Showing posts with label Pioneer Bible Translators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pioneer Bible Translators. Show all posts
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Aruamu: Transformed By God's Word
On July 2, 2005, the Aruamu people of Papua New Guinea celebrated the completion of the New Testament in their own language. With the support of Pioneer Bible Translators, missionaries Marsha and the late John Relyea spent nearly 20 years translating the New Testament into the language of Aruamu for the first time in their history.
"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near" (Revelation 1:3).
Saturday, July 04, 2009
The Time for Beating Your Wife is Past (The Importance of Bible Translation)
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, English Standard Version).
A few weeks ago, Greg Pruett of Pioneer Bible Translators (www.pioneerbible.org) wrote a good article about translating the Bible into the languages of people who do not have access to the Bible at www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=1261. Here is an excerpt from the article:
"A few years back, I was privileged to present my Christian neighbor Mr. Camara with the first translation we did of the New Testament in his language. Not long after that, he brought a young couple to my front porch to get the wife's swollen eye treated. I was upset, seeing that the man had beaten his wife.
"Mr. Camara gently explained my reaction to the man, saying, 'The time for beating your wife is past.'
"Stunned, the man countered, 'If you can't beat your wife anymore, how can you keep her from doing bad things?'
"Mr. Camara's weathered face glowed with joy as he elaborated, 'The thing that tells us not to beat our wives is the same thing that tells them not to do bad things.' That 'thing' is the Bible in their language.
"When Mr. Camara said, 'The time for beating your wife is past,' that was his way of saying, 'The kingdom of God has come among our people.' The Bible in our language has brought a new era in our history, a time when husbands love their wives, when parents care for their children, a time when Jesus is King.
"I watched God's Word in their language transform their hearts! It's worth it to give our lives to get God's Word to the Bible-less peoples of the world."
A few weeks ago, Greg Pruett of Pioneer Bible Translators (www.pioneerbible.org) wrote a good article about translating the Bible into the languages of people who do not have access to the Bible at www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=1261. Here is an excerpt from the article:
"A few years back, I was privileged to present my Christian neighbor Mr. Camara with the first translation we did of the New Testament in his language. Not long after that, he brought a young couple to my front porch to get the wife's swollen eye treated. I was upset, seeing that the man had beaten his wife.
"Mr. Camara gently explained my reaction to the man, saying, 'The time for beating your wife is past.'
"Stunned, the man countered, 'If you can't beat your wife anymore, how can you keep her from doing bad things?'
"Mr. Camara's weathered face glowed with joy as he elaborated, 'The thing that tells us not to beat our wives is the same thing that tells them not to do bad things.' That 'thing' is the Bible in their language.
"When Mr. Camara said, 'The time for beating your wife is past,' that was his way of saying, 'The kingdom of God has come among our people.' The Bible in our language has brought a new era in our history, a time when husbands love their wives, when parents care for their children, a time when Jesus is King.
"I watched God's Word in their language transform their hearts! It's worth it to give our lives to get God's Word to the Bible-less peoples of the world."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Making a World of Difference
"He...must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28).
Every year at this time, federal employees (both civilian and military) have an opportunity to designate a portion of their pay checks for the next year to a variety of charities of their choice through the Combined Federal Campaign. The theme of this year's campaign is Making a World of Difference. These are my choices and recommendations for this year:
Christian Relief Fund (CFC#11862)--The Christian Relief Fund is an organization dedicated to "fighting hunger and poverty internationally by providing food, medicine, educational support, Christian disaster relief and humanitarian aid to children and families in developing countries." More information can be obtained at www.christianrelieffund.org.
Pioneer Bible Translators (CFC#11481)--Pioneer Bible Translators "work in nine countries to assist native language speakers in translating the Bible, providing literacy training, establish/strengthen churches, and train nationals for partnership." More information can be found at www.pioneerbible.org.
International Justice Mission (CFC#85320)--International Justice Mission "rescues victims of violent oppression including slavery and sex trafficking, ensures aftercare services, pursues perpetrator accountability in local courts and encourages preventative structural change." More information is available at www.ijm.org.
If you are a federal employee, please consider these charities. Each organization helps people in need in different, but necessary, ways. If you know a federal employee, please let him or her know about these organizations. Thanks for reading!
Every year at this time, federal employees (both civilian and military) have an opportunity to designate a portion of their pay checks for the next year to a variety of charities of their choice through the Combined Federal Campaign. The theme of this year's campaign is Making a World of Difference. These are my choices and recommendations for this year:
Christian Relief Fund (CFC#11862)--The Christian Relief Fund is an organization dedicated to "fighting hunger and poverty internationally by providing food, medicine, educational support, Christian disaster relief and humanitarian aid to children and families in developing countries." More information can be obtained at www.christianrelieffund.org.
Pioneer Bible Translators (CFC#11481)--Pioneer Bible Translators "work in nine countries to assist native language speakers in translating the Bible, providing literacy training, establish/strengthen churches, and train nationals for partnership." More information can be found at www.pioneerbible.org.
International Justice Mission (CFC#85320)--International Justice Mission "rescues victims of violent oppression including slavery and sex trafficking, ensures aftercare services, pursues perpetrator accountability in local courts and encourages preventative structural change." More information is available at www.ijm.org.
If you are a federal employee, please consider these charities. Each organization helps people in need in different, but necessary, ways. If you know a federal employee, please let him or her know about these organizations. Thanks for reading!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Combined Federal Campaign 2007
"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:16, NIV).
Every Fall, federal employees get an opportunity to fill out a form in order for deductions to be made from their paychecks to the charities of their choice. Several hundred charities are listed in the brochure. Both military and civilian employees may participate in the program, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).
This week, I brought the brochure and form home to discuss with Janet. After some thought, we decided to donate to the same charities we have designated for years: Christian Relief Fund (http://www.christianrelieffund.org) and Pioneer Bible Translators (http://www.pbtusa.org).
The Christian Relief Fund (CFC #11862) is an organization operated by members of Churches of Christ and Christian Churches. It works around the world to alleviate poverty. For a number of years, Janet and I sponsored a girl in El Salvador through the organization, until she left the sponsorship program. With so many needs around the globe, we believe it is important for Christians to help however possible, and the Christian Relief Fund makes it possible for us to help in a small way.
Pioneer Bible Translators (CFC #11481) is also run by members of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. It works to translate the Bible into languages that have no Bibles at this time. In addition, its members teach native people how to read, because most of them are not only deprived of the Bible but of literacy as well. This group engages in frontier mission work, taking the good news of Christ to people who have never heard of him.
Every year, we are able to talk to the people who operate the Christian Relief Fund and Pioneer Bible Translators, because both charities have booths at the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop. (Next year, we may get an additional opportunity to visit with them when the National Missionary Convention of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ meets in Tulsa.) It is good to be able to see the people who work with these organizations at least once a year.
Every Fall, federal employees get an opportunity to fill out a form in order for deductions to be made from their paychecks to the charities of their choice. Several hundred charities are listed in the brochure. Both military and civilian employees may participate in the program, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).
This week, I brought the brochure and form home to discuss with Janet. After some thought, we decided to donate to the same charities we have designated for years: Christian Relief Fund (http://www.christianrelieffund.org) and Pioneer Bible Translators (http://www.pbtusa.org).
The Christian Relief Fund (CFC #11862) is an organization operated by members of Churches of Christ and Christian Churches. It works around the world to alleviate poverty. For a number of years, Janet and I sponsored a girl in El Salvador through the organization, until she left the sponsorship program. With so many needs around the globe, we believe it is important for Christians to help however possible, and the Christian Relief Fund makes it possible for us to help in a small way.
Pioneer Bible Translators (CFC #11481) is also run by members of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. It works to translate the Bible into languages that have no Bibles at this time. In addition, its members teach native people how to read, because most of them are not only deprived of the Bible but of literacy as well. This group engages in frontier mission work, taking the good news of Christ to people who have never heard of him.
Every year, we are able to talk to the people who operate the Christian Relief Fund and Pioneer Bible Translators, because both charities have booths at the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop. (Next year, we may get an additional opportunity to visit with them when the National Missionary Convention of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ meets in Tulsa.) It is good to be able to see the people who work with these organizations at least once a year.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Real and Impersonal Love
"As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever'"(2 Corinthians 9:9, NIV).
Yesterday, I wrote, "Following Jesus means learning to love people, not just good causes." While that is true, it may be misleading. After all, I have rarely met people who support good causes who did not love people also.
In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul was writing to a church that had committed itself to the cause of supporting a church hundreds of miles away, a poor church with members that most of them did not know and would never meet personally. The Corinth church supported the cause of aiding the Jerusalem church because the Corinth church was motivated by a love for fellow Christians, not because they knew each other well.
I have been thinking about the good and generous people who never knew me, but who have supported a cause that has helped me. Because they loved someone that they did not know, I benefited from scholarship funds to attend Oklahoma Christian University. Because they supported Christian Services of Oklahoma, Janet and I were able to adopt Christopher. Because they supported the cause of translating the Bible into modern English, I can read from the New American Standard Bible, the New International Version, and many other fine translations of God's word. I am thankful that God has used people to bless my life in numerous ways.
I want to help people in similar ways. I want to care about people personally, and I want to support good causes that help people impersonally. I may never know who has benefited from my support of Christian Services of Oklahoma, the Christian Relief Fund, Oklahoma Christian University, Pioneer Bible Translators, or other causes. However, if people are helped by my support, then it is worth it.
Yesterday, I wrote, "Following Jesus means learning to love people, not just good causes." While that is true, it may be misleading. After all, I have rarely met people who support good causes who did not love people also.
In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul was writing to a church that had committed itself to the cause of supporting a church hundreds of miles away, a poor church with members that most of them did not know and would never meet personally. The Corinth church supported the cause of aiding the Jerusalem church because the Corinth church was motivated by a love for fellow Christians, not because they knew each other well.
I have been thinking about the good and generous people who never knew me, but who have supported a cause that has helped me. Because they loved someone that they did not know, I benefited from scholarship funds to attend Oklahoma Christian University. Because they supported Christian Services of Oklahoma, Janet and I were able to adopt Christopher. Because they supported the cause of translating the Bible into modern English, I can read from the New American Standard Bible, the New International Version, and many other fine translations of God's word. I am thankful that God has used people to bless my life in numerous ways.
I want to help people in similar ways. I want to care about people personally, and I want to support good causes that help people impersonally. I may never know who has benefited from my support of Christian Services of Oklahoma, the Christian Relief Fund, Oklahoma Christian University, Pioneer Bible Translators, or other causes. However, if people are helped by my support, then it is worth it.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Who Cares About the Pygmies?
"For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!'"(Romans 10:13-15, NASB).
On a Saturday morning 4 years ago, I was reading the local newspaper when I came across a story about a representative from the United Nations who had come to Tulsa to bring attention to the horrors of the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In that article, the woman from the UN mentioned how the Pygmies of the region were being murdered by soldiers on all sides of the conflict. She also mentioned that hundreds of thousands of Pygmies lived in the region, but that no church of any kind had reached the Pygmies at any time in history. That story has haunted me since I first read it.
Jesus has done something that deserves attention, but nobody has told the Pygmies. They need to know that they do not need to live with the guilt of their sins. They need to know that Jesus gave His life so that they would not need to suffer for their sins. He suffered for them, but they have not heard about it and cannot take advantage of the offer of forgiveness. How can we live with ourselves if we do nothing to help them know Christ? We would be betraying our mission. Jesus Christ deserves to be known, and everyone needs to have the opportunity to know Him.
Unfortunately, the Pygmies are not alone in their ignorance of Christ. More than a third of the world's population has not been exposed to the gospel of what Jesus has done for them. This needs to change.
Please pray for the unreached ethnic groups of the world. Please pray that God will raise up missionaries willing to sacrifice everything in order to tell these people the good news about Jesus. Please consider what you can do to take the good news to those people. Finally, please support missionaries who are doing it.
At the bottom of this page, you may link to Pioneer Bible Translators, a group of missionaries who are translating the Bible into the common languages of some of these people who have never been reached with the message before. You may consider supporting them with prayer and finances. (They have not reached the Pygmies yet, but they are working with other people groups who had not been reached before.) If you are a federal employee (either civilian or military), you may designate a portion of your paycheck to be given to Pioneer Bible Translators through the Combined Federal Campaign.
On a Saturday morning 4 years ago, I was reading the local newspaper when I came across a story about a representative from the United Nations who had come to Tulsa to bring attention to the horrors of the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In that article, the woman from the UN mentioned how the Pygmies of the region were being murdered by soldiers on all sides of the conflict. She also mentioned that hundreds of thousands of Pygmies lived in the region, but that no church of any kind had reached the Pygmies at any time in history. That story has haunted me since I first read it.
Jesus has done something that deserves attention, but nobody has told the Pygmies. They need to know that they do not need to live with the guilt of their sins. They need to know that Jesus gave His life so that they would not need to suffer for their sins. He suffered for them, but they have not heard about it and cannot take advantage of the offer of forgiveness. How can we live with ourselves if we do nothing to help them know Christ? We would be betraying our mission. Jesus Christ deserves to be known, and everyone needs to have the opportunity to know Him.
Unfortunately, the Pygmies are not alone in their ignorance of Christ. More than a third of the world's population has not been exposed to the gospel of what Jesus has done for them. This needs to change.
Please pray for the unreached ethnic groups of the world. Please pray that God will raise up missionaries willing to sacrifice everything in order to tell these people the good news about Jesus. Please consider what you can do to take the good news to those people. Finally, please support missionaries who are doing it.
At the bottom of this page, you may link to Pioneer Bible Translators, a group of missionaries who are translating the Bible into the common languages of some of these people who have never been reached with the message before. You may consider supporting them with prayer and finances. (They have not reached the Pygmies yet, but they are working with other people groups who had not been reached before.) If you are a federal employee (either civilian or military), you may designate a portion of your paycheck to be given to Pioneer Bible Translators through the Combined Federal Campaign.
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