| Home News | Email | Print |
|
David Trexler is the New Speaker/Director of ADM
On October 1, 2007, Pastor David Trexler stepped into the role of Speaker/Director of Adventist Deaf Ministries. We give Pastor Trexler a big WELCOME!He has been deeply involved in the Deaf ministry for many years, including serving as Chairman of ADM’s Board of Directors. His service has touched many lives.
Please allow us to introduce Pastor David Trexler to you.
David was born in a military hospital in Osaka. He was born hard-of-hearing due to rubella during his mother’s pregnancy.
David started wearing hearing aids at two years old. His parents communicated with him orally. In that era sign language was “taboo” (not acceptable) in the hearing society. They believed that David could survive successfully if he were integrated in the hearing world with some hearing assistance.
David grew up in a military family that moved a lot, so he was educated at several schools. The first few years, he attended different schools in a self-contained class for oral deaf students. In Cheverly, MD, David was transferred to a regular class. David recalls, “I survived through the kindness of my classmates who ‘allowed’ me to copy their work.”
Then David moved into Junior High. He was not able to survive in school. This prompted his parents to make a difficult and, yet, a critical decision. They decided to send him to a school for the Deaf where sign language would be used in the classroom and dormitory.
The Trexler’s moved to Riverside, CA and David attended the California School for the Deaf (CSDR). David was now 14 years old. For the first time in his life, David learned American Sign Language. This was “a new chapter in my life,” David said. “Actually, it was a turning point in my life and I am thankful to God for it.” After graduating from CSDR, David attended Gallaudet University in 1968.
When David was young his family attended church regularly. As David became older, religion was antithesis (exact-opposite) to him. He became a Deist (belief there is a God but that God abandoned us).
One day at Gallaudet University, a student came to his desk and pointed to another student who refused to eat any meat. David was shocked at the idea of not eating meat. He decided to challenge this odd student. But it was this “odd” student who really challenged David’s thinking, turning his view (thoughts) of the world upside down. It was through this encounter with this young man that David learned about Jesus’ great plan of salvation. David was baptized at Silver Spring Seventh-day Adventist Church a few months later in 1969.
It was also at Gallaudet that David met his wife Francisca. She was from Arizona and they met at the Bible class conducted (led) by Elder Alfred Griffith, who was just a new pastor out of college from Washington State. David fully believes that God had chosen Francisca to be his helpmeet. They often work together in Deaf ministry. Also, they have two sons, Alfred and Arthur.
David has a B.A. and M.S. in Education from Western State College (now called Western Oregon University) and also a B.A. in religion from Union College.
When the Trexler’s lived in Oregon for David’s college education, there was a growing Deaf group consisting of several Deaf families who moved in from other states for a new life. There was a pressing need for sermons in ASL. So, David volunteered to preach to the Deaf group. Also, several Deaf members, including David, were heavily involved in Deaf ministry. God has led them down a path in Deaf ministry, including serving at Christian Deaf Center in Arkansas, in Deaf Services at Christian Record Services, and, most recently, as pastor for Deaf congregations in Silver Spring, MD and Vienna, VA.
When asked, “Why did you choose to become involved in Deaf ministry?” David responded, “I want the Deaf to have the same opportunity to know Jesus Christ and His teachings as I had when I was young. If God cares about me for me to become a child of God from being a deist, then I should be concerned about the salvation of the Deaf.”
When asked about his passion, David replied, “My passion is preaching the true gospel to the Deaf and see them being saved for God’s kingdom. Visitation is another area I am highly interested in. Many Deaf people are lonely for a visiting pastor and friends.”
Now as Speaker/Director of ADM, he has caught ADM’s vision of making a difference in the lives
of Deaf people for eternity. He has a vision for ADM to become a national/international center for the Deaf ministries in the SDA church. He wants to strengthen the relationship with all Deaf groups and ministries across the Division by providing revivals and lay training programs. David hopes to coordinate a follow up plan for Deaf Bible School graduates. He has a long term vision that someday ADM will be able to finance full-time Bible workers in the field. There are also other goals. "We are living in an exciting time of the earth’s history, there are obvious signs that Jesus is coming soon,” Pastor David Trexler emphasizes. “We must act with enthusiasm and love to witness to the Deaf all over the world. North America needs our attention because the growth is very slow due to materialism and technology. We must be firm in Christ as we approach closer to the final climactic time.”