(Duane King)
Duane King, founder of Deaf Missions, an organization aimed at bringing Christ to the hearing impaired, has passed on. He also began and organized the creation of the first American Sign Language translation of the Bible. He is being eulogized for making it possible for deaf people across the world to read the Bible. He was aged 84.
While paying tribute to King, the CEO of Deaf Missions, Chad Entinger described him as a giant who has assisted in leading millions of people to Christ. In his words, “Duane and his wife, Peggy, were married for over 60 years and have raised children and grandchildren who love Jesus. Duane directed Deaf Missions for 37 years.
“Through Duane and his faithfulness to God, millions of Deaf people and their families and friends in more than 100 countries around the world have been impacted with the Gospel of Jesus.”
Also, Jo Krueger, a member of Deaf Missions said, “Duane was able to witness the completion of American Sign Language Version of the Bible in June of 2020. This awesome accomplishment came about because Duane allowed God to work through Him. The life and legacy of King is a story of God at work.”
Krueger recalled that King was inspired to start the bible for the deaf after he met a deaf couple in 1966 and told them that if they come to church, he would learn sign language.
“That statement set in motion a chain of events that would change the Deaf world forever. Soon Duane began holding church services for Deaf people at First Christian Church in Norfolk, Nebraska.”
King and his wife went on to establish Deaf Missions in 1969 after they moved to their home in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Krueger continued, “It became quite apparent to Duane that many Deaf people struggled with reading and understanding God’s Word in English. Beginning in the early 1980s, God provided godly and skilled people to work with Duane on a project that would produce a Bible in American Sign Language, the native, heart language of deaf people,”
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