God calls us out of darkness into His glorious light to live abundantly, not settle. He calls us to a life of holiness, not mediocrity. He calls us to Himself so that we can experience firsthand a beautiful relationship with Him. God calls us to dive deeper, to reach further, to press harder into intimacy with Him. He’s written for us a love letter, a guide; a user’s manual that clearly lays out this abundant living, this life of holiness, this magnificent union of holy God to His human creation.
His Word. Living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword. Revives the dead. Heals the wounded. Binds the broken-hearted. Restores the lost. Redeems the sinners. Transforms the wayward. Grants hope to the hopeless. God’s Word breathes life. Rains grace. Gifts mercy. Penned by His chosen, His love on paper is given so that you and I might study, might learn, might experience, might connect to the heart of our great God.
God’s Word. It’s abundant and it’s rich but there’s something that saddens me…breaks my heart—the poorness in our world of this life changing Word. Bible poverty. There are 340 million people in the world who don’t have God’s living and active Word in their own language. Let me say it this way, out of the nearly 7,000 languages that make up the world’s voice fewer than 500 have a WHOLE Bible in their language. I’m NOT okay with that! NONE of us should be okay with that!
Friends, it’s our job, our responsibility, our privilege to give God’s Word!
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20, the Message
My family and I are humbled to be a part of OneVerse, a program of The Seed Company that enables us to support local Bible translators as they make God’s message available in the language of their people. Over the next months I will be sharing more about my involvement as a OneVerse blogger and our support of the Vidunda Language Project.
What is OneVerse?
OneVerse knows that by giving people God’s Word, it will impact their lives in many ways ranging from the initial benefit of freedom from spiritual bondage and religious rituals, to natural benefits including the elimination of poverty and the provision of clean drinking water. The presence of God’s Holy Spirit and preeminence of His Word in a nation serve as deterrents to violence, sex trafficking and exploitation of child soldiers—not to mention the lives changed, destinies redirected and the eternal impact for those who embrace the Word of God in the language they can understand.
A sponsorship gift provides the resources required for national translators to translate one verse of Scripture into their own language. Through OneVerse, you join a team of prayer and financial partners to make this possible.
You can learn more about OneVerse here.
Who are the Vidunda?
There are 56,000 Vidunda people who live in Tanzania, East Africa. More than 60 percent affiliate with Christianity. However, most still fear witchcraft and engage in many kinds of animistic rituals along with their non-believing neighbors. Many Christians still hang amulets on their children to protect them from evil spirits and curses. Because they’ve been hearing Scripture in a language foreign to them, most Vidunda people have little idea what it actually teaches.
The Scriptures in their mother tongue will offer believers tools for deliverance from the bondage of fear. It will also support personal spiritual growth and provide a solid foundation from which to reach out to others.
Our goal this year is to raise $75,000 to begin the funding of the Vidunda Language Project. If we meet this goal, we will be well on our way of completely sponsoring the project in 2013 and 2014.
Will you help us? Will you help them? The Vidunda People need God’s Word in their native language! You can give $26 or more monthly (as we’ve chosen to do), you can give a one time gift, or you can gift-a-verse to someone.
”There’s nothing more radical, nothing more revolutionary, nothing more subversive against injustice and oppression than the Bible.” ~ Bishop Desmond Tutu
