Since introducing MAST in my early December blog entries, my posts have been on a wide variety of other subjects. Today I am circling back to MAST to update you on developments over the past few months.
Word about MAST has been spreading virally.
Word about MAST is spreading within overlapping Christian church networks worldwide. Church communities without Scripture are mobilizing local people and resources to begin translation at an exciting pace. By this time next week, 93 languages will have begun using MAST parallel drafting and checking strategies to launch or accelerate Bible translation for their communities!
Photo courtesy of CABTAL Cameroon, 2015.Some have used MAST to translate Bible stories as a way to build local conversations around biblical truths and prepare the way for Scripture translation. Others are using this strategy to translate books of the Bible for the very first time. Still others are using MAST to reinvigorate translations that have stalled for a variety of reasons. It is thrilling to see church and community Scripture engagement broaden and deepen as they increase local initiative to advance Bible translation!
As the number of languages involved increases, the number of ministries partnering with us in this strategy is also increasing. At least a dozen ministries are working in this strategy with us. This enables us to learn from one another and expand our experience in how best to encourage and support local churches as they pursue their goals for Scripture impact in their communities. It is already clear that the application of this strategy will vary somewhat in each specific situation based on God’s unique provision.
I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 12:18 where Paul says, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” The global church, the body of Christ, is diverse. Also, the local body of Christ in the U.S. is different than the local body of Christ in Nigeria or Indonesia. Seeing Bible translation unfold in new places and new ways because of God’s unique enabling is inspiring.
May this be a year of unprecedented progress for God’s Word among the nations!
