International (MNN) — Christ’s hope remains inaccessible to billions worldwide. These communities are unreached because significant barriers prevent them from receiving the Gospel.
For example, two-thirds of the global population relies primarily on verbal instead of written communication. Approximately half of them have no idea who Jesus is because believers developed most of today’s Christian resources for literate communities.
Believers use Oral Bible Translation in places where people prefer the spoken word over written text. Oral techniques also prove effective in ministry to the Deaf, another unreached population.
Bible storying, a useful method in oral communities, helps DOOR International reach unreached Deaf people.
“Specific important passages from Scripture like Creation, the Fall, God’s call on Abraham, all of these pivotal passages lead someone to understand why we need a Messiah,” DOOR CEO/President Rob Myers says.
DOOR combines storying with a Deaf-friendly translation style. This allows Deaf believers to understand Scripture and apply it to their lives. “That is the approach we call Chronological Bible Translation (CBT),” Myers says.
“Some people misunderstand that Chronological Bible Translation is just storying, but it is translation. [Believers translate] particular passages for immediate use by the growing (Deaf) church.”
Chronological Bible Translation (CBT) builds a foundation for spiritual growth through features like chronological order, group processing, and informational segments.
(Photo, caption courtesy of DOOR International)
Each Chronological Bible Translation consists of 110 biblical narratives from Genesis to Revelation. As explained here, CBT is an essential component of DOOR’s work in Deaf-led church planting and discipleship.
“They (church planting and Bible translation) interlink with one another, but Bible translation has to be for edifying, equipping, and sending the Church out to fulfill the Great Commission,” Myers says.
Ask God to empower believers who use techniques like Chronological Bible Translation and Oral Bible Translation to make Christ known, whether they speak God’s Word or sign it.
In the header image, Deaf editors work on a sign language Bible translation. (Photo courtesy of DOOR International)
