Entering an Indigenous Community
Fulfilling the Great Commission calls followers of Jesus to communities that are difficult to enter. Once the target area is identified, a team may need to work for several years to gain long-term access.
Fulfilling the Great Commission calls followers of Jesus to communities that are difficult to enter. Once the target area is identified, a team may need to work for several years to gain long-term access.
We expect a surgeon to spend years in training before he attempts his first surgery. Likewise, a lawyer spends years in law school before he represents a case in court. Should a missionary go to the field without training? Should a translator translate the Scriptures with no preparation?
A small team of church planters and Bible translators has been working hard for many years. They finish the Bible translation. They ordain leaders in the local church. They leave a maturing church that can continue to grow in the Word.
As image-bearers of God, we are almost constantly communicating. Each day, we send and receive thousands of signals (verbal or non-verbal) to those around us. Encoded in each message sent are references to contextual information shared by both the sender and receiver of the message.
Bible translation is a chief task for All-Nations teams, but it is far from the only task. Frequently, it is more than a simple lack of a Bible which prevents an indigenous church from beginning and flourishing among an unreached people group.
Why we care that they learn to read
Why is it important for people to have access to the Scriptures in their heart language? Let us consider three reasons.
Several months ago I was sitting in my office with my language helper doing another language session. In this session we were exploring some of the animistic aspects of the local culture. As the session progressed, I began asking more questions about the local animistic parts of the culture.
When Ben realized the need for a translation of the Bible in the Mayangna language several years ago, he didn’t attempt the job on his own. His closest collaborator was a Mayangna believer, and together they set out to meet the need.