International (MNN) — Do you feel God leading you toward
the mission field, but you aren't sure where you would want to go or what you would want to do?
Approximately six years ago Wycliffe Bible Translators and
Operation Mobilization joined together to create a program that allows young
people, ranging in age from 19 to 26, a chance to explore various aspects of
missions.
They called it Spectrum, and the experience lasts two years.
President and CEO of Wycliffe USA, Bob Creson, said, "The power of the
partnership really is to give young people a two-year opportunity to let God
work in their lives to see what they might do in relation to being involved in
missions. So, they do a year on the [OM] ship and then do a year in a Wycliffe
assignment somewhere in the world. During that two-year period, we believe that
God will speak to their hearts and give them added direction for their
future."
Aboard an OM ship, participants learn how to live and work
with other team members from countries across the globe, as they also
participate in street ministry and book distribution.
During their year at Wycliffe, participants can choose which
area of Wycliffe to become involved in, such as translation, teaching,
publishing, linguistics, or medical, which exposes them to the various aspects
of Wycliffe.
Why is it called Spectrum? Creson said, "These
opportunities that are offered in Wycliffe USA, as well as OM USA, just give
young people a spectrum of opportunities to consider in terms of what God might
be doing in their lives."
The program was established six years ago when
Wycliffe and OM realized, almost at the same time, that they shared a common focus
at their ministries. They came to this realization when OM USA's president,
Andrew Scott, paid Wycliffe a visit: "Andrew actually came down here to
visit us … and [we] were just exploring. And immediately we began to realize
there's a strength in what we could do with OM … So, as we began to look at the
way in which OM USA and Wycliffe USA are focused on giving people the
opportunity to hear this Good News of the Gospel, in a language and form they
understand best, there was real power in a short-term opportunity
partnership."
Now years later, the partnership is still going strong, and
Spectrum has proved an invaluable tool in helping young people prepare for the
mission field.
As Wycliffe presses on with its Last Languages campaign,
both ministries realize it is a historical time in the world of missions, as
ministries make the "final push" toward the remaining unreached
people groups.
So now more than ever, Creson said they need willing
workers to enter the harvest field and proclaim the message of Christ.
Use Spectrum as your first step to getting involved. Visit
wycliffe.org/gsp to get started.
