Small Packages

During the early part of the 20th century, as a challenge to himself, Godfrey Lundberg manually engraved the Lord’s Prayer on the head of a pin. He wasn’t the first to do so, nor the last. Still, it was a remarkable achievement for the time, taking two years to complete. After touring the country, the pin was placed in a bank vault. 

Lutheran Bible Translators knows that great things can come in small packages. But our packages contain Scripture that is intended to be widely shared. 

Just in time publication is one of LBT’s strategies to accelerate access to God’s Word. Rather than wait until a Bible is translated in its entirety, text is released to the community as it is approved. When people receive Scripture—even a small portion—they come to understand that God’s Word is for everyone. They can read, hear and meditate on it, enhancing family, community and church life. 

DVDs and USB drives don’t take up a lot of room, but these audio/visual resources also bring translated Scripture to people in a big way. Specially developed Scripture apps for cell phones serve the same purpose. Apps can even help people learn to read as they follow along with the written text while listening to God’s Word in their language.

These small packages have a huge impact on the lives of people as they read and hear Scripture in their heart languages for the first time.

Jesus Christ began His earthy life as an infant—a small package, so to speak—whose life and ministry would change the world. But for those who do not have access to Scripture in their language, He’s like the pin with the Lord’s Prayer—locked away and inaccessible. People without God’s Word will never have the opportunity to know Christ as their Savior unless those who do know Christ share their talents and resources to make Scripture available to them in a language they can understand. 

When I was a kid, I always hoped the biggest box under the Christmas tree was for me. It just made sense: bigger must mean better. Now I know that’s not true. The tiny plastic figure of the Christ Child in our modest Nativity scene represented the best gift of all time. Sharing the best gift is what Lutheran Bible Translators is all about.