By the end of the year, Tippit hopes to see it released in Farsi so people in Iran can have access to it. He says, “The premise is that the Lord’s prayer is the most powerful prayer that could ever be prayed, because Jesus taught us to pray that way.”

Tippit says the Lord’s Prayer can transform the way people think about prayer. “This is not praying about the politics of our day. It’s not praying about our little kingdoms. But it’s really seeing the heart of God.”

You can sign up for the challenge at Sammy Tippit’s website. Each day for 13 days, participants receive an email that will give simple instructions to meditate on each aspect of the Lord’s Prayer.

Dramatic stories

Participants will also watch a dramatic monologue video illustrating one phrase of the prayer. Tippit says, “They are dramatic stories, they’re true stories, and they’re my stories: the ways in which I learned to pray for this truth.

For instance, Tippit talks about the story accompanying the phrase, “As we forgive our debtors.” He says, “I was in Rwanda right after the genocide. And I met with a mayor of one of the cities where the genocide had taken place.”

The mayor was betrayed by his best friend, who took some of his children and had them killed by the militia. Tippit said, “‘What did you do?’ And he said, ‘I forgave them.’ And I said, ‘Wait a minute. What do you mean you forgave them? I mean, that’s not natural.’ He said, ‘No, it’s not. It’s supernatural.’”

“He said, ‘There needs to be justice, and justice will be served. But for me and my heart, it would have only destroyed me. I drew from the grace of God.’”

Header photo courtesy of Sammy Tippit. 

However, once you get into linguistic training, you discover everything you're learning and all the commentaries and other books you reference are in a whole new language that you don't know. What do you do?

This was precisely the scenario that faced many Bible translators not long ago, and one that had the potential of discouraging new people from the field.

Wycliffe Associates President/CEO Bruce Smith explains, "Our first experience with this was actually working with some students in South Korea who were going through linguistics training, and who, we learned, were failing their linguistics training because they didn't have adequate English competency."

Smith says because the English language influences every Scripture translation project, translators must know English to conduct checks of back translations to ensure the accuracy of Scripture translations. "We could provide a basic level of English competency to them in a very short period of time that would enable them to succeed in their studies. We've now duplicated this with partners all over the world."

Obviously, something needed to be done. Wycliffe Associates started looking for volunteers to teach English to these translation teams. But, they ran into some preconceived notions with that, too. "When most people think of Bible translation, they think the first skill you have to have is a foreign language competency. Obviously that helps, but the working language within translation teams is English."

The reality is that it takes five to seven years of English language learning to gain academic competence in English. And then: God. Smith says God sent the right person along to head up the whole thing. Dan Kramer has long experience in this area, and he's currently leading education services.

As a result, says Smith, "The demand has grown so dramatically, that what we've also decided to do is put a lot of these tools and resources on the Web. [We want] to be able to deliver English language assessments and English language training through the internet so that people can access it 24-hours a day, from any location."

That decision opened more doors. Options will hopefully encourage more volunteers. Smith adds, "People can participate either personally, as part of a team to travel to a location to meet with some of these other translators that are in the education process, or they can even participate from home with students that are trying to hone their English language skills." Wycliffe Associates currently has English Language Learning programs underway in 18 countries located in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.

Volunteers–who do not need to be professional teachers–instruct students from a proven curriculum. Volunteers at home can get involved by using the Internet to communicate with a translator twice each week, for 40 weeks, to enhance his or her English, or by e-mailing a translator once per week for 40 weeks to help improve the translator's English skills.

It's an encouraging process. Smith notes that "both the verbal skills and the literary skills are important because, as I said, the reference materials are all in writing and in English. The speaking skill and reading skills are actually different skill sets."

For those who've had literacy training in a local community, there's a place for you, too, Smith adds. "We definitely are interested in people who have literacy skills, as well as people who enjoy talking and being conversational. [Also consider becoming] a prayer partner and using that as a way to encourage these team members around the world in their skills."

Wycliffe Associates involves people in accelerating the work of Bible translation through their time, talents, and treasure. Because millions of people around the world are still waiting to read the Scriptures in the language of their heart, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as they can to translate every verse of the Bible into every tongue to change every heart.

The organization partners with nationals, mother-tongue translators, staff, volunteers, and supporters to direct and fund these efforts, as well as provide logistics, networking, and technical support. Through a growing global network, Wycliffe Associates is striving to overcome local limitations of time and resources to achieve the goal of beginning the translation of God's Word in every remaining language that needs it by 2025.

According to Open Doors USA Advocacy Director Lindsay Vessey, “The Special Envoy would address economic and security concerns of these minority faith groups, which is especially needed in a country like Iraq where large numbers of Christians and other faith groups have been threatened, forced to flee their homeland, and killed.”

Last year, Open Doors USA supported a bill in the House called H.R. 440 which would require the Obama administration to appoint a Special Envoy for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia. H.R. 440 was easily passed by the House last year. This was partially due to the advocacy campaign Open Doors launched encouraging concerned citizens to contact their U.S. representative, asking him or her to vote for the bill.

30 out of the 33 countries and regions covered in the bill are on the Open Doors 2012 World Watch List of the worst persecutors of Christians including countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan.

A Senate companion bill called S. 1245 was introduced last year, but it still has not been brought to a vote. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) has placed a hold on the bill, preventing it from moving forward.

"This important bill won't be moved to a vote unless enough people concerned with the persecution of religious minorities are willing to speak out and ask their senators to take action," says Vessey.

If S. 1245 is not passed in this session of Congress and signed into law, the process will have to be started all over next year in the new session of Congress.

“The Senator can put a hold on a bill or resolution, and if nobody’s really paying attention to that particular bill or resolution, then they don’t feel any pressure to change their course of action,” says Vessey. “So we’ve launched a public campaign asking our supporters to e-mail their senators.”

If enough senators support S. 1245, they will create much more pressure on Sen. Webb to release his hold and allow the bill to move to a vote. The Open Doors Advocacy Web site has a sample letter available for you to send to your senator (click here).

Vessey says, “I’ve already been receiving messages that some of our supporters have received back from the Senate offices, so they’re definitely paying attention. They’re looking into this particular bill, and so we really need to apply the pressure now.”

Please also be praying for the hearts of Senators to be moved for this bill and that it may be passed before the end of this congress session. Pray for persecuted Christians all over the world and that the creation of a religious envoy would bring more governmental attention to their need.

Nearly 70% of the world's 6.8 billion people live in countries with little or no freedom of religion. Open Doors is an organization that for over five decades has come alongside Christians in 60 of these restrictive, dangerous countries, campaigning for the freedom to believe from the gulags in North Korea to the halls of Congress. To partner with Open Doors USA, click here.