Search Results

Wycliffe Singapore wishes everyone a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! We give thanks to God for enabling us to continue with our ministries in 2022, including travelling to overseas meetings and events. We look forward to what God has in store for us, especially as Wycliffe Singapore will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2023! Let us continue to pray for those who do not know of the good news of Jesus Christ’s coming. We pray that they will be able to hear this message in their heart language this year, and that their lives will be transformed. Pray that Wycliffe Singapore and other Christian organisations will continue to be faithful in carrying out the Great Commission. May God’s peace reign in every heart this Christmas season.

What unusual ingredients was Ezekiel told to put in his bread? "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself." - Ezekiel 4:9a The Jews usually made their bread from wheat and/or barley. Beans and lentils were more commonly eaten as vegetables, or cooked in soups and stews, while millet and spelt were usually fed to livestock. So why was Ezekiel asked to use this strange recipe? Ezekiel had been taken captive by the Babylonians (c. 597 BCE). While in exile in Babylon (present-day Iraq), he was commanded by God to perform various dramatic acts to prophesy the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. Ezekiel’s use of ingredients not commonly found in bread was a demonstration of how scarce food would be during that time, forcing the people to supplement with whatever they had at hand, including the grains normally fed to livestock. God further instructs Ezekiel to limit his food intake to just 20 shekels a day (about 230g), barely sufficient to stay alive. For the full description of Ezekiel’s actions, read Ezekiel 4-5.

by Jim Killam, Wycliffe Global Alliance The Bible translation movement needs no reminder that we are a key component of the Great Commission. Though our vocational focus is not directly on evangelism, opportunities are arising for Bible translation organisations to collaborate like never before with global evangelism networks. “In Bible translation, we often speak about Scripture engagement, because it is through interaction with Scripture and relationship with Christ that transformation takes place,” says Stephen Coertze, the Wycliffe Global Alliance executive director. “This transformation includes coming to faith in Christ and living in that faith. In this sense, we can speak about Bible translation as evangelism.” In July 2021, the World Evangelical Alliance launched the Global Evangelism Network, “to put a renewed emphasis on its historical role in uniting evangelicals around proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.” “It’s time to relook at how evangelism needs to be pushed and worked through in the church,” says Samuel E. Chiang, the new network’s executive director and a veteran of the orality and Bible translation movements. “There is also a thought that evangelism and the theology of evangelism is not robust. There need to be further conversations around it.” In Ephesians, Paul mentions evangelism as a call of the church. That has multiple parts, Samuel says — but none more important than translating God’s Word into languages of the people being reached. “Bible translation is critical not only in the heart language of the people, but then also Bible translation gives people the means to speak forth the very word of God,” he says. “Those are very special things, and Bible translation is a very key and critical part of that expression of evangelism.” One word that keeps popping up in both global evangelism and Bible translation is polycentrism . Rather than a movement being centered in one organisation or network, things are happening in multiple places with multiple leaders in multiple ways. To illustrate, Samuel says, think of the term Silicon Valley. It originated as a technology hub in northern California, but now has come to mean any place where large numbers of tech companies locate. Bangalore is a Silicon Valley. So is Shenzhen, China. Austin, Texas, is becoming one. There will be many more. “In the same sense,” Samuel says, “with evangelism and networks there are multitudes of locations where those places are having their own local network moving about. There are multiple networks we are looking at, not only connecting together, but from a world Evangelical Alliance point of view asking, how do we serve the church well in those locations?” A network of networks Worldwide evangelism networks overlap and it can be hard to keep track of who’s who. The GO Movement has become one rallying point. GO is a wide and varied network which includes the World Evangelical Alliance; evangelism networks in Africa, Asia and Latin America; and organisations like Cru, The JESUS Film Project, YWAM and more than 135 more , including a number of Wycliffe Global Alliance organisations. GO stands for Global Outreach, with the tagline of “Every Believer is a Witness”. The movement’s goal, announced in 2020, is ambitious: “We want to reach every person on earth with the Gospel in the next 10 years. From the biggest metropolitan cities to the smallest unreached villages. Leaving no one who has not heard the Gospel.” Steve Douglass, president emeritus of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ International) has said this about the GO Movement: “We don‘t know for sure where he is headed, but God is pointed to something bigger. It makes me believe that God is causing a crescendo in his movement on earth. Together with the millions that participated in GO 2020, we have the incredible privilege of being a part of the crescendo.” Another such evangelism network is called Finishing the Task , with the goal of “a Bible, a believer and a body of Christ” accessible to everyone on earth by 2033. Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California, serves as the network’s executive director. There are others: the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication , Billion Soul Harvest and Transform World , to name just a few. How then, to network the networks? Especially when people in different places carry different priorities and strategies? Facilitating local translation of Scripture and Scripture resources is central, Samuel says — churches using locally produced, indigenous materials and then letting their people share it among their own networks. “The thing that has been kind of fun to watch is that some of the pastors are creating local content, where they are borrowing other local content and mixing it and making it,” he says. “At the very end of a church service, some of our friends are saying, would you let that video stay on the screen a little longer — another 10 or 15 seconds — with a QR code, so the people in your congregation could take out their cell phones and take a picture, and download the material, and then pass it to other people so that they could themselves reach others?” “There are a lot of things going on,” he adds, “but the key thing is localizing and enabling people.” A post-pandemic hope With the world hoping to emerge soon from pandemic restrictions, the Global Evangelism Network anticipates more Christians moving from mindsets of isolation to incarnation and then to invitation, Samuel says. “And so how does that trajectory work?” he asks rhetorically. “How do we think about messaging that and preparing people for it? There is plenty of pre-evangelism material that could prepare people for it, including material about healthy mental practices.” Particularly in America and the West, Christians’ heavy use of social media can work against an evangelistic mindset because it fosters an “us-versus-them” dynamic. For example, unbeknownst to most Christians, 19 of the top 20 most-clicked Christian sites on Facebook in 2019 were produced by “troll farms” in Eastern Europe and Russia. Their aim was to create division and fear. Samuel calls it “an invisible hand attacking Christianity.” “The social media algorithms reinforce that divide,” he says. “That’s a different trajectory that gets people’s attention — less on the matter of witness, but more on, ‘Which side do you stand on?’” He acknowledges that people’s social media habits are difficult to break. “But with respect to evangelism and discipleship, I think that has to be continually intentional, thinking about ourselves as witnesses. We are much more capable than we let ourselves understand about ourselves. And so that witness piece has to stand out and be specifically lived out.” May 2022: Global Outreach For the next decade, the World Evangelical Alliance, along with the GO movement, are setting aside May as GO Month with a call for personal evangelism and the global church praying for it. Begins Sunday, May 1, with a global day of prayer for witness and sending. “When congregations get together on that Sunday, they’re going to be praying for and sending forth the entire church,” Samuel says. “There are no differences whether you are a missionary or not a missionary. You are in a church, you are a witness, we (the church) are going to send you.” The final Saturday in May is designated as GO Day, with a call for all believers to share the gospel with at least one person. Wycliffe Global Alliance organisations and our partners are encouraged to take part in GO Month, and to collaborate with churches in their respective countries. More information and training materials can be found here . Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Global Alliance

So, you’ve heard (what you think might be) a call to missions. Does that niggling little interest even count as a ‘call’? You dismiss it from your mind, but it pops back up every now and again. What should you do about it? If only there was someone you could talk to… This is not an uncommon plight! The good news is that there are experienced missionaries who will be only too glad to answer your questions, share their stories, and pray with you for guidance. Most mission agencies and some churches have groups for those exploring the idea of missions. These groups come with no strings attached – participating doesn’t mean you will definitely have to sign on as a missionary, or that you will be packed off on the next flight to the ends of the earth! Wycliffe Singapore has long provided mentoring, formally or informally, to those interested in missions. In the past few years, this has taken the form of a programme which comprises a set of 8 sessions covering a range of topics such as understanding missions, discerning your call, as well as practical matters (finances, preparation and planning, marriage/singlehood, children’s education, etc). The group meets monthly and is led by experienced missionaries, who invite other missionaries to share on specific topics. Participants get to hear lots of stories and ask all the questions they want. Some may eventually become missionaries, with Wycliffe or some other agency, while others may decide that God is calling them to serve him in some other role. Either way, that’s fine! Comments from recent participants: Very honest and candid sharing, and gave a better idea on how we can know the call is from God, and a reminder to let God lead and he will do the work to lead us where he wants us to be. Good sharing of field experiences. Heartfelt sharing on difficulties and pains of missions. Highlight: Hearing stories and learning from experiences from people who have walked in the field. If you would like more information about the Missions Mentoring Group, contact us !

What was Gideon doing in a winepress when the angel of the Lord visited him? "The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites." - Judges 6:11 Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress! He was doing this to hide from the Midianites. The Midianites had invaded Israel, oppressing them, and stealing and destroying their crops and herds. Normally, grain would be threshed in a large, open space known as a threshing floor. The thresher would beat or tread on the stalks of grain, sometimes with help of an animal, then toss the grain in the air, letting the wind blow away the chaff. A winepress, on the other hand, was a depression in the ground for treading grapes, a very odd place to thresh grain. Threshing in a winepress showed how fearful Gideon was of the Midianites. Yet he was willing to let God use him to save Israel.

by Wycliffe US If you’re the kind of person who loves language puns, solving puzzles and easily picks up phrases from a foreign language, then you might be a future linguist. If you’re also passionate about seeing people around the world receive God’s Word in their own language, then you might be a future Bible translation adviser. How do you find out for sure? Consider going to the Canada Institute of Linguistics! Canada Institute of Linguistics (CanIL) is one of the top schools in North America preparing linguists to serve in Bible translation and it is a close partner with Wycliffe Bible Translators USA. CanIL works with Trinity Western University and Tyndale University to offer two bachelor’s degrees, three master’s degrees, a doctor of ministry and 16 certificate programs. Consider going to the Canada Institute of Linguistics! Danny Foster, the president and CEO of CanIL along with Anita Lebold, the director of strategic enrollment management, share the five reasons why you should consider CanIL on your journey to serving in Bible translation. YOU’LL BE EQUIPPED FOR MINISTRY. CanIL’s ultimate goal is to train people to serve effectively in ministry, especially in Bible translation. “We want to pour highly skilled experts into the Bible translation movement,” Danny said. Danny was 19 years old and in Bible college pursuing missions when he heard a presentation from a Wycliffe speaker. “It caused me to rethink everything about how I was approaching missions,” he said. “Bible translation needs to precede everything!” After getting his master’s degree at CanIL, Danny and his family went to East Africa for 10 years as translation advisers and trainers. When he was invited to return to CanIL to serve in leadership, he originally said no. “I liked it in Tanzania,” Danny said. “My family liked it. … I felt like I was having the biggest impact of my life!” But after thinking and praying about it, Danny realized that God was inviting him to have an even bigger impact through CanIL. “I wanted to equip more people like I was equipped,” he said. “[At CanIL], we don’t measure success by tuition revenue,” Danny said. “All of our metrics are based on how many people we launch into ministry. It’s exciting to see where we’re going. After my second year working at CanIL, seven people went to Tanzania. It was like God saying, ‘See! Just trust me!’” YOU’LL BE ACADEMICALLY PREPARED. CanIL has created a high-quality academic program focused on applied linguistics and practical knowledge needed for language work in minority language communities around the globe. Their faculty have extensive field and practical experience. “This program is extremely academically rigorous,” Anita said. “You are going to learn. You’re going to work hard. But when we hear from Bible translation organizations, they are so grateful to receive CanIL students because they are so well trained. They have experience and can jump right in.” In addition to their year-round programs, CanIL offers an on-campus nine-week summer program at a reduced tuition rate. Anita said: “The summer program is a really good way to try [linguistics] out. It’s very rigorous but it’s risk-free [because] in that short amount of time, you’ll know if linguistics is for you or not.” Even if linguistics is not your specialty, CanIL offers many other ways to get involved in the Bible translation movement, such as through Scripture engagement or literacy. When Anita and her husband, Randy, first attended CanIL, Anita expected to get her M.A. in linguistics. But she very quickly found out that her strengths were leadership and administration. After serving for several years in Indonesia in Bible translation, unexpected visa issues led to the couple searching for a new direction. God opened doors for them to both serve at CanIL, and Anita has thrived in her role helping students find their place in the Bible translation movement. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE. Thanks to some incredible donors who believe strongly in the work of Bible translation, CanIL has been able to develop a mentorship program called “CanIL Launch” which comes alongside students who are planning on entering full-time Bible translation ministry or those currently in ministry who need more training. Launch equips students with financial tools and relationships, and covers topics like how to write and communicate, the philosophies of partnership development, financial aid and matching grants for churches who choose to partner with those students. If students maximize all the opportunities, they receive at least $23,000 in financial aid. As a result, many students who participate in Launch are able to graduate debt-free and can join an organization immediately instead of having to wait for several years to raise financial partnership. God uses the gifts of these donors mightily in the lives of students. “So many of the students tell us they didn’t know how they would pay for their tuition next semester, but that they knew this is where God wanted them to be,” Anita said. “I’m just blown away by how God works. We have the opportunity of being that conduit. It's very beautiful to see.” God uses the gifts of these donors mightily in the lives of students. YOU’LL BE PART OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY. In addition to a strong academics program, CanIL has a thriving community. “We believe that a community is critical for maturity, spiritual development … and even academic growth,” Anita said. “These people you are going to hike with and play ultimate frisbee and go to the ocean with … will be the colleagues you serve with on the field. We want to build those relationships and have opportunities to talk about different philosophies … [and personal] backgrounds.” Students enjoy sports, exploring God’s creation, chapel, community meals and prayer meetings. During the summer program, students get to go deeper in community. They live together in the dormitories, cook together and do childcare together. “[Students] come for the academics, but they have no idea how good the community will be,” said Danny. ALUMNI RECEIVE SUPPORT. CanIL doesn’t just launch new students into missions; it also cares for its many alumni serving around the globe. CanIL is intentional about creating a community of alumni who can support each other when they are overseas, building upon the deep relationships that are formed during school and studying. “You are a part of the family [as alumni],” Anita said. “You haven’t been forgotten.” During the summer, CanIL offers programs and workshops for alumni to help them work through linguistic problems they might have in their language programs, such as grammar, discourse, tonal analysis and more. Many of the new students sit in on the workshops and get the chance to observe how linguistics is used in real language programs. CanIL exists to serve others. By equipping people with the tools and expertise needed to effectively minister in the global Bible translation movement, CanIL’s impact is multiplied exponentially across the world. Could your next step in missions be with CanIL? To learn more about the Canada Institute of Linguistics, watch this webinar . Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe US Related articles: God of Small Things; God of All Things Family and Linguistics: A Learning Journey

When the Israelites demanded that Aaron make them a god, why did he choose to make a golden calf? "He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool." - Exodus 32:4 Aaron was probably influenced by the religions that he had been exposed to. Bulls and cows were common forms of gods in Egyptian and Near Eastern religions. One of the most famous Egyptian bull deities was the Apis Bull, regarded as the embodiment of a creator god, Ptah. Bulls symbolised strength and male sexuality, while cows were connected with fertility and motherhood. This was not the only time the Israelites sinned by worshipping cattle deities. In 1 Kings 12:26-33, Jeroboam, in order to discourage the Israelites from travelling to Jerusalem to make sacrifices, had two golden calves set up at Bethel and Dan. “And this thing became a sin…” (v. 30). Again, in Hosea 13:1-2, there is a reference to the Israelites worshipping Baal and kissing “calf-idols”. Baal was usually portrayed with the head and horns of a bull. For these and other sins, God pronounced judgement on them.

by Wycliffe Global Alliance Links: Large infographic Small infographic Q&A: 2022 Global Scripture Access 7,388 total languages in the world Number of known users: 7.36 billion [1] Languages and people with Scripture 3,589 languages with some Scripture - 7.14 billion people (up to 97%* of people) 724 languages with a complete Bible - 5.9 billion people (up to 80%* of people) 1,617 languages with a complete New Testament (some also have Old Testament portions) - 797 million people (up to 11%* of people) 1,248 languages with some translated Bible portions - 446 million people (up to 6%* of people) *Using 7.36 billion people as the global population. Scripture access status** 1,680 languages need translation (or preparatory work) to begin - 128.8 million people 964 languages have work in progress - 74.2 million people 1,155 languages either use Scripture in another language, or are not vital enough to plan translation work - 10.3 million people **Bible translation is currently happening in 2,846 languages in 157 countries. Those languages and people numbers are embedded in the categories “At least some Scripture” and “Initial work in progress”. This current work impacts 1.11 billion people, or about 15% of all language users. Need Bible translation to start 128.8 million people, speaking 1,680 languages, still need translation work to begin: Africa - 525 languages, 13.7 million people Americas - 98 languages, 1.2 million people Asia - 668 languages, 112 million people Europe - 50 languages, 1.6 million people Pacific - 339 languages, 0.35 million people No Scripture yet, but work in progress Preparatory work or initial translation is active in 964 languages with 74.2 million users. No Scripture, no likely need 1,155 languages, with 10.3 million users (about one-tenth of 1%), are considered not to need Bible translation. In most cases, the people use another language which already has at least some Scripture. Sometimes, their first language is disappearing from use altogether. The reality is often more complex. Bible translation in progress Bible translation is currently happening in 2,846 languages in 157 countries. This work impacts 1.11 billion people, or about 15% of all language users, who have (or will soon have) new access to at least some portions of Scripture in their first language. This number does not include people who already have a full Bible but are updating their existing translations. Languages without the full Bible 1.45 billion people, using 5,509 languages, do not have a full Bible in their first language. This includes people who have some Scripture as well as people who have none. It represents about 20% of the global population and 75 percent of the world’s languages. For more information see Q&A: 2022 Global Scripture Access . Wycliffe Global Alliance involvement snapshot, 2022 Alliance Organizations are working in at least 2,401 languages. Alliance Organizations are involved in work in at least 126 countries. Wycliffe Global Alliance historical snapshot Over their history, Alliance organizations have been involved in the translation of New Testaments or Bibles in at least 1,603 languages. Over their history, Alliance organizations have been involved in translating Scripture portions in an additional 815 languages. Statistics are rarely as simple as the numbers imply Scripture access statistics are not as simple as they seem at first glance. We strive to give an accurate snapshot, but the data is complex. For example, determining translation need is not as simple as determining which languages do or do not have Scripture. Most of the languages with only “some Scripture” need more, and even full Bibles often undergo revisions. Also, comparisons with previous annual reports are challenging and sometimes not possible, due to ongoing changes and improvements in data definitions and collecting methods. A new way of measuring Bible translation progress Statistics provide one lens through which to measure progress in worldwide Bible translation. Progress involves not just publishing translations, but changed lives as people encounter God through his Word and as the global church moves toward greater unity in Christ. The Alliance continues to explore other important indicators of progress such as: How are language communities experiencing life-changing impact from Scripture? Are churches increasingly taking leadership in the work of Bible translation? Are churches, communities, and organizations partnering more effectively to carry out the work of translation together? To read more, see: A missiology of progress: Assessing advancement in the Bible translation movement by Dr. Kirk Franklin. Wycliffe Global Alliance presentations of global Scripture access statistics are compiled annually from data provided through ProgressBible by Alliance organisations, SIL International, United Bible Societies and many other partners. Data is current as of 1 September 2022, and is based on the most recently available information about first language users in SIL’s Ethnologue . Further stories about people and projects are available at wycliffe.net and from your nearest Alliance organisation . [1] According to the most recently available information in SIL’s Ethnologue , 7.36 billion people use the world’s 7,388 known languages. However, language user statistics tend to lag behind actual population statistics due to challenges in gathering and updating information. The global population is expected to reach 8 billion by November 2022. For statistical agreement, numbers and percentages used here are based on the Ethnologue number. 2021 Scripture Access Statistics Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Global Alliance

by Deb Fox, Wycliffe Australia Paul and Nicola Mangohig are Wycliffe Australia members preparing to head to Vanuatu to work with SIL on a translation, Scripture engagement and community development project. The Mangohigs moved to Darwin in 2020 to be closer to Paul’s family. While they continue working, they have also started raising financial and prayer support, and raising an energetic toddler. Nicola says that networking with churches and organising partnership development during a worldwide pandemic has had its share of challenges: Our biggest struggle right now is trying to stay focused on the Wycliffe stuff and keeping that as our main priority. There’s so much change happening just here. Mission doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it needs many people working together and supporting one another. We came to get a supporter base here and we felt such a peace about moving here at the beginning of the lockdowns and everything. The time of waiting has been difficult for the family. Nicola adds: There were so many unknowns – we didn’t know when the borders would reopen, we didn’t have a date for when we would be leaving. How do you share your plans with people so they can support you when you don’t even know what those plans will be yourself yet? Nothing is certain. People want information about when you’ll be leaving, where you’ll be staying, what you’ll be doing. We have this goal, this desire God has put in our hearts and he is very clearly orchestrating everything. Yet we had no idea when all these things would happen because there were so many moving pieces. I kept asking: ‘What can I do right now?’ One of the things the Mangohigs have chosen to focus on during their time of waiting is creating greater connections with the community around them. Nicola has joined a basketball team and is using it to grow relationships with the other members. Paul is the official supporter and unofficial ‘mascot’ for the club. This has created opportunities to encourage new friends and share the gospel. Nicola has also started a catering business called Mango Spice focused on vegan, gluten free and nut free biscuits and platters. As well as generating a small amount of income, the business is helping to support local businesses and share about the needs of translation in the Territory and eventually in Vanuatu. Nicola shares: I’ve met so many wonderful people through the business. It’s taken off much quicker than I thought it would! It’s another avenue we’re using to connect with people and, when opportunities arise, share about our heart for mission and translation. Paul adds that the time of uncertainty has actually helped them to pray and wait on God for guidance. He says: We sensed that our time in Darwin was coming to an end. Now, we’re aiming to raise the required financial support by the end of this year then head off to Vanuatu by early January next year (God willing, of course). After a time of waiting, we now have a direction and a goal that allows us to focus on God’s plans for our future. When they get to Vanuatu, Paul is planning to be a translation advisor and Nicola will be working in the area of Scripture Engagement. The Director of SIL Vanuatu recently contacted the couple and asked if they could be there in June for training. The Mangohigs were planning to go but the discovery of another baby on the way has meant that they will be in Australia for the birth of their second child. Seven of us were preparing to go over to Vanuatu (including Wycliffe members Jared and Bethany Killey ). We were asked to attend orientation and then come back [to Australia] for support raising but God has us here for a bit longer before that goal can come to fruition. We’re just enjoying making connections and trying to reflect Jesus with others while we wait. For more information about Paul and Nicola, or to support them, go to https://wycliffe.org.au/member/paul-nicola/ Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia

Where is Mount Zion located? In history, there are 3 places that have been known as “Mount Zion”, all located in the present-day city of Jerusalem. 1) David captured the fortress of Zion — which is the City of David. (2 Samuel 5:7) The original “Mount Zion” was the Jebusite fortress on the southern part of Jerusalem's Eastern Hill. King David conquered it in about 1000 BCE and is believed to have built his palace there. This area became known as the City of David. 2) Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. (2 Chronicles 3:1) Solomon built his Temple on Mount Moriah, north of David’s palace. After the temple was completed, this area became known as "Mount Zion". Today, this is known as the Temple Mount. 3) By the first century CE, “Mount Zion” was used to refer to ancient Jerusalem’s Western Hill, which is higher than the Eastern Hill. The then long-lost palace of King David was believed to have been there. Events of the early Christian church believed to have taken place there include the Last Supper and the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).