International (MNN) ― Wycliffe Bible Translators' Bob Creson gives us an update on the progress of Vision 2025. It's a plan: "To see a Bible translation in progress in every language community that needs it by the year 2025."
75 years' worth of history created the capacity to discuss how they could work in language cluster projects, and how they could meet their goals by thinking outside of traditional Bible translation. "There have been 539 language communities that have translation work started since we committed ourselves to Vision 2025, which represents about 160 million people that now have some access to at least portions of God's Word."
The Bible translation movement is relatively recent. According to an article on the Vision 2025 website, 1800 years after Christ was born, only 68 translations had been done.
In the 19th century, Christians increased the total to over 500. And in the last century, the number has tripled yet again. But not fast enough. Given how much the pace of Bible translation has accelerated over the last century, it will take 150 years for everyone to get the Bible.
That's why Wycliffe is calling the worldwide Church to become a Bible translation movement, end Bible poverty and start every translation that is needed by 2025.
It's all about cultivating partnerships. The broader the base, the faster the work. Creson says, "We need as many North Americans involved in Bible translation as we can get. God is not done with North America yet. But, the reality on the field is, that more and more people outside of North America and people outside of Europe are becoming involved in Bible translation, which creates the capacity that we really need to continue on the pace that we're on right now."
