International (MNN) – The outlook on mission workers is a bit outdated. Many still envision missionaries as pioneers starting work and projects from scratch. While this may be true of some areas, a majority of ministry work has changed over the years.
“There are a lot of misconceptions just based on hero stories about missionaries that were very true from their time or even the experiences of some of the early missionaries as they went out, and I think it’s good to talk about how those things are different today,” Wycliffe Bible Translators’ Jennifer Holloran says.
“Today, we live in a world where really, missions is happening from everywhere to everywhere, and that means that when we look at modern missions, it means that as people go out, they’re going to get the opportunity to work in multi-cultural teams. They might even be working under local leadership.”
Holloran explains Gospel workers gain experience in living out the culture they’re in. They establish a network with the community and other collaborating organizations to reach different places with the Gospel.
The Need for People
While there are differences in the mission field today, one distinct similarity remains — the need for people.
“We still need people who are passionate about God’s Word.”
Holloran says when people think about Wycliffe, they often believe they can’t work with the ministry because they’re not linguists.
This, however, is not true.
With the changing field, there comes a desperate need for people with different skill sets.
“There’s still lots of work to do in Bible translation even as we work alongside partners to see everyone have access to God’s Word in a language that speaks to them,” Holloran says.
“So, right now, of the more than 7,000 languages in the world, there [are] still over 2,000 that don’t have Bible translations started in their language. So, that means that we have a lot of opportunity.”
Wycliffe is looking for people with financial training, HR specialists, IT workers, marketing and communications workers, and more.
(Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible Translators via Facebook)
“We need people who do have skills or who are willing to get skills, but who are also flexible and adaptable and willing to allow God to shape and mold them through the learning experience that they’re going to go through.”
Support in the Field
Wycliffe knows to start out, specifically in fundraising, is intimidating. This is why they come alongside workers and offer extensive training and partnership development to help them get started.
As a result, they’ve found that most people meet their financial goals in a year or less.
“We have seen people be successful and God be faithful over and over again. It’s not just a blessing for the person receiving the funds. It’s also a blessing for the community around them that is getting to participate in Bible translation in a new way.”
Whatever your skills are, Wycliffe is looking for people like you to help share the message of Christ around the globe.
