7 stars. Look at the middle ofRevelation chapter one, verse 20…

7 Stars/7 Angels/7 ChurchesThe stars are the angels of the

churches. Each letter is written tothe angels of the churches, yetremember that in Revelation 1:1 itis an angel who gives John thisrevelation. Why would John bewriting to the angel, if the revela-tion comes to him from the angel?The angel of Revelation 1:1 showsup in Revelation 4:1 and revealsmany things to John in the chap-ters that follow. Also, why wouldletters that contain words ofadmonishment and rebuke con-cerning immorality, and doctrinalerror, be written to an angel? Hereis what I believe is going on here.The word for angel, angellos, sim-ply means messenger. The sevenangels of the churches, and theseven stars, are the conveyors ofthe message of Christ, His messen-gers. Christ is truly the Lord of achurch, and in control of a churchwhen He controls those who bringthe message to the church. This iswhy this pulpit represents one ofthe most responsible and danger-ous locations around. When apastor or preacher conveys themessage of Christ they become Hisangel to those hearers. This is whypreaching is the most dangerousand serious matter anyone canengage in. This is why any teacheror preacher of the Lord’s wordmust take James 3:1 seriously, “Letnot many of you become teachers,my brethren, knowing that as suchwe shall incur a stricter judgment.”Here is what is great about theEphesians, they knew how seriousthis was, and they did not toleratethose who abused their position ofauthority over them. Look at versesRevelation 2:2,6…


Deaf issue by Dana Sawyer


Are we really reaching the Deaf?

NicolaitansNothing has changed since the

very beginning of the church 2,000years ago. Today there are manygoing around claiming to be apostles.But every Apostle in the Word ofGod was directly appointed byChrist, as were the first twelve, andPaul through the vision on the roadto Damascus. There is no such thingas a self-proclaimed apostle. We willsee as we get into the other lettersthat the Nicolaitans were teaching anearly form of what became known asGnosticism. Gnosticism teaches thatthe only real world was the Spiritworld and whatever you did withyour flesh didn’t really matter.Therefore they taught that it was finefor the Christians to participate inthe pagan practices and immoralityof their neighbors.

The greatest harm can come to ahealthy church through error inteaching and preaching. This is whywhen the wolves show up, they dressup like a sheep. But there is a way totell if there is a wolf beneath thosesheep clothes…wait for them to opentheir mouths. They may look likesheep, but if they speak like wolves,then it’s a wolf you are dealing with.Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the falseprophets, who come to you insheep’s clothing, but inwardly areravenous wolves.”

When Paul met with the Ephesianelders in Acts 20 he warned themabout this, Acts chapter 20:29, “Iknow that after my departure savagewolves will come in among you notsparing the flock.” Jesus holds thestars in His right hand. They are Hismessengers, and He holds them toanoint them, protect them, and keepthem, but He also holds them to beaccountable to Him for how theyconvey His message to His church.

But the Ephesians didn’t stand forfalse teaching, in fact they hated thefalse teachings and battled them. Inaddition, Jesus also commends them fortheir perseverance and hard work…

PerseveranceThey labored hard for their Lord,

persevered through trials, endured greatsacrifices and loss. You see, He knewthe Ephesian church well, and Heknows each of you as well. Did you seewhat it said at the end of verse 1…

He Walks AmongWhen John first saw Jesus in

Revelation 1:13, Jesus was standing,“…in the middle of the lampstands”.Now it says He is walking amongthe lampstands. He is like the officerexamining his men. While they standperfectly still he looks them over.You are being looked over right nowby a Lord who knows you well, bet-ter than we know ourselves, and Hedoes not mince words, to us, or tothe Ephesians.

In spite of all they have done, theirintolerance for false teachers, andtheir perseverance through trials, theLord has one matter of utmostimportance to reveal to them, soimportant that if it is not addressed itcould mean the end of their relation-ship with Him. It is an equally urgentmatter for you and I…

First LoveLadies imagine if for Father’s Day

your husband turns the tables, andsays, “In honor of Father’s day I’mgiving you a second Mother’s Day”.Imagine if on that special day he gotup early, and told you to stay in bed.He then got the kids up, dressedthem, fed them, and got them off toschool. While he was doing that hethrew a load into the wash, while

he Bible gives us wonder-ful, vivid descriptions ofheaven. From Scripturewe know that heaven’s

streets are made of gold, and thatpain, fear, and sorrow are notpresent there. But even with all ofthis detail, we still fall short ofunderstanding “the big picture.”That is because it is difficult for usto grasp the absolute perfectionand glory of heaven.

All splendor aside, though, whattruly makes heaven spectacular isthat we will be forever in God’spresence. As the psalmist sopoignantly expressed, “You willshow me the way of life, grantingme the joy of your presence andthe pleasures of living with you forever” (Psalm 16:11).

While we may not be able tohave all of our questions aboutheaven answered here on earth, the Bible does answer some of our

most probing questions.

1. Who will enter Heaven? Heaven isa place for those who have receivedJesus Christ as Lord (see John 14:1-6).

2. When does a Christian enterHeaven? When we take our last breathon earth, we will take our first breathin heaven (see 2 Corinthians 5: 6-9).

3. Will we recognize people in Heaven? While our heavenly bodies may resemble our earthlybodies, we will in some ways belike the angels (see Matthew 22:23-33).

4. What will life in Heaven belike? Our lives in Heaven will nolonger be consumed by the caresof this life, but we will be filledwith joy being in the presence ofour heavenly Father (see Revelation7:13-17).



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What isHeaven?

making you breakfast. When hebrings you the breakfast he says,“Oh, by the way I am taking the dayoff so I can do all those little projectsaround the house you’ve been want-ing me to take care of, and don’tworry about dinner tonight. Iarranged for a sitter for the kids, youand I are going out to eat somewherenice, and then we will go for a walk,it seems like forever since we had agood talk with one another.” If thiswere to happen you would be sothrilled. Then he turns to go tidy upthe kids rooms but remembers onemore thing, “Oh yeah, and I don’tlove you anymore like I used to.”Does anything else he said beforethat matter anymore?

What you do only matters if youremember why you do it. The activ-ity becomes meaningless when themotivation is lost. The Ephesiansendured, toiled, persevered, laboredhard, but what does the Lord careabout that, if they have lost sight ofwhy they do it in the first place?

Did you ever go to pull into a spotin a parking lot, and the car in thespot next to you is either right ontheir white line, or they have crossedit into your spot? You now have tomaneuver carefully and park out ofalignment as well, just so you can fitin the spot. But then as you arewalking along the line of cars younotice that he also had to park thatway because the car next to him wasalso over too far. And then younotice that every car is out of align-ment until you come to the first one,the one that started it all. It wasbecause that first one was out ofproper alignment, all the otherswound up out of alignment as well.

Nothing else in your life will fitlike it’s supposed to, if what youhave in the first spot is out of align-

ment. We’ve got to remember what’simportant first, and foremost.

Remove Your LampstandRemember the description of Jesus

back in chapter one? He was filledwith fire, His head glowed, His eyesglowed, His feet glowed. Hebrewschapter 12:29 says, “For our God isa consuming fire.” Do you knowwhat else God is? I John 4:8, “Theone who does not love, does notknow God, for God is love.” God isfire and God is love. The fire of Godis the love of God that burns withinHim. When you don’t have the loveof God in you burning first and fore-most for Him, then the fire is gone.What good is a lamp stand whichdoes not burn? He will come toremove it unless you repent. The fireof love for God must burn withinyou, otherwise whatever else you dofor God no longer matters.

Overcomes/Tree of LifeReceive what the Holy Spirit is say-

ing to you…you must remember whatyou once had for the Lord. You mustretrace your steps to get back there.You must repent of what has kept youfrom returning. Only then will youovercome, and be restored. TheLord’s plan is to get us back to wherewe started, in the Garden with Him innearness, intimacy, and first love.

Accept Jesus Christ as your Saviorright now. If you decide to do thatnow, pray this prayer: Lord Jesus,I’m sorry for my sin. Please comeinto my heart and make me a newperson. I want to serve You the restof my life. I put my life in Yourhands. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you said this prayer, we wouldlike to hear about it. Email your lifechanging experience to us at [email protected]


Biblical Truth by New Believer’s Bible - New Living Translation

His Kidz Ministry by Sherri King, Director

“His Kidz”For Deaf Children and Hearing

Children of Deaf Parents

Crafts, Games, Bible Stories & more

Join us every second Friday of the month at Evangel Church

1251 Terrill Road, Scotch Plains, NJ

7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.(7:00 p.m. for snacks)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phoneat 908-322-7209 (V) or by email at [email protected]

page 20 His Kidz Ministrypage 22 NJDDMpage 23 Partnerspage 24 Calendar of Events

in every issue

Biblical TruthWhat is Heaven? page 6

by New Believer’s BibleNew Living Translation

“But even with all of this detail(of heaven), we still fall short ofunderstanding the ‘big picture’.”

Deaf issueAre we really reaching

the Deaf? page 8

by Dana Sawyer

“Twelve people said they attendedchurch with NO INTERPRETER!How sad is that?”

Deaf missionsWhat’s your name? page 10

by Pastor Jimmy Schwyhart

“We were at peace and trusting in the Lord to provide. HE DIDPROVIDE every penny andextra!”

Revelation seriesForgotten Love page 16

by Pastor Kevin Brennan

“…there is a word given that we must hear and apply to ourlives, if not we will be lost toGod forever…”

Table of Contents

summer2007 520

4 summer2007 21

deafs uls™Summer 2007

publisherTHE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

editor-in-chief pastor nancy tonnessenart director faithlyn robinsonstaff writer dana sawyercontributing writers pastor kevin brennan

pastor jimmy schwyhart

customer service

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editorial contributionThe editors invite letters, article ideas andother contributions from readers. Pleasewrite to the Editor, Deafsouls™, 1251Terrill Road, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. Anymanuscript or artwork should be accompa-nied by a self-addressed envelope bearingadequate return postage. Deafsouls™ is not responsible for the return or loss of submissions.

publicationDeafsouls™ is published four (4) times a year by New Jersey District DeafMinistries, 1251 Terrill Road, ScotchPlains, NJ 07076.

cover storyDeafsouls interviewed JaniceScagliotta. One of the originalmembers of Calvary Chapel of theDeaf whose life demonstrates faithful-ness and perseverance. As we talkedand laughed together, I learned so muchabout being faithful under fire. Readhow she kept her fire burning for Jesusdespite temptations, trials and tears. Seehow life has impacted Janice to under-stand the true meaning of faith.

Interviewed by Faithlyn Robinson

Read her story on page 12.

contact Pastor Nancy Tonnessen at:

Phone (Hearing):908.322.9300 ext. 11

TTY: 908.322.4553

Videophone (VP):908.322.9300

Email:[email protected]

To find how you can support

ew Jersey District DeafMinistries (NJDDM)based at Evangel Church,Scotch Plains, NJ is a

division of the New Jersey DistrictCouncil Assemblies of God Fellowshipheadquartered in Burlington, NJ.

NJDDM, directed by HomeMissionary Pastor Nancy Tonnessen,provides services for persons who aredeaf. The aim of NJDDM is to developdeaf ministries and other services forthe Deaf within churches throughoutthe state of New Jersey.

Pastor Nancy Tonnessen and her staffprovide workshops for persons who aredeaf, Pastors and their churches, retreatsfor the Deaf, Christian Religious

Interpreter Training, American Sign Language classes, Counselingand Biblical Instruction for individu-als who are deaf and their familiesand Interpreter and state agencyreferrals.

Monthly finances and donationsgiven by generous individuals andchurches support all services and mon-etary funding for the provision of theseservices. This funding supports theNJDDM, Pastor Nancy Tonnessen andNJDDM subsidiaries. Also it’s devel-oped to minister to the Deaf and fosterDeaf Awareness to enhance communi-cation and understanding between theDeaf and the Hearing. For supportinformation, see below.

New Jersey District Deaf Ministries

hile enjoying the oppor-tunities of innovatively

setting up information,exhibits and distributing

flyers of upcoming events at theAmerican Sign Language (ASL) Festival(pictured above and below), the realitiesof where we are in reaching Deaf Soulsis so far from where it needs to be. It isonly through the power of prayer andthe leading of the Holy Spirit that wewill see lives change!

Included in this issue is an article

with the results of a survey takenwhile at the ASL Festival at UnionCounty College back in April. See“Are We Reaching the Deaf?” writtenby Dana Sawyer. You will be surprisedby the findings (page 8).

It is always exciting to share encour-aging stories about Deaf Souls whohave made Jesus everything in theirlife. This issue also includes an inter-view with Janice Scagliotta and an arti-cle from Deaf Pastor Jimmy Schwyhartwho shares his missionary experiencetraveling with several other pastors toNigeria, Africa.

If you have a personal testimonyor story you would like to sharefrom the Deaf Ministry at yourchurch; please contact me at [email protected]

Please continue to pray for DeafSouls as we, together, reach out in“Connecting Deaf People to God.”

Sincerely

Pastor Nancy Tonnessen

N

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Nameplease print

Address/Apt.

City/State/Zip

Email

OF

NEW

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SEY

MISSIONSDEAF

faith promise form

FAITH PROMISE FORM

(Church Name and location or Individual’s name)

Mailing Address City State Zip

n Church Pledge n Personal Pledge

n For the support of Rev. Nancy Tonnessen in the ministry of the Deaf

We promise to invest each month as the Lord enables us $ (Total monthly)

Enclosed is a one-time gift of $

n Ministry Account Number: DDMO (please indicate this account in the memo of your check)

Pastor or Individual

Phone Number District Date

Mail this form and your check in envelope to: NJ District Ministry Resource Center, Deaf Missions, P.O. Box 100, Burlington, NJ 08016

NJ District Ministry Resource Center, Deaf MissionsP.O. Box 100, Burlington, NJ 08016 • (609) 882-0249 • www.njag.org

DearMinistryPartners & Readers

W

22

Editor-in-chief’s noteNJDDM page by Pastor Nancy Tonnessen

summer2007 3

Diana Hwaga works the exhibit table atUnion County College ASL Festival.

Dr. Susana Quale assists John Willard witha free blood pressure check held at theUnion County College ASL Festival whichwas provided at our table.

or more information about NJDDM, its services and subsidiaries, or to assist with monthly financial support and donations, pleasecontact Pastor Nancy Tonnessen at NJDDM, 1251 Terrill Road,Scotch Plains, NJ, 07076. Phone 908.322.9300 (Voice and VP) or

email [email protected].

CHURCH/DONOR

Bethany ChurchWyckoff

Bethel A/GLake Hiawatha

Bethel Christian Blackwood

Calvary A/GUnion

Calvary LighthouseLakewood

Calvary Temple Wayne

Capital A/GHamilton

Cedar Run AGWest Creek

Crossroads A/GEnglishtown

Englewood A/GEnglewood

Evangel ChapelBridgewater

Evangel ChurchScotch Plains

First A/GSalem

First A/GToms River

First A/GCarney's Pt.

First A/GFreehold

First A/GPennington

First A/GPt. Pleasant

Full Gospel Livingston

Jamesburg A/GJamesburg

Kingsway A/GCherry Hill

Lighthouse TabLumberton

Lambertville A/GLambertville

Mainland A/GLinwood

Marlton A/G Marlton

Metuchen A/GMetuchen

Monmouth Worship CenterMarlboro

Trinity A/GPassaic

INDIVIDUALS/DONOR

Barbara Rajcok Toms River

Carolyn R. MartonMercerville

Darnelle Forrester Woodbridge

Donna L. Miller Shamong

Finn & Gail Tornquist Somerset

Jim & Cheryl Barry Somerset

Evangel Church page

SUNDAYDeaf Adult Sunday School 9:00 a.m.Interpreted Worship Service 11:00 a.m.

WEDNESDAYDeaf Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTHDeaf Fellowship 7:30 p.m.His Kidz (Deaf Children Ministry) 7:30 p.m.

THIRD SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTHDeafsouls coffeehouse 6:00 p.m.

Sign Language Class (Contact us for times/dates)

EVANGEL CHURCH DEAF MINISTRY

FPartners’ page by Pastor Nancy Tonnessen

Partners - 2007

summer2007 232

summer 2007 • volume 3 issue 3Calendar of events

October 12Deaf FellowshipGame NightWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 7:30 p.m.Cost: Free! Lots of fun!Come, eat and play!

October 20Deaf Worship ServiceDeafsouls CoffeehouseWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 6:00 p.m.Cost: Free! Hot chocolate, coffee, latteand tea will be served!

November 09Deaf FellowshipMovie NightWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 7:30 p.m.Cost: Free! Assorted Popcorn will be provided!

November 17Deaf Worship ServiceDeafsouls CoffeehouseWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 6:00 p.m.Cost: Free! Hot chocolate, coffee, latteand tea will be served!

December 15Deaf Worship ServiceDeafsouls CoffeehouseWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 6:00 p.m.Cost: Free! Hot chocolate, coffee, latteand tea will be served!

All events are held at Evangel Church, 1251 TerrillRoad, Scotch Plains, New Jersey unless noted.

January 11Deaf FellowshipGame NightWhere: Evangel ChurchTime: 7:30 p.m.Cost: Free! Lots of fun!Come, eat and play!

Interviewwith deaf memberJanice Scagliottasee page 12

calendar of events all events are held at evangel...

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