Posts Tagged ‘video’

Grab on to the Bible

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Many churches in the UK focused on getting back to Bible basics last year, as part of the celebrations for the anniversary of the Authorised Version. But in all the excitement, it’s easy to overlook the parts that made it hard to stay in the Bible in the first place.

There are all those genealogies, laws and prophets to get your head around. But that’s just difficult to read because we don’t understand them — sometimes the bits that we do understand are even harder to take in. How do we deal with issues like evolution, or the genocide that God appears to condone?

Last year, Biblefresh ran a series of classes and published a book called Get a Grip, made to tackle these kind of questions. The book is still available from Biblefresh here, and half of the profits go towards Bible translation.

If you missed the classes, you can still experience a bit of that too – videos from some sessions held at Kings College London are available, with experienced scholars and pastors answering some of the hard or ‘I-never-thought-of-that’ questions about the Bible.

Catch the videos here.

You know those parts of the Bible you don’t understand? There are Christians around the world longing to read them who can’t because the Bible isn’t in their language. Help translate the Bible.

ETP: The Movie

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

We often talk about the old missionary ‘heroes’: a man with a substantial beard in a black-and-white picture who got on a boat and sailed off to an unknown place, completely unprepared. Fortunately, missionary workers are no longer expected to go out ill-equipped. Part of working with Wycliffe Bible Translators includes time dedicated to preparation.

In the UK, training is provided on the European Training Programme, or ETP. Students come from across Europe and even further afield to be equipped both in the technical aspects of Bible translation and all it entails, and in adapting to a whole new culture. This video explains more about ETP:

If you are interested in finding out more about the European Training Programme and the courses they offer, go to eurotp.org/uk.

James O Fraser: 1886 – 1938

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

James Fraser was a missionary to China in the early part of the 20th century. He left behind a life of promise and comfort, travelled to the mountains of southwest China, to reach out to a people group who had been routinely subjugated.

This short trailer, for OMF*’s film Breakthrough, provides an introduction to Fraser’s life:

Fraser initially had very little response to his work. It wasn’t until six years after his arrival in China, that the breakthrough came: in the space of four months, 600 Lisu people turned to Christ. In 1916 and 1917, he baptised 60,000 Lisu believers. He worked with them until his death, on this day in 1938.

Despite living in one of the hardest places to be a Christian, faith among the Lisu people of China is still flourishing. Of the 850,000 Chinese Lisu, 80% claim faith in Jesus. In 1986, the first complete Bible was published in their language. But the script looks strangely unusual for the part of the world where it is read – they still use a roman script based on the one Fraser developed almost 80 years earlier.

In at least 2,000 languages around the world, there are neither Bible translations or a script. Wycliffe Bible Translators are working with partners to write the languages and to make the Bible available in them, to share the love of God with people throughout the world. Get involved with God’s work of Bible translation.

*OMF International: omf.org.uk

The YouTube Bible

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

As part of the celebrations of the anniversary of the King James Bible, one of the many celebratory projects that has been launched is The YouTube Bible. It’s aim is to have video of people reading every chapter in the King James Bible. That’s 1189 chapters!

Prunella Scales and Timothy West read their selections

You’d probably be surprised by the people involved. There are politicians, like Boris Johnson (Isaiah 11) and John Berkow, the Speaker of the House of Commons (Jonah 1). There are writers, including former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion (Ruth 1). Actors Timothy West (Revelation 1) and Prunella Scales (1 Samuel 16)  have contributed, as have academics Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Library, (Jonah 4) and – surprisingly – Richard Dawkins (Song of Songs 2). And Prince Charles has read John 14.

But the King James Bible wasn’t written just for the politicians and royalty. It was written for us everyday folk too. And that’s important in this project. If you are interested in contributing to The YouTube Bible, you can find out how on the website, kingjamesbibletrust.org.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible translation. But in many languages, spoken by more than 300 million people, not even one chapter of the Bible is available. As we contribute to more people hearing the KJB, we can also help more people to hear the word for the first time. Wycliffe Bible Translators are involved in translating the Bible, around the world, for people who have never heard it. Find out how you can give the Bible.

Connecting people

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

Technology can make life a lot simpler. John and Ike, working with a language project in Nigeria, used to have to travel for miles, often over night, to get somewhere they could send off their Bible translation work to be checked. But now, the work of their project will be speeding up.

They are using a satellite modem called BGAN*. It allows them to upload their work from where they are, so it can be sent off as soon as it’s done, saving both time and money. Ike even uses the connection to talk in real-time as he does translation work. Ken Haugh and Phil Harms, who took and set up the new equipment for the project, found the experience more rewarding than they were expecting when the met John and Ike:

We both left truly impressed with these two individuals. Both are so eager and willing to receive and learn more about this new BGAN technology. And, unlike many interested in learning about technology for technology’s sake, these two Godly men are interested because it will increase the pace of the translation. Getting God’s Word into their language is what is first and foremost. Read more on Ken’s blog.

The video below, from Ken, shows John and Ike praising the new technology:

Mgbolizhia Project – An interview with God’s Servant Translators from Ken Haugh on Vimeo.

While translation continues in John and Ike’s language, they live in part of Africa where more than 900 Bible translation projects need to start. Get involved in giving God’s word.

*Broad Global Area Network

Standing Up for God’s Word

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Eddie Arthur, the executive director of Wycliffe Bible Translators, was in Northern Ireland this week, getting excited about the impact of the Bible in the language people understand best, their ‘heart’ language.

Eddie Arthur – Wycliffe Bible Translators from Bangor Worldwide on Vimeo.

You can find out more about the Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention, where Eddie was speaking, on their website, worldwidemission.org.

And you can find out more about being part of God’s mission to share his word with those still waiting to understand it at our website, wycliffe.org.uk.

Wycliffe Bible Translators Philippines

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

A few days ago, I wrote about Wycliffe Benin, who are working with churches in Benin to help everyone have the Bible in their own language. Watch this video to see one way the same is being done in the Philippines.

This is Our Story – The Philippines from Wycliffe Global Alliance on Vimeo.

“And my hope is that other churches will see this example and testimony and they will be inspired to do the same… God has already provided.”

Churches around the world are getting involved in what God is doing through Bible translation, sharing God’s Story in the languages people think and dream in, their ‘heart’ languages. Local Wycliffe organisations, like Wycliffe Bible Translators in Philippines and in the UK, can help your church to get involved with the work.

Find out how your church in the UK could be part of God’s Bible translation work. Although Wycliffe Bible Translators (UK) have no farms at present, we do run a conference centre – the Wycliffe Centre – a proportion of whose profits go to Bible translation!

More about Kande’s Story

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

Kande’s Story — a story used to educate people about Aids which we blogged about a couple of days ago here — is impacting lives across Africa. This report from CBN, an American Christian news channel, looks at how the story is teaching people in a community in Uganda.

You can read more about Kande’s Story on TheWordIsLife.net. Find out about how you could be involved in Wycliffe’s work, as the Scriptures and biproducts of translation change lives now and for eternity.

Listen Again?

Friday, May 27th, 2011

The aim of Bible translation is that people would be able to understand the Bible. This means translating the Bible into the language that people know best, the language they think and dream in.

But for millions around the world, the language they know best isn’t one they read and speak, but one they sign. Wycliffe USA have produced this video which explains a little more about why translations into sign languages are so necessary.

In the latest edition of ONE, Wycliffe USA’s magazine, you can read more about the work going on among Deaf communities in El Salvador.

Find out more about the difference Bible translation into people’s own language can make.

Surveying the Situation

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

A job of adventures and challenges: every day includes something new.  Juliann’s work is a job of contrasts, but always includes new people, languages, cultures and lots of hiking!

Juliann is a language surveyor. This video look at her role is the first of a new series of films from Wycliffe Canada, called ‘Faces of Wycliffe’.

There are more ‘Faces of Wycliffe’ films on the way and many other films at Wycliffe Canada.

Find out how you could be involved in helping people come to know God in their language through Bible translation.