Our NF History
Deaf national multi-Ethnic fellowship
(Formerly National Deaf-Culture Fellowship)
The Assemblies of God has had a blessed and rich Deaf Ministry history dating back to 1919 when Elsie Peters (Hearing) felt the call of God to minister in the Deaf Community after she asked her Deaf neighbors (Sullivan and Addie Chainey – who were filled with the Holy Spirit and became ministers in 1952) to teach her sign language. In 1930, Paul Meachum became the first Deaf Nationally Appointed Home Missionary spreading the Gospel throughout the Midwest. Fern (Rolfe) Nathan, licensed in 1948, served as the first female Deaf Evangelist ministering nationwide. In the 1950s, the Assemblies of God Executive Leaders created the office of the National Deaf Ministries Representative and appointed Paul Carlstrom (Deaf) as the first National Representative.
As Deaf Ministries continued to grow both in the USA and overseas, Emory K. Dively was led of the Lord to submit to the General Council of the A/G the Articles of Fellowship – creating the National Deaf Culture Fellowship (NF) in 1992. In the A/G, Ethnic and Language Fellowships are created to promote and encourage worshipping God in each people groups’ language and culture. Teaching and preparing Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals to become disciples following all that Jesus taught, opening opportunities for Deaf/Hard of Hearing to grow into the fullness of Christ, and to respond to the call of God on their lives serving at home and abroad.
Recognizing the increase of new people/language groups, desiring to value and minister to these nations, the National Deaf Culture Fellowship has changed its name to embrace this change. As of November 2022, NF is now the Deaf National Multicultural Fellowship (still signed ‘NF’). Revised our name again as of August 2023 to Deaf National Multi-Ethnic Fellowship.
2022 NF Convention - Mission Night
- 1. 1956 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Paul Carlstrom
- 2. 1958 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Paul Carlstrom
- 3. 1960 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Earl J. Walpole
- 4. 1962 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Twila J. Edwards
- 5. 1964 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Maxine Strobridge
- 6. 1966 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Harry Brotzman
- 7. 1968 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Harry Brotzman
- 8. 1970 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Harry Brotzman
- 9. 1972 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Eldon Post
- 10. 1974 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Eldon Post
- 11. 1976 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. James Banks
- 12. 1978 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. James Banks
- 13. 1980 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. James Banks
- 14. 1982 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. James Banks
- 15. 1984 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. James Banks
- 16. 1986 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. James Banks
- 17. 1988 – North Central Bible Collage-Minneapolis MN – Rev. James Banks
- 18. 1990 – North Central Bible Collage-Minneapolis MN – Rev. Albert Lindermann
- 19. 1992 – Central Bible Collage-Springfield MO – Rev. Albert Lindermann
- 20. 1994 – Southern California Collage-Costa Mesa CA – Rev. Albert Lindermann/Rev. Leslie Lawer
- 21. 1996 – Colorado College-Colorado Springs CO – Rev. Kevin Babin/Rev. Leslie Lawer
- 22. 1998 – Evangel College-Springfield MO – Rev. Kevin Babin/Rev. Leslie Lawer
- 23. 2000 – Mount Olivet Assembly-Apple Valley MN – Rev. Leslie Lawer
- 24. 2002 – American Indian College-Phoenix AZ – Rev. Tony Callies
- 25. 2004 – Zion Bible College-Barrington RI – Rev. Emory Dively
- 26. 2006 – Northwest University-Kirkland WA – Rev. Emory Dively
- 27. 2008 – Oral Roberts University-Tulsa OK – Rev. Emory Dively
- 28. 2010 – North Central Bible Collage-Minneapolis MN – Rev. Jimmy Schwyhart
- 29. 2012 – Gallaudet University-Washington DC – Rev. Belinda McCleese
- 30. 2014 – California School for the Deaf-Fremont CA – Rev. Belinda McCleese
- 31. 2016 – Evangel College-Springfield MO – Rev. Belinda McCleese
- 32. 2018 – University of Valley Forge-Phoenixville, PA – Rev. Belinda McCleese/Rev. Emory Dively
- 33. 2022 – Huston-Tillotson University-Austin TX – Rev. Emory Dively
- 34. 2024 - (To be hosted in Illinois)