A Deaf Led Concert by Brandon leads to six Deaf young adults accepting Christ.
Just the evening before I had to fly to Mississippi, I had only just begun to pack my bag for the event. I haven’t even started music prep for it. Truth be told, I often wait until I arrive to feel the atmosphere of what the conference is like to determine the song choices and lean on the Holy Spirit guidance. That night as I was packing something happened. I spotted my shorts and the Spirit say, “bring your shorts, you might want to go swimming.” Here the thing, I don’t swim often with other people. It very rare that I do. If I do go, it’s by myself. For a few minutes, I said no and resist the idea. I went ahead packed the shorts in my bags. Not knowing what was going to happen.
Fast forward to arriving and meeting the team. Tim Smith was preaching that weekend and Angie Smith was leading the Interpreter workshop. This conference was set up a little differently than usual. In the usual setting I would lead worship at least 3-4 time throughout the weekend, but not this time. This time, I was leading only 2 times this weekend. The conference had eliminated the normal saturday evening service and replaced with me getting the full evening to lead a concert. I was prepare for the concert, just not for a two hour slot time. But I wasn’t worry, because I knew the Lord would lead me to the right song choices. Earlier that day, the Spirit laid onto my heart the Lord Supper. I didn’t understand why. But I went and met with the President of the conference and told her. She said, “We will get it ready.” Little did I know that the Spirit was about to move big time.
It was time. Nearly 110 people have showed up for the concert portion. A lot of them watched my YouTube videos, heard I was in town and decided to come. It was a full crowd, right before heading to the stage I said a prayer. Nearly 6 songs in and me taking time to say some words, the Spirit was moving. Looking into the audience, I could see all different emotions happening from smiling to tears. There on the side of the room sat 6 Deaf young adults all under the age of 25 from a local college.
When I arrived to the conference during dinner they had informed me they were excited to meet me and see the concert. All throughout the weekend, everyone was preparing for the concert because they were excited to worship. We arrived to the portion of the evening where it was time to do the Lord’s Supper. Just before it, I did the song Baptized by Zach William. A song that moved so many. I invited Tim Smith, a Deaf evangelist to come and lead us through it. This was so humbling for me. I have always been on the other side. That evening, I was part of leading. Right before the passing of the bread and wine, I announced that if you were not saved (accepted Christ) to not take part of this ( 1 Cor. 11:17-34). Then there it was. The puzzled looks on those young adults face. Saved? A hand flew up in the air as woman said, “They understand what it mean it to be saved. Can you explain?”
Angie Smith, a interpreter from Missouri who was a part of the team, looked at me and said, “Should I go?” Tim and I looked and said, “Yes!” For the next 10-15 minutes, Angie would explain the Gospel and His salvation plan. She would tell them of His truth and the weight of our sins. As I led the congregation into the next song, I could see tears rolling down their faces and the heads buried into their legs. I knew what this meant. As soon as the song finished, I told the audience to just pray for them. To lift them up the Lord. There was not a dry eye in the room. It was announced, that all 6 Deaf young adult had accepted Christ. The Spirit was moving and the room was filled with joy.
Mississippi was renewed with confident. They were renewed in Spirit of the work that they were called to do. That their responsibility was to reach the Deaf, serve them, love them, and share the message of the Gospel with them. Later on, after the concert was finished. The team would go onto to pray for these young adults and share about baptism and the importance of it. Each of them declared that they wanted to be baptized. We were able to work it out to get the pool open the next morning. Hint, that was going to be my swimming. 2 Young Adults (Hearing) wanted to join them in the baptism as well. They didn’t want to wait anymore. All called their parents and told them. Some would try to make it and others couldn’t. But shared their joy and how proud of them for making this decision.
Sunday morning arrived and the mood is filled with joy. 2 of the Deaf Young Adults wasn’t able to make it for the baptizing. But the other 4 Deaf did and 2 Hearing did as well. A grand total of 6 got baptized. As each rose from the water, there was something about them. No doubt, that Christ was working in them. I remembered, this is why I do what I do. Through Christ, this is why I started Deaf Millennial Project. This generation is hungry and desiring to know Christ. I’ll do whatever He called me to do to get it to them.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” – Matthew 28:19 NIV