International (MNN) — Empowering locals to do Bible translation work is the heart of The Seed Company’s ministry. They want to see everyone have access to the Bible in their own language.
The Seed Company empowers locals by sending teams of consultants to work with a group of languages, usually in a workshop setting. In those workshops, they give people the tools they need to do translation work for themselves.
Roger Garland is with The Seed Company, “Well, the amazing thing, I think, is what God is doing today. We hear from people all the time, we bump into people, people come to us who have a vision for Bible translation. In other words, God has touched them where they are, they’ve seen the need. They want to do something for their own people, and yet they don’t know how. They don’t have the tools and the training to do that.”
So The Seed Company comes alongside nationals translators to provide two critical components of Bible translation. With tools, training and funding, local people around the world who have a vision for Bible translation are empowered to do that work. And then, The Seed Company connects Christians and churches here (in the US) as sponsors to those Bible-less people groups and to the team that’s doing the work of translation.
Garland says it’s working: “The Seed Company has a vision statement that says: ‘Creatively networking God’s people around the world to translate the Bible into every language for God’s glory.’ And that dream is really becoming a reality.”
It’s becoming a reality through key partnerships across the world. Garland says it’s exciting to see what happens when people connect. Two examples of connections involve Christians who had the vision to be part of something bigger than their own world. A family in Colorado decided to help sponsor a translation effort in Africa. The father was able to go to Africa and meet the team the family was helping to support. In that experience, there was genuine Christian bonding and sharing of life in Christ.
Additionally, a church in Florida was struggling with some divisive issues, but they joined together to sponsor a translation project. The church rallied and united together around a group of lost people who had a great need. It really turned the church around and brought the church back together.
Garland says that’s what it’s about – connecting people in those vital ways, to ensure that God’s Word reaches all people, everywhere.
“We’ve got people out there that own the project, in other words, it’s their vision, it’s what God has given them. They feel like that’s what they want to do. And we come alongside with training and provide the ability for them to do it. And then we provide some funding so that they can devote full time to it. And then on this end, we connect those partners here who are praying for and giving to that project in a vital way, by giving them reports every quarter, encouraging them to pray for and give to that project, and ultimately, if possible, to visit the project and see on site what’s actually happening there.”
If you want to help sponsor a translation project, go to The Seed Company’s website by following the highlighted link above.
