The Wycliffe Associates, a Christian organization with the vision of making the Bible available in every language and to accelerate Bible translation around the world by empowering national translators and equipping the local church to translate God’s work into every language, has paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, at the church’s General Headquarters in La, Accra, on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
The team was led by Apostle Samuel Kojo Gakpetor, Co-ordinator for the National Discipleship and Leadership Development Committee (NDLDC) who doubles as the Agormanya Area Head of the church, and some National Executive Committee (NEC) Members of the NDLDC.
The purpose of the visit was to familiarize themselves with the headquarters of the church and to show appreciation to the Chairman for the church’s collaboration with their institution for the just ended Oral Bible Translation Workshop which took place from October 31 to November 2, 2022 at Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa Fetteh, near Kasoa Ghana.
The leader of the Wycliffe Associates team, Rev. Melchizedek Eleazar Atienza (GCBT-STRIKE Manager), indicated that the partnership between his organization and The Church of Pentecost with respect to ministry to the oral peoples is the most recent of these strategies.
“It is in view of this partnership that we organized the 3-day workshop that aims to provide methodology, strategy and technology for Oral Bible Translation, and in so doing, produce first Oral Scriptures in 10 languages,” he affirmed.
Speaking on what was accomplished in the 3-day training workshop, he revealed that a total of 60 Oral Bible Translations (OBTs) in 10 languages were completed and as a result, for the very first time, people can now hear God’s word in Andrendaa (Ahanta), Chakalli, Challa, Dagaare, Jelgoore (Fulfulde), Komba, Kotokoli, Nabt, Talen and Mampruli languages.
“We believe that what we have accomplished today is just the beginning; greater things are yet to come with more Scripture portions to be translated which will enable many language groups to hear God speak to them in their heart languages,” he stated.
Apostle Eric Nyamekye, on his part, revealed that the Vision 2023 of The Church of Pentecost stresses the need to possess the nations for Christ by equipping the Church to transform every sphere of society with kingdom values and principles. He added that as part of the interventions to achieve this, the NDLDC started to produce audio versions of all discipleship manuals in the local languages for oral people groups and members who expressed interest in them.
“What the Wycliffe Associates have brought on board, that is equipping our facilitators in training (FITs) and Heart Language Translators (HLTs) to produce oral Bibles to Bibleless groups through Oral Bible Translations is a great initiative which is in line with the Possessing the Nations Agenda,” Apostle Nyamekye said.
The Chairman expressed his appreciation to the Wycliffe Associates for the huge investment made in the project. He, on behalf of the church, presented traditional smock to the Wycliffe Associates team.
In attendance was the General Secretary of the Church, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, Pastor Benedict Eghan (Personal Assistant to the Chairman), Apostle J.B.K. Tawiah (NDLDC NEC Member and Kwadaso Area Head), Bishop Dr. Jose Abraham (Global Training Initiative Manager), Mr. Mark Foster (Global Training Initiative Director), Pastor Raymond Andaya (Translation Project Manager) and Mr. Alejandro Lactaw (IT Service Director).
Report by Pastor Ernest Perbi-Asare, Oral Bible Translation Project Coordinator.