Mark and Vesta Sauter

Mark and Vesta polled more than 100 missions organizations and found none that commissioned Deaf missionaries. So they opened the door.

DECADES OF SERVICE
1990s, 2000s, 2010s

MINISTRY EMPHASIS
Evangelism & Church Planting, Theological Education

AFFINITY GROUP
Deaf Peoples

Mark and Vesta polled more than 100 missions organizations and found none that commissioned Deaf missionaries. So they opened the door.

When Vesta was a child, her Deaf father went forward during a church service to indicate he’d like to enter full-time ministry. His pastor told him there weren’t options for the Deaf to receive theological training, which meant he was disqualified. That childhood memory stuck with Vesta.

Mark and Vesta Sauter moved to the Czech Republic in 1997 to serve among the Deaf. The Sauters found, like in many countries in the world, Deaf children in Czech schools were required to sign following the same structure as the spoken language, which is different from their sign language.

As a hearing child of Deaf parents, Vesta’s first language was American Sign Language. When she started school, she initially struggled with the pronunciation of certain words. Vesta’s childhood allowed her to empathize with the Deaf students who had to study in a language that was not their heart language.

Throughout their years on the mission field, the Sauters have been advocates for the gospel to be shared in the sign languages the Deaf can understand. Mark and Vesta developed a Bible storying method that can be used globally. They and others are working on the DeafWay Bible project, a collaborative international effort to see at least 300 Bible stories translated into 300 sign languages that will result in at least one Deaf church in each language. The DeafWay Bible is built on a platform that will be owned and managed by evangelical Christians around the world who can continue the translation beyond the initial 300 stories.

The Sauters also championed the cause for the Deaf to serve as missionaries. They believe Deaf Christians are just as responsible for fulfilling the Great Commission as hearing Christians.

Theological education for the Deaf finally became a reality through the advocacy of the Sauters and a partnership between the IMB, the Southern Baptist Conference for the Deaf, Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, Brentwood Baptist Church and Brentwood Baptist Deaf Church in Brentwood, Tennessee. The partnership led to the opening of a Deaf Theological Center near Nashville.

The Sauters continue to lead a global team of both hearing and Deaf missionaries who are sharing the gospel with the Deaf around the world. As a result of their efforts, Deaf missionaries are fulfilling the Great Commission.