Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc./ WBT

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Wycliffe Bible Translators listed by MinistryWatch.com as a 2008 Shining Light ‘Top 30’ Exemplary Ministry.

MinistryWatch.com desires to see overall giving to Biblical Christian values increase and as such we developed this format to highlight those ministries which are exemplary. This ministry is one of the “best ministries” and outstanding examples when we consider Philippians 4:8 and weigh and take account of those ministries that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Identifying a diversity of the best ministries is challenging given the selfless work that so many do for the cause of Christ. No one is able to give to every ministry that one values as we are not possessed of unlimited resources. It is best to make an assessment of our options and make discerning decisions. MinistryWatch.com’s assessment looked at the following seven areas when considering those to make the list:

1. Transparency
2. Truth Claims
3. Values/ Worldview
4. Sectors/Functions
5. Resourcefulness
6. Red Flag Issues
7. Consultation

A fuller explanation of our evaluation criteria is on the front page of MinistryWatch.com. A foundational premise was to shine a figurative light on those ministries that were "Christian" more than in name only. Ministries were chosen that were not just marketing to Christians as a market segment for "Christian donor money", but ministries that had theological underpinnings and Biblical values that determined their actions. Organizations that relied more on a secular motivation and means were excluded as well as those “ministries” that seem to view the organization as their own vehicle as a business to make money rather than a love to maximize ministry to others and to let their light shine for the glory of God.

Inclusion on this Shining Light list does not mean this ministry or other listed ministries are perfect. No ministry is perfect and any that look long and hard enough may find areas for improvement; as no doubt most legitimate ministries are aware of areas to improve and have their own to-do list. Only you can decide for yourself with confidence if a ministry shares your values and with your giving plan. As far as MinistryWatch.com’s assessment, given the criteria that we followed, this ministry rose to the top.

This is just another step in our mission of encouraging Christians to give more of their talents and resources to Kingdom-building efforts. In short, we wish to help spread the Gospel of Christ by helping Christians give more and more effectively to the works of the Lord. If the Lord uses our list as part of that process, we will have been a blessing to both those ministries who have been ‘good and faithful servants’ with the Lord’s resources and to Christian donors who are seeking to be good stewards of their giving.
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MinistryWatch.com’s Take
February 2005
By J. Andrew Preslar

“If Your God is so Great . . .”

Cameron Townsend, an American missionary to the Cakchiquel Indians of Guatemala, was once asked the following question by a Cakchiquel man: “If your God is so great, why doesn’t he speak my language?” At that moment, Townsend resolved to make it his life’s mission to see that every person in the world would one day be able to read the Bible in their native tongue. In pursuit of this goal, Townsend founded Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT) in 1942.

Wycliffe Bible Translators takes its name from the great Oxford theologian and reformer John Wycliffe (ca. 1329- 1384). Wycliffe dared to oppose the ecclesiastical and political power of the Roman Catholic Church by, among other things, translating the Bible into the English language. Thus, an English-speaking person with no knowledge of Greek or Latin (which was just about everyone) no longer needed to depend upon the Church in order to know what the Scriptures said; they could read it for themselves.

The Apostle Paul once wrote: “There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning; but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me” (1 Corinthians 14:10-11; RSV). For people who have no Bible translated into their native tongue, the Word of God is, insofar as they cannot read it, a foreigner to them. How much the better if the Scriptures could speak to everyone in their own language?

Wycliffe Bible Translators is an evangelical Christian ministry which exists in order to serve the Church and advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Bible translation. To this end, WBT has developed a network of sister ministries, which include Wycliffe Associates (to support and promote the work of Bible translators), JAARS (aviation and technical support), and SIL International (a graduate level training program in linguistics), and ministry partners (e.g., nationals helping in language analysis, translation, and literacy development).

To date, WBT has translated the New Testament into 530 languages, with another 1,023 translation projects underway. WBT has over 5,200 active members (representing 46 countries) at work in more than 70 countries on six continents.

WBT’s USA headquarters is located in Orlando, Fla. The newly constructed Orlando Mobilization Center features the Wordspring Discovery Center. The latter is an interactive visitor’s center where individuals, families, and school and church groups are given a hands-on experience of WBT’s global mission. The Orlando Mobilization Center also includes facilities for conferences, training, youth activities, and a volunteer center. Furlough housing and overnight lodging are available. In addition to headquarters, WBT has six regional centers in the U.S. which promote WBT’s mission through speakers and resources for churches and other groups who desire to become informed and involved in Bible translation. WBT’s mission encompasses the globe. The organization has staff members working in more than 40 countries. This staff works in partnership with national Bible translation organizations and individual nationals in more 1,000 language groups.

The Process of Bible Translation

There are two fundamental aspects to the work of Bible translation: (1) understanding the meaning of the source text (i.e., the Bible in the translator’s own language) and (2) acquiring a good grasp of the target language (i.e., that language into which the Bible is to be translated). The task of the translator is to negotiate the differences between languages and cultures while preserving meaning (from the source text to the translation). WBT translators accomplish this by means of acquiring the aforementioned skills basic to the task of translation, and by deftly and creatively applying the three criteria of a good translation (accuracy, clarity, and naturalness) to the unique problems posed by particular translation projects.

A WBT missionary begins his work in the field by learning the language. If he has the help of an interpreter, this task is made easier. If not, the task of language acquisition becomes somewhat analogous to attempting to deduce the rules governing equations in higher-level math without the aid of an instructor. The missionary must begin to chart the vocabulary of the target language by pointing at things, imitating actions, and noting the sounds of the words used by the nationals to designate those item and acts. Of course, relational words (e.g., prepositions) are a bit more difficult, and abstract ideas and connecting words are even more difficult to get a handle on (one cannot simply point at things to learn the linguistic equivalents of words like “truth,” “sin,” “of,” “therefore,” etc.) . Once the translator begins to make progress in the vocabulary of a language, he must begin to master grammar (e.g., tense, mood, person, and voice inflections) and syntax (how the words are structured to form sentences). All of this involves not only detailed note-taking and study (not to mention some expertise in linguistics; see below), but also a general immersion into the culture. People do not use language in a vacuum. A translator must get a “feel” for language from the inside, as it were. This is essential to producing a Bible translation that is accurate, clear, and natural (not foreign-sounding).

Once the target language has been acquired, the task of translation can begin. But this task does not simply follow as a matter of course. Translators frequently come across biblical terms and phrases for which the target language offers either (a) numerous possible translations, (b) only rough equivalents as possible translations, or (c) seemingly no equivalent term, idiom, or concept by which to translate the meaning of the text. In the latter case, a translator must somehow mine the resources of the target language in order to come up with analogous concepts or a combination of concepts which can communicate the meaning of the text. This may require breaking a concept down into more fundamental ideas that do have correspondent terms or phrases in the target language, and then reassembling the meaning of the term to be translated in a way that can be understood by the reader. For example: a WBT missionary recounts how he managed to translate the term “poet” in Acts 17:28 into Folopa (a Papuan language in New Guinea), which has no word for poet. He first broke the word down into phrases which have correspondents in the target language: “some one who can talk well . . . he can make language sound good . . . the things he says people love to hear,” etc. He learned that there were people like that in the culture, people whose words sounded “delicious.” The translator was then able to substitute the description of such a person for the word “poet” in Acts 17:28, thus communicating the meaning in an accurate, clear, and natural way (cf., excerpt of Neal Anderson [with Wyatt Moore], In Search of the Source, posted at WBT’s website). This kind of problem crops up repeatedly in translation. For this reason, patience and resourcefulness are qualities which the translator must possess.

A WBT translator is not, however, left alone to his or her own resources. WBT provides intensive training, translation resources, and other sources of linguistic and practical support for the translator. No translation is published before it has undergone a series of “quality-control” tests, both by the target language speakers (the village test: Is this translation readable?) and by WBT representatives (the linguistic test: Have the proper translation procedures been adhered to?).

In addition to Bible translation, WBT also promotes literacy among the people with whom the translators are working. This can include work as fundamental as helping a language groups to develop its own alphabet and system of writing. WBT translators must successfully complete an intensive training course at the Summer Institute of Linguistics International (SIL) before they can begin translation work in the field. SIL is a graduate-level training program which trains WBT missionaries in the areas of applied linguistics and language development. Before beginning translation work, all missionaries must demonstrate a basic knowledge of at least one biblical language, sound exegetical (interpretation) skills, and knowledge of the cultural and historical background of the Bible.

A Vision for the Future: Prospects and Needs

The task facing the translator is both laborious and time-consuming. A typical project (which involves translating the entire New Testament into the target language) takes 10-20 years to complete. WBT and SIL have been involved in more than 1,000 translation projects, and have completed NT translations in over 500 languages. Given the immensity of the time and work involved in a project, these accomplishments are certainly commendable. However, there is much more to be done. Out of a total of 6,809 languages currently spoken in the world, there are some 3,000 into which the Bible has yet to be translated. WBT has responded to this situation by adopting a long-term plan called “Vision 2025.” Wycliffe’s “vision” is “To partner with people around the world so that there will be Scripture translation in progress in every language that needs it by the year 2025.” To accomplish this goal, WBT estimates that it will need an additional 1,500 translators and support personnel. Given the organization’s ability to recruit volunteers, promote awareness, and raise support for Bible translation (e.g., through Wycliffe Associates, the Orlando headquarters and six regional centers) international presence, excellent training programs (SIL International has training centers throughout North America, in Europe, and in the South Pacific), and many dedicated staff, volunteers, and partners already laboring for the cause, there is good reason to believe that WBT can meet the lofty objective of Vision 2025.