Imagine sitting in an eye doctor’s office and hearing words that change your life forever.
“You have an irreversible eye disease.”
“You’re losing your sight.”
“There’s nothing more we can do.”
For many people, that moment marks the beginning of fear, isolation and uncertainty. Questions about work, independence and the future quickly replace confidence with anxiety. But Dr. Dexter Thomas, president of Christian Record Services, also sees it as the moment when the church has an opportunity to share something medicine cannot provide—hope.
“Faith gives people a new story,” Thomas said during a recent conversation with OUTLOOK. “God isn’t finished with me. He still has work for me. I am still His child.”
That conviction is at the heart of Christian Record Services, a ministry that has served people who are blind or experiencing vision loss since 1899. Through free Braille, large-print and audio Christian resources, summer camps, and a nationwide ministry known as PhoneFaith, the organization helps individuals remain connected to Scripture, community and the hope found in Jesus Christ.
For Thomas, the ministry’s mission is deeply personal. Growing up legally blind, he remembers what it was like to long for access to God’s Word. Christian Record Services provided him with the Bible in Braille and on audio recordings—resources that ultimately helped shape his calling to ministry. “I believe it led to me becoming a pastor,” he said.
Today, Thomas serves as the first blind president in 100 years, a role that allows him to encourage others facing many of the same fears he once experienced.
One of the ministry’s newest initiatives addresses what Thomas calls the “Quiet Crisis.” More than eight million Americans are living with irreversible eye diseases. Too often, after receiving a diagnosis, patients leave their doctor’s office with little more than medical information. Christian Record Services is working to change that by placing ministry resources directly into eye care clinics across North America.
The goal is simple: become the first voice people hear after receiving life-changing news. Instead of hearing only what they have lost, individuals discover there is still hope, purpose and a community ready to walk beside them.
That hope extends far beyond printed resources. Christian Record Services hosts camps where children and adults who are blind or have low vision experience activities many never imagined possible—from horseback riding and canoeing to forming lifelong friendships. PhoneFaith connects participants across the country through Bible studies, prayer groups, health programs and fellowship—helping combat the loneliness that often accompanies vision loss.
New opportunities
Technology has also opened remarkable new doors. Thomas carries hundreds of Braille books on a single digital device, using wearable technology like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with the Be My Eyes app to navigate airports independently, and participating in ministry through tools that were unimaginable just a few years ago. “Technology has really blown the door open,” he said. “It’s made life so much easier.”
While accessibility is important, Thomas believes belonging is even more important. Too often, churches unintentionally see people with disabilities as recipients of ministry rather than participants in it. He challenges congregations to recognize that every believer has spiritual gifts to share.
“Everybody is a contributor, designed and destined to do great things,” he said.
He recalled introducing a blind church member to opportunities for ministry. That individual eventually became an elder, reminding the congregation that blindness was never a barrier to serving Christ.
To watch the complete conversation with Dexter Thomas of Christian Record Services and Amanda Colgan of Three Angels Deaf Ministries, visit the OUTLOOK YouTube channel and watch From Disabilities to Possibilities | Stories of Faith, Access & Belonging. The discussion explores how churches can remove barriers, create belonging and ensure that every person has an opportunity to experience the love of Christ.
To learn more about Christian Record Services or support its ministry, visit christianrecord.org.
