Speaking to a deaf man?

I was in chapel today where we had Mark Dever speak. He briefly brought up this passage, and though he moved on, I settled on it for awhile. He brought up the simple fact (without getting into too many of the details) that Jesus by his word healed a deaf man. How ironic and profound.

Mark 7:32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
Mark 7:33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.
Mark 7:34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Mark 7:35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

What is the church built on today? Is it the Word of God which can make the blind see, the deaf hear? Is it built upon the Word of God that can breath life into man and through whom God created the world? The Word of God that became incarnate? The Word of God, without which there would be no understanding of the cross?

So Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Rom 10:17

It reminds me of Peter's words, truth that was revealed to him, in John chapter 5:68.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

No wonder Paul never told Timothy to create more church programs, build churches etc. First and foremost, "Preach the Word!" (2 Tim 4:1)