Scripture Engagement through Lutheran Bible Translators – Church Name, Church City
Equip language communities to engage with Scripture
Our congregation, partnered with Lutheran Bible Translators, is focused on a distinct impact area: Scripture Engagement.
Paul Federwitz, director of field programs, shared, “The goal of Bible translation isn’t the translation itself, it’s to see people engaging with the Word of God.”
Why Fund Scripture engagement?
A translated full Bible is a monumental accomplishment. However, if it sits on the shelf unread, the mission is not successful.
Major challenges to engagement:
- Unwritten languages
- Low literacy rates
- Knowledge of Use Cases
Unwritten languages may ask for orthography help
It is common to partner with language communities that have unwritten languages – having only existed in spoken form. As we collaborate, we determine the path forward for each language community. If leaders select to pursue written Scripture, we provide orthography expertise.
Orthographers are linguists who specialize in the study of the writing systems of languages. With the Khwedam language community in Botswana, the program began with a deeper study of the people and culture.
Orthographers conduct research alongside the community to develop and improve writing systems, ensuring clarity and consistency in written communication. They examine the relationship between sounds and letters, identifying patterns and irregularities to better understand how languages are represented in written form.
Low Literacy rates prevent engagement
As a program begins, local leaders help identify potential engagement barriers. For unwritten languages, literacy will be a large hurdle. As orthographers develop a written form, the language community will require education on the new system. Education and literacy specialists assist language communities as they develop an alphabet chart, write curriculum for adult education classes, and begin literacy classes within the community.
Literacy is a crucial factor in Bible translation as engaging with Scripture depends on being able to reaad and understand the Bible in a way that is clear, natural, and accurate.
Our support of Scripture engagement ensures that the global Christian community to read and understand the full Word of God.
Support + fund Engagement efforts
Our church is raising funds to grow the Every Language Fund of Lutheran Bible Translators, which ensures the finances raised go to the area of most need. As a church we have chosen Scripture Engagement as our focus area.
As we celebrate Bible Translation Sunday at home, we raise funds to support local leaders in language communities like the Shekgalagari and the Wayeyi of Botswana. These local leaders are passionate about equipping their community with the training, skills, and resources needed to engage with God’s Word.
Together, we can have a far-reaching impact – the ripple effect of our investment today will be felt for generations. Each language community will experience hope, life, and transformation. Once completed, the translation teams will be equipped to help the next neighboring community launch their Bible translation program.
Let’s meet our Bible Translation sunday goal and bring hope, life, and transformation to others through God’s Word.
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