Streams of Prayer for 9 July 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 9 July 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
July 7, 2024 – July 13, 2024
Church
The current theme for Streams of Prayer is Church, one of the Alliance’s seven Participation Streams. (See Statements regarding Wycliffe Global Alliance’s relationship with the Church.)
As an Alliance, we believe that the purpose of the local church is to glorify God through participation in his mission: drawing people to Christ and to make disciples. All who are part of the Alliance have the opportunity to serve the Church and complement its ministry as we collaborate in Bible translation movements. We also seek to listen to and learn from churches worldwide in order to build strong relationships for mutual encouragement and equipping.
Together, we seek to encourage the meaningful, unique and complementary roles in God’s mission that he leads each church and organisation to fulfil. Join us as we pray for Alliance organisations engaged in the Church Participation Stream and for the worldwide church as it participates in Bible translation movements.
Pastor Ameth Rangel of Veracruz Foursquare Church in Veracruz, Panama, talked about his church’s involvement in Bible translation in 2019. Photo: Rodney Ballard
A Church Engagement Department department at work: Ghana
The Church Engagement Department of Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT) has actively pursued the engagement of the Ghanaian church in Bible translation endeavours. Recognizing that the church stands as the ultimate beneficiary of translated Scriptures, the importance of this partnership cannot be overstated. Thank God for the evidence from over 42 communities where GILLBT operates, which underscores the profound impact of translated Scriptures in Ghana. Thank God also for the dedicated team that fosters dialogue and collaboration with church administrations. Praise God for an initiative that brought about an effective partnership with the Salvation Army of Ghana. Pray for fruitful and lasting partnerships with churches. Pray that the efforts to engage the church in Ghana will contribute more to advance the vital mission of making the Word of God accessible to all.
Sharing about Bible translation in Christian radio programs: Paraguay
To share more about Bible translation, LETRA Paraguay is conducting weekly programs on a Christian radio station with nationwide reach. The programs tell about the work, needs and challenges of Bible translation in order to raise awareness in the church about the importance of the Bible and the relevance of translation. Programs address topics such as: ‘The Bible, God’s book’, ‘How did the Bible come down to us?’ and analysis of specific Hebrew and Greek words. Thank God for the opportunity this programming presents. Pray that more people will become aware of the work of Bible translation and that these programs will awaken in the listeners and the church the desire to support and serve in the Bible translation movement.
Helping Sunday school ministry in partner church: Singapore
Praise the Lord for the opportunity to help with the Sunday school ministry for a partner church in April. Wycliffe Singapore staff members Michelle and Grace taught classes of children ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 12, helping the children understand missions. Pray for more opportunities to serve one another and for relationships between partner churches and Wycliffe Singapore to continue to thrive.
Church- and community-based based Bible translation: Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea
Pray for Rev. Isaac Wilson and his team of facilitators with the United Church Papuan Islands Region (UCPIR) in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Rev. Wilson and two others completed a facilitators training in May in Vanuatu for Church and Community-Based Bible Translation (CCBBT). The CCBBT curriculum follows an oral Bible translation storying process. It incorporates quality assurance led by local, church-identified leaders such as a pastor or someone with biblical training or translation experience. The UCPIR is also working to support the growth of CCBBT with the Kwato and Anglican churches in Milne Bay, PNG, among the languages in the province. They are developing a core group of facilitators who can help communities locally and regionally. Pray that those who received this training both in Vanuatu and PNG will help contextualise CCBBT in their own environments and be able to help train local churches and communities.
Partners in Hope Run: Slovakia
On 1 June, the ninth Wycliffe Slovakia annual Partners in Hope Run was held in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. This benefit run was co-organized by two local church congregations, two church schools (Lutheran Gymnasium and Christian Primary School Narnia) and two charities (Wycliffe Slovakia and Hope for Children). Money was raised for Bible translation projects and social work with Roma children in Slovakia. Wycliffe Slovakia staff are grateful for this collaboration of churches, schools and organisations and for the passionate people involved. Thank God for those willing to sacrifice their time and energy to organise this annual event. Thank God also for the willing donors who sponsor participants each year.
Engaging Chinese Australian churches through discovery trip: Australia
Pray for the next Go MAD (Ministry Adventure and Discovery) trip to outback Australia. This is giving Chinese-speaking believers from Australia the opportunity to visit an Aboriginal community where Bible translation is happening. Pray for smooth logistics and great relationship development, for His glory. Jessie Wei, who serves as a recruiter for Wycliffe Australia engaging Australian Chinese churches, is helping to coordinate the trip. Pray for her as she helps organise the details, and pray that God will bring along everyone on that trip that he wants to come.
Established by the church, serving with the church: Central African Republic
As a parachurch organisation, the Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et l’Alphabétisation (ACATBA) was set up by 13 evangelical denominations. Praise God for this collaboration of churches that birthed this organisation to serve Bible translation movements in Central African Republic. Thank God for the various strategies that have been put in place over time to involve and further strengthen relations with churches. Some of these include contact visits, discussions and vision sharing with church leaders, ACATBA Sundays in churches and missio Dei (mission of God) conferences with denominational presidents. Thank God for the multiform support that the churches show to ACATBA and to the translation programmes. Pray that ACATBA will be able to respond to the needs of the church.
Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
Valrie McCarthy
Language Development Officer
Wycliffe Caribbean
7A South Avenue
Kingston 5
JAMAICA, W. I.
876 754 9334, 908 2970, 582 6592
Let us know if you wish also to receive the “Streams of Prayer” bulletin sent to your inbox. If so, send us an email at webmaster@gmc-mca.org and we will gladly add you to our list.
