Photo by Rodney Ballard
Partner Spotlight: Pastor Ed
You make Bible translation happen!
We’ve begun a series in which we ask how the translated Scriptures impact the lives of our partners in Bible translation.
We shared Carol’s story about how Isaiah 8 impacted her life during the birth of her son (click here to read Carol’s story), Jeanette’s meditations her cancer diagnosis and Psalm 131 (click here to read Jeanette’s story), Pastor Tom’s observations on the role of Scripture in the life of a pastor and why he supports our work in Bible translation (click here to read Tom’s story). Today, we reflect on Scripture with Rachel’s father, Pastor Ed.
God is the God of Every Language
How does Scripture impact your life as a pastor?
As a pastor, God’s Word is a continuous necessity, for preaching, teaching, counseling, and shepherding. An up close, antecedent knowledge of Scripture is essential to a Godly life.
The Holy Spirit can operate in any form, but the unique revelation vehicle is the written Word.
God’s Word is the anchor by which we can check our positions. Rather than justifying our own actions, we must be confronted, admonished, and beckoned by the Word of God.
Why do you support the work of Bible translation?
It is critical to have a thoughtful and prayerful relationship to God’s Word. When we seek to understand, Scripture reveals multiple levels of insight.
- Some are surface teachings that leap off the page.
- Others arise only after reflection.
- Still others surface through circumstances in our lives.
The Holy Spirit reveals, and we bring heart, mind, and soul to seek after God.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV
Bible translation is an essential tool for opening people to God’s revelations. It allows people to bring their whole being to the Word. Scripture speaks to the simple and complex levels of human experience. It opens all peoples and cultures to the revelation of God.
Pastors in Nigeria agree. “Having the Bible in my language is helping a lot,” Rev. Maichibi says, “There are people that don’t understand Hausa, don’t understand English.”
Hausa is one of 3 national languages in Nigeria, but for many people who grew up speaking another language, it doesn’t move them the way their own language does: “When I read Scripture in Nyankpa, it touches me. As a pastor, if your sermon doesn’t touch you, it cannot touch the people you are preaching to.”
Jume, a member of the church, prays for the next generation: “I pray that God will help our children to know the importance of reading the Bible in Nyankpa, so it will transform their lives, just as it has transformed mine.”
This is the prayer of all those involved in Bible translation, from partners like you to translators and pastors, for all those around the world who do not yet have access to the Bible in a language they clearly understand.
“Jesus Christ belongs to every dialect. God is the God of every language.”
Rev. Maichibi, Nigeria
Join our team!
When you partner with us in our Wycliffe ministry, you help:
- Equip believers around the world with God’s Word
- Lift up marginalized communities and transform hearts for eternity
- Grow the Kingdom of God and empower churches for discipleship
Join our financial partnership team today!
Learn more: About us!
Sign up: wycliffe.org/partner/aubrey
Digital linguistics & Bible translation 