KEEPING TRACK WITH KNOTTED STRINGS

The forest people among whom we lived for a dozen years were, at that time, totally illiterate. A limited number of children learned to read and write in Amharic in our school.

I discovered how they used knots on grass strings to keep track of things. For example, if a husband was going off on a hunt and was due home again in fourteen days, he’d make a grass string and tie a knot on it each day he was off on the hunt. And the wife did the same with her grass string. Both kept track of the days with their knotted strings.

I discovered another use for knotted grass strings the day Argeem, a teen-aged believer, came back after spending some days in her mother’s village a couple of hours up the Godare River.

When she returned with her cassette player, extra cassettes and dead batteries in her bag, she reached in it one more time and pulled out a knotted grass string. On it were thirteen knots. Here’s what she told me.

She said, “These thirteen knots are for thirteen women in my mothers village who told me they wanted to become people of Jesus. I played my ‘radioni” (their name for a cassette player) and told them I was a person of this Jesus about whom the “radioni” was speaking. I told them I haven’t been to school and I am unable to talk like this “radioni” but I know that what it is telling you is true because I am now a person of this Jesus.”

Argeem continued, saying, “Before I left my mothers village there were thirteen women who said to me. ‘Argeem, you take some grass and make a string on your bare leg and then tie a knot on your string for me. I want, also, to become a person of your Jesus.’”

That was a day, I shall never forget. It confirmed my confidence that audio cassettes were communicating the gospel about Jesus Christ effectively. It was these knotted string responses from new believers that eventually led to what has become our Talking Bible ministry. Thanks be to God for His leading and provision.

To learn more visit www.talkingbibles.org website. Also be blessed by the free Bible listening. And you will also enjoy my audio version of the book, “From Knotted Strings to Talking Bibles.” And as the Lord enables, you can make a donation for Talking Bibles right there on-line. Any questions? Call 1-800-318-7262. Thank you for praying.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES LEARNING MORE, PRAYING AND TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

FOCUSING THE MIND WITHOUT NOTES

Living so many years among oral culture people, one comes to admire techniques they have to focus the mind to remember. Let me share a memory.

Years ago, I sat nearby observing two people finalizing a last will or testament. No, they had no paper or pencil! Here’s what I remember.

The one man was telling the other what he wanted to have carried out after he died.
He made several points such as:

1) “There are three cows that Ojulu still owes me as part of our marriage agreement. They must be paid to my oldest son, Omot.”
(The man sitting at his feet takes a piece of stiff grass stem about 4 or
5 inches long and lays it down, repeating the man’s instructions)

2) “There are two strings of beads with another man, Anyara the son of Odola.
Be sure you collect these beads so they stay in the family for another marriage.”
(The man listening, takes another such piece of grass, and lays it down
beside the other one. )

This most solemn conversation continued with four or five stiff grass stem reminders to help focus the mind or memory of the person who will be responsible to carry out this last will or testament.

Lastly, the man speaking his final instructions makes a solemn oath saying, “You are to carry out my dying instructions in every detail. If you fail to do so or change anything I have told you, one of your eyes will fall to the ground.”

As you can well imagine, the solemn character of such a potential curse, prompts the man with the grass stem reminders, to use these reminders frequently as he sits in his village, repeating to himself what each grass stem represents.

For oral culture people with customs such as these, a Talking Bible speaks “good news from God” in their own language. Oral culture people love to hear God speaking to them from their Talking Bible. They remember what they hear. The Holy Spirit enlightens their understanding producing repentance, faith and a new freedom in Christ. Hearts are changed as they entrust their lives to their Savior and Lord. Let God be thanked and praised.

My book is in audio for free listening on our www.talkingbibles.org website. It will give you many examples from our nearly thirty years in Africa. Listeners tell how much they enjoy it. To God alone belongs all the honor and praise!

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READING ORAL CULTURE PEOPLE AND THE BLIND.

BETTER PREACHING AND TALKING BIBLES

A number of pasrors serving oral-culture people tell us how much their preaching has improved since receiving a Talking Bible. I confess that this added blessing is something I had never even thought about previously..

Some pastors serving among oral-culture people tell us that before having a Talking Bible, their preaching was based on those limited, familiar passages in the Bible which they could read well. They tell how their Talking Bible now enables them to read passages in their New Testaments and understand the meaning. Looking at their printed NT text and listening to it at the same time makes the difference. They not only learn to read these passages, previously difficult for them, but they now can prepare their messages from them and read the passage on Sunday without being embarrassed. Their people are blessed because their pastors are blessed with deeper understanding and because they can base their messages on previously closed passages from God’s Word.

Another help from Talking Bibles goes to pastors whose first language is not the same as that of the people they sometimes serve. This is rare, but it does happen.

And, we have a report of a pastor or two who say that they themselves are unable to read, but now preach knowledgeably and confidently because of their having a Talking Bible.

My heart thrills as I think of pastors being blessed to have a Talking Bible. I thank all who read this who help make the Talking Bible ministry possible. I hope you will keep on praying and giving as God enables. Thanks be to God!.

Take a moment to visit www.talkingbibles.org and read some of these inspiring testimonials. You will be blessed!

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES LEARNING MORE, PRAYING AND TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

Phenomenal Memories and Talking Bibles

Having lived among oral culture peoples nearly thirty years in Africa, I learned that people who neither read nor write have phenomenal memories. They can repeat to the minutest details things they have seen and heard. They are way ahead of people like ourselves who read and write and depend upon notes and reminders of various kinds.

Our greatest challenge and opportunity is to put Talking Bibles in the hands of oral culture Christians and their neighbors. It is an effective and doable.

Oral culture people are greatly blessed when they have Talking Bibles in their languages. They not only remember but can, and do, readily share with others what they heard from their Talking Bible.

If people in our churches realized how exactly appropriate a Talking Bible is for non-reading, oral culture people, they would dramatically increase the number of Talking Bibles they put in our hands to send out on their behalf. Our experience is that non-reading people are richly blessed by having a Talking Bible. They not only grow in their own Faith and knowledge of what the Bible says, but they also become effective witnesses for Christ, making new disciples who form new churches. The Talking Bible is a remarkable Church Planting, CP ministry tool of choice.

Read some of the testimonials on our website, www.talkingbibles.org. And be open to letting God lead you to make a donation to enable us to place more and more needed Talking Bibles among the millions of non-reading, pre-literate, oral culture people in India, Africa and among other people groups anywhere in the world. Feel free to call the office at 1-800-318-7262 for more details.

And, please, always remember to bathe the Talking Bible ministry in your daily prayers.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES LEARNING MORE AND TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLE S IN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

A TALKING BIBLE CROSSING THE LINGUISTIC BARRIER

We are thrilled to read the testimonials from people receiving and using their Talking Bibles. I’m especially impressed with the way people speaking a language other than that spoken by the Talking Bible are impacted.

Let me share two ways in which I know the linguistic barrier is overcome. It happens when someone who is a bilingual person hears and understands. This person is drawn to the message because he speaks both his own language and that of the speaker in the Talking Bible. He understands what is being said.

A second way it happens is when someone who is Christian goes out to play his Talking Bible among people who speak a language other than his own. Among the listeners is a bilingual person. He interprets the message speaking to his village people in their own language.

We learn this from the many reports we receive from people having Talking Bibles in their own mother tongue. The Talking Bible attracts listeners and among them are those for whom a bilingual person among them spontaneously speaks the message in the language of this neighboring people group. The linguistic barrier is overcome and previously unreached people come to faith in Christ as the Holy Spirit gives new understanding and faith to believe.

The Talking Bible is used by the Lord in the hands of ordinary people who overcome the linguistic barrier, resulting in new disciples who speak that other language – new disciples, who in turn, make new disciples as they share their new-found faith in Jesus Christ as they learned it from a Talking Bible through some bilingual person in their village.

To learn more visit www.talkingbibles.org. To increase the number who can receive Talking Bibles speaking their languages, make a generous donation today. It is a wonderful, practical way for each of us to have a hand in taking the gospel to people who have yet to hear – taking the Gospel via a Talking Bible with the fantastic good news of what Christ has done to bring us God’s salvation. Let God be praised that we are among those so blessed to have heard this good news and to have been given the gift of saving Faith. Hallelujah!

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TO LEARN MORE AND TO TAKE AN OFFERING TO SEND TALKING BIBLES TO THOSE WHO DO NOT READ AND TO THE BLIND, ON THE WINGS OF PRAYER.

EQUIPPING NATIONAL CHRISTIANS FOR MISSION OUTREACH

We are living in a new information era with possibilities undreamed of only a few short years ago. Mission is now being done in fantastic, additional new ways. In many countries, foreign missionaries are no longer welcomed. We praise God for their pioneer work leading to their being Christian church fellowships among people groups almost everywhere in the world. And these Christians are neighbors to people yet unreached for Christ.

These indigenous Christians need help and encouragement from ministries like Talking Bibles International. If we put Talking Bibles, speaking their languages, in their hands they can and do reach out winning others to Christ. With Talking Bibles we are enabling their spiritual growth and we are equipping them to share the message about Christ with their yet unreached neighbors.

When we put Talking Bibles in the hands of Christians, they, who are on the frontiers of the Christian movement, expand its boundaries. Christians with Talking Bibles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, share the central truth about Christ and make new disciples.

It is these Christians with unreached peoples on their door step, equipped by ministries like Talking Bibles who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, are extending the boundaries of the church. Doors long since closed to foreign missionaries, are open for indigenous Christians. Our challenge and opportunity is to equip them with Talking Bibles for their mission outreach.

If you go to www.talkingbibles.org, you will learn much more and you will have an opportunity to make a donation right there on-line to have a share in this marvelous ministry.

And thank you all for your fervent and frequent prayers for Talking Bibles International.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TO EQUIP NON-READING ORAL CULTURE CHRISTIANS WITH TALKING BIBLES IN THEIR LANGUAGES.

TALKING BIBLES SENDING OUT MISSIONARIES

Talking Bibles is led by missionaries. In fact these missionaries grew up in Africa where they were born to missionary parents. They have an insider’s understanding of what’s required to communicate cross-culturally. They knew more about the indigenous people’s customs than did their missionary parents.

But now these missionary kids are adults. Both of them, Mark and Paul, direct the Talking Bible missionary outreach. Each has an area of expertise.

The missionaries they are sending out are sometimes viewed as being “mechanical missionaries.” i. e. Talking Bibles. These “mechanical missionaries” speak the local language the day they arrive on the field. I had to struggle for months and years to communicate effectively in the local language. But, these “mechanical missionaries” speak the language perfectly the day they arrive – no small advantage!

Amazed, like those people in Acts 2, those listening to these “mechanical missionaries” are also exclaiming, “We hear them speaking in our own language!”

And the marvelous good news is that many who hear are becoming people of Jesus Christ and are being baptized.

These missionaries heading up the Talking Bible “mechanical missionaries” sending organization will send out as many of these as we put in their hands. Let’s determine to do this. I can think of no down side to this effective missionary sending mission. It is cost effective enjoying God’s favor wherever these “mechanical missionaries,” Talking Bibles are sent.

Why not let God use you to add to the numbers who receive God’s Saving Word about Jesus Christ via a Talking Bible speaking in their own heart language? Let God be praised!

If you go to www.talkingbibles.org you can learn much more. You can readily send out a “mechanical missionary” by making an on-line donation. You can also call 1-800-318-7262 for additional information and assistance in sending out your Talking Bible today.

And bathe all you do with prayer and thanks to God.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra –harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TO LEARN MORE AND TO TAKE A SPECIAL OFFERING TO SEND OUT TALKING BIBLES TO THOSE WHO DO NOT READ AND TO THE BLIND.

A SPECIAL SUNDAY IN YOUR CHURCH

Any church that catches the vision can decide to observe a special Sunday to focus on Talking Bibles. I've referred to such a special Sunday as being a Talking Bible Sunday.

The name is not important. Call it your church's Sunday to learn more about the Talking Bible ministry and to take a special offering to help provide more Talking Bibles. A church may have a particular people group to which you want to send its Talking Bibles for which its special offering is taken.

I'm confident the Lord will raise up someone in your church to learn as much as possible from the www.talkingbibles.org website, from the Talking Bible Sunday Info Packet and by talking to someone in the office at 1-800-318-7262. The office will send your church a Talking Bible to demonstrate on your special Sunday and then keep for your own Care-giving ministry among your own members.

Let me encourage you to pray about this. Be open to what the Lord shows you. He will give you a wonderful special Sunday filled with joy and blessing. Take just 10 to 12 minutes in a regular worship service for your special Sunday when you focus on Talking Bibles for people who need Bibles but do not read. I am confident God will make this a special Sunday of joy in your church.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra - harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN YOUR CHURCH AND MINE TO HELP PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READING, ORAL CULTURE PEOPLE.

TALKING BIBLE MISSIONARIES

I view people serving with Talking Bibles as being missionaries doing missionary work in a way we traditional missionaries serving way back then could not do. Thanks be to God.

In a manner similar to how my family serving as missionaries in Africa was supported those many years by PIM congregations, so I would love to see the missionary leaders serving with Talking Bibles International, similarly, supported now. I’m pleased to see significant numbers of churches viewing themselves as being Partners in Mission (PIM) congregations taking annual shares in the financial support of the people serving with Talking Bibles International. Those who head up the ministry need that kind of relationship with faithful PIM congregations. Such PIM churches are greatly blessed by their doing this and the TB Int’l missionaries are blessed to engage most effectively in this essential, unfinished mission task.

Not only are Talking Bible personnel serving as missionaries, but many of the oral culture people receiving Talking Bibles also become missionaries to their previously unreached people.

They do missionary like work when they take their Talking Bibles and invite others to listen in other homes or in other villages and towns. And the exciting good news is that many who hear God speaking to them from this Talking Bible, under the power of the Holy Spirit, become disciples of Christ and are baptised.

Learn more about how your church, too, can partner with Talking Bibles International in this essential, unfinished mission task. Go to www.talkingbibles.org or call 1-800-318-7262.

And, with thanks to God, let us all uphold this vital ministry with our fervent and frequent prayers.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN CHURCHES EVERYWHERE LEARNING MORE AND TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING FOR TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

TALKING BIBLES AND PIM CHURCHES (2)

A PIM church is a congregation that commits to Partner in Mission with a particular mission or its missionary. A PIM church partnering with Talking Bibles includes this ministry in its annual budget. A PIM church is committed to do this on a continuing basis for multiple years.

A PIM church views Talking Bible personnel as being their missionaries whom they uphold in prayer and support financially. PIM churches develop close personal ties with their TB Int’l missionary families. PIM churches anticipate and welcome visits by their TB Int’l missionaries and their sharing about the ministry at mutually acceptable times.

I’m excited to see the number of churches that are currently PIM churches supporting their missionaries heading up the Talking Bible Ministry. I am praying that their numbers will continue to increase, bringing blessing both to the PIM church and to their Talking Bible missionaries and their mission.

I believe churches are open to becoming PIM churches when they learn how God is using Talking Bibles to reach the lost and to build up their walk with Christ in the light of His word. A church prayerfully considers becoming a PIM congregation when it recognizes that Talking Bibles in an additional and effective way to engage in the unfinished, global missionary task in obedience to Christ’s final instructions to his disciples when he said:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

To learn more go to www.talkingbibles.org or call 1-800-318-7262.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES LEARNING MORE AND TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

HOW FINANCE THESE ESSENTIAL MINISTRIES ? (1)

How to finance essential ministries like Talking Bibles International is a real challenge.Years ago, serving as denominational missionaries supported by our board of world missions, we never worried about our personal support. The Board, perhaps, did, but we never had a concern. Our world mission board raised its money for our salaries and ministry expenses through the many Partnership in Mission (PIM) churches they had enlisted to provide an agreed upon annual share of financial support.
We loved this relationship with our Board and with those PIM congregations. We developed close ties with many of those PIM congregations. They took a special interest in our family and in our missionary activities. It was a wonderful arrangement for both Board, churches and us missionaries.

I have often pondered how something similar might be possible for ministries like Talking Bibles International. My observation is that it is a challenge to have donor partners recognize that there is a significant difference between the actual cost of a Talking Bible and the placing of a Talking Bible in someone’s hands in places like India or Africa.

For a Talking Bible to be designed, manufactured, loaded with a NT in a desired language and placing that TB among non-reading people, many cost factors need to be recognized and provided for with adequate funding. It is a huge challenge.

Let’s go back to the beginning. For there to be a Talking Bible Ministry, before anything could happen, there had to be people of vision and passion to lead it. There were and these same people formed an organization which they lead. To do that they had to have an adequate building to house the ministry. Their own salaries and those of essential staff members had to be funded. And they needed computers, recording equipment and programs to carry out the ministry. Etc.

From where would the money to do such a ministry come? How would the difference in cost to manufacture the Talking Bible and the total essential costs to fund a Talking Bible Ministry be communicated effectively to donor and potential donor partners?

This, I suspect it is an ongoing challenge. In my next blog, I hope to share some additional perspectives which may be helpful. Meanwhile, let me invite you to visit www.talkingbibles.org and learn much more about this marvelous ministry.

Because they need to hear,

Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TO LEARN MORE AND TO HELP FUND TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

TWO ESSENTIAL, RELATED, UNFINISHED MISSION TASKS

Bible translation and audio Bibles are inextricably linked. Let’s talk about New Testament translations and Talking Bibles.

Bible translation is an essential mission of the church. Without the work of the Bible translators there are no translations of the New Testament in any of the innumerable spoken languages. Theirs is a foundational work upon which every Audio Bible Ministry currently depends. Bible Translation is an essential, unfinished mission task.

The exciting good news is that in this information age the work of the Bible translators is greatly enhanced when their costly, time consuming, sacrificial labors are also made available as audio recordings and made available in listening devices like the Talking Bible. Instead of the limited number of those learning to read having access to these printed New Testament translations, the vastly larger numbers of preliterate and non-readers have immediate access by hearing them with a digital, audio listening device like our Talking Bible.

Because these two ministries are so foundational and integrally related, I keep calling for all God’s people, churches, Christian businesses, foundations, the Bible Societies and whoever to pray for and to provide the needed funds.

On the website, www.talkingbibles.org learn more Read the encouraging testimonials from people blessed by their having Talking Bibles. I thank you for praying for these essential ministries and for supporting them financially.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN YOUR CHURCH AND MINE TO LEARN MORE AND TO TAKE A SPECIAL OFFERING FOR TALKING BIBLES.

BOYHOOD MEMORIES OF A MISSION MINDED CHURCH

My brothers and I grew up in a Christian family living on an 80 acre farm in a rural community in Minnesota some fifty five miles NW of Minneapolis. I recall how our family attended those special nights when missionaries from overseas shared visuals of their overseas work and spoke in our small church.

Bill Mol, a member of the church, owned his own filling station and garage. He always parked his Ford coupe beside the church in which he had brought a noisy gasoline powered generator to provide power for the pictures. Our family looked forward to this special night.

Our small church had an active Women’s Missionary Prayer Band. These women met every Thursday afternoon. I believe there were only two women in our church who drove a car. I still remember how I’d be crawling on my hands and knees weeding in the garden when Nellie Mol drove by on the road just up the hill from me. She always blew the horn and the women waved vigorously. I knew they were going to their weekly missionary prayer band meeting, because my mother attended too.

I recall hearing how these women shared information about our church’s missionaries. Someone would be asksing, “Has anyone heard from the Scudders in India?” Or it might be, “Has anyone heard from Dr. Zwemer in Arabia?” etc. Anyone who had a letter from a missionary read it. They had a time to prayer for their missionaries. And before this band of ladies closed their meeting, they took an offering to send to the World Mission Board in New York to help fund their missionaries.

Ours was a Mission Minded Church. Reflecting on those boyhood memories, I’m sure God used them to plant a seed in the heart of a young boy which one day flowered into his becoming a missionary himself. God swings His doors on small hinges. Those women in that car, blowing the horn and waving at a farm kid on his knees pulling weeds in the garden went into the making of this missionary. How I thank and praise God for our small mission minded church and those faithful women and their weekly mission meetings.

As I write I’m praying that God will create a similar interest and passion in the hearts of His people for our wonderful Talking Bible Ministry. I’m praying for hundreds, even thousands, of churches to become passionately mission minded to pray for and help fund Talking Bibles of the translated Scriptures for the multitude of non-reading people who have become Christians but need God’s Word in audio to grow close to Christ and strong in their faith and witness to others.

I’m praying God will raise up generous, praying people in all our churches. I pray that our churches will truly become MISSION MINDED CHURCHES.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: MISSION MINDED CHURCHES OBSERVING A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY TO LEARN MORE AND TO HAVE A SPECIAL OFFERING TO HELP PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

“A MISSION MINDED CHURCH”

Years ago when we came back from Africa for our furloughs and were speaking in many different churches, we viewed some churches as being “A MISSION MINDED CHURCH.” Sometimes it was our personal observation. At other times it was how another person would describe a particular congregation as being “A MISSION MINDED CHURCH.”

Lavina and I loved speaking in what we and others described as being “A MISSION MINDED CHURCH.” Such congregations had been praying for their missionaries whom they had been supporting. They were “PARTNER IN MISSION” (PIM) congregations. We called them “Supporting Churches.” They had pledged a level of financial support to our denominational Board of World Missions that had appointed us to serve as their missionaries in Africa. These PIM congregations had corresponded with us while we were overseas. They had been praying for their missionaries. They had focused prayed for us when they learned of illnesses, injuries or when we had special challenges. A MISSION MINDED CHURCH bonded with its missionaries viewing them like family members. There was a deep bond of love in Christ between us. On furloughs we eagerly anticipated visiting such MISSION MINDED CHURCHES.

Developing this kind of missionary bond with PIM churches is not as easy for missionaries serving with ministries like Talking Bibles International. But it is crucially important. I pray for many additional congregations to become our PIM churches that support the Talking Bible Ministry. I long for these churches to become our partner MISSION MINDED CHURCHES, praying for, financially supporting, volunteering, and eager to learn all they can about the ministry.

We thank God for many such “MISSION MINDED CHURCHES” already partnering with the Talking Bible Ministry. They hear the reports from overseas telling the marvelous accounts of people coming to faith in Christ. These reports tell how lives are dramatically changed. They tell how people with Talking Bibles become missionaries reaching their own unreached people for Christ, and much more.

Learn more from the website, www.talkingbibles.org. Be open to the Lord leading you to make a donation even today. Give someone a Talking Bible. Feel free to call 1-800-318-7262 . May God bless all who read this.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: MISSION MINDED CHURCHES OBSERVING A TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY TO LEARN MORE AND TO TAKE AN OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

“… AND DECLARED ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE …”

These title words are from Acts 14:27. The entire verse was one of my favorites during our furloughs from overseas. Here’s the entire verse: “And when they arrived, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

The apostle, Paul and Barnabas, had been commissioned to go out as missionaries by the church in Antioch. After many months and many miles they are back. It says they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them. But they had more exciting news to share. They had witnessed how non Jewish people, the gentiles, had come to faith in Jesus Christ. Wow! God had done more than they had expected.

As furloughing missionaries, Lavina and I loved this verse of Scripture. It set the stage for us to do similarly. We thrilled to tell our supporting churches what God had done – how people in Africa were coming to Christ. We had some thrilling stories to share about the power of Christ to save and change lives.

That was in years gone by. Now I keep praying for and calling churches to observe a Talking Bible Sunday. It’s an Acts 14:27 Sunday when someone reports on people coming to Christ and tells how lives are changed because of the power of God’s spoken word via a Talking Bible.

Please pray with me for an Acts 14:27 Sunday in your church and mine when the church is gathered together to hear all that God is doing through the Talking Bible. To God belongs the honor, praise and glory!

Learn more from www.talkingBibles.org or call 1-800-318-7262. Let God use you. Be part of what God is doing. Make a donation on line or in whatever way you choose. Be a missionary via a Talking Bible you send to India, Africa or to the ends of the earth.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

P. S. My book is in audio from the website. It’s like our Acts 14:27 report to the churches.

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN YOUR CHURCH AND MINE TO LEARN ABOUT TALKING BIBLES AND SEND THEM OUT TO NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

SOMETHING ANY CHURCH CAN DO

A Talking Bible Sunday is a designated Sunday on which a church calls special attention to what Talking Bibles are and do.

On a Talking Bible Sunday, a visiting speaker or someone from within the congregation itself is given 10 or 12 minutes of time during a regular worship service. The TB Sunday speaker shows a Talking Bible and demonstrates how it functions. The speaker calls attention to why non-reading people in oral cultures need their Scriptures in audio. And the speaker shares several testimonials from persons whose lives were impacted by their having received a Talking Bible in their language.

The congregation is asked to pray for the Talking Bible Ministry. And on their Talking Bible Sunday a special offering is taken to provide Talking Bibles in a needed language. Sometimes, in consultation with the office, churches designate their offering for a language group in which they have a special interest.

Any church can do this. God blesses both the church and those receiving Talking Bibles this church’s special offering provides. Every church doing this makes an essential difference in whether or not a person or group needing a Talking Bible gets one or does not get one.

Let me encourage you to persuade your church to do this to the glory of God. Visit www.talkingbibles.org to learn more or call 1-800-318-7262.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES WITH A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

OTHER ASPECTS TO BIBLE TRANSLATING

I can only share with certainty from my own personal experience as a Bible translator. I suspect other Bible translators have similar experiences. Every translation session began with earnest prayer thanking God for the privilege and asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

When my team and I began serious Bible translation, I was still learning the language in which we were translating. My English speaking informant was also learning how to understand the English language. Many of our earliest translations were revisited and revised as we progressed – my informant in his English and me in my Anuak.

I recall how I went out to the nearby villages with typed up copies of verses from a day’s translation. I’d try to read it and see if they could understand me. I watched for signs that indicated how readily it was understood. In the early stages any conclusions drawn, while important, had to be very tentative. But, gradually over the years, the value of this kind of testing with village folks proved to be extremely helpful, even essential.

Two important prayer requests: Please pray daily for all who are translating the Scriptures. And pray for Talking Bibles’ ministry audio recording completed Bible translations and providing them as Talking Bibles for all who cannot read.

To learn more check the www.talkingbibles.org website or give the office a call – 1-800-318-7262. If you can, make a donation today to give someone a Talking Bible in that person’s own language. May God bless you to bring His blessing to others.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR NON-READERS AND THE BLIND.

DOING A WRITTEN TRANSLATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

I recently described how we did an oral translation of the New Testament in an unwritten language. That kind of translation needs to be considered if there are Christians for whom no written translation is being done.

Today I’m sharing about how I did a traditional, written translation of the New Testament in a written language, the Anuak language in Africa. .
This is how we translated a New Testament nearly sixty years ago before there were computers. We were a team of three persons -- an eighth grade level Anuak person who had learned considerable English in school, a non-literate person who knew only his own language and myself. . I used 3 by 5 slips of paper, on which I wrote a each translated verse, and then, using a typewriter, typed these up at the end of each day. I was greatly helped in that a missionary colleague, Kitty Crandall, had taught a young Anuak man how to type. One could almost view him as being a fourth member of our translation team.

Having a non-literate, non-English speaking person on the team forced us to discuss our translation in the Anuak language. This was important. Every expression in Anuak had to make sense to this man before it was written as a final draft on a 3 by 5 slip of paper. In fact this man had to be able to say this translated verse accurately and naturally before it was acceptable as our final translation.

On my desk I had two book stands – one for my Greek NT and the other for my RSV English New Testament, the version I used. A small stack of available English translations of the Bible was on the corner of my desk. These served like instant commentaries when further clarification to understand the exact meaning of the text was needed.

We worked at this in a disciplined way almost every single working day. It took us a little over ten years before our final manuscript was delivered to the American Bible Society. ABS printed the first 1,000 copies. A small Reformed Church in NW Iowa provided the $10,000 enabling ABS to do this without delay.. The first 5 copies were delivered to us via MAF, the day they flew us out of Pibor because of the government’s order expelling missionaries from the Sudan.

The last words we heard when that parcel with those five printed copies of the Anuak New Testament was opened were these: “We do not understand why our government is forcing you to leave our country, but we want you to know that you are leaving behind God’s best gift. You have given us His word in our language.”

Let us pray fervently and frequently for all who are currently translating the New Testament in the many remaining languages. And let us pray for needed additional translators, many of whom are now indigenous teams, to complete this important unfinished task in World Mission. And pray for ministries like ours who make these time consuming, costly, sacrificial translations available in audio for the larger numbers of people, who are a non-reading, oral culture people.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES TAKING A SPECIAL OFFERING TO PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES FOR ALL WHO DO NOT READ AND FOR THE BLIND.

WHY TALKING BIBLES COMMUNICATE SO EFFECTIVELY

The foundational truth is that the Bible in any language is the inspired Word of God. There is power in the Word because it is in very truth the Word of God. In every conversation this is an understood!

But, there is also another extremely important component. The Bible translators have played a key role, resulting in an effective communication. The Bible translators have wrestled with every cross-cultural communication challenge to have an accurate, readily understandable translation of every concept encountered in the text of Scripture.

Because the Bible translator has done the essential spade work, the difficult challenges in effective cross-cultural communication have been addressed. They had to determine how to translate such basic words as “love, believe, repent, justification, sin, forgiveness, to be holy” and all the others.

When one thinks about it carefully, it makes total sense that the translated New Testament in the listener’s own language is bound to communicate effectively. It should thrill our hearts, but not surprise us, when we hear the testimonials of people of different cultures telling how their lives have been changed by their hearing God speak to them from their Talking Bibles.

We thank God for churches everywhere that place more and more Talking Bibles in needed languages in our hands, as we send them out on their behalf. Together we are effective missionaries, making disciples who also go out and make additional disciples using their Talking Bibles to tell this good news from God centering in Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for His people who have the vision and burden to partner in this inspiring, effective Talking Bible Ministry. “The fields are white unto the harvest.” And with God all things are possible!

Learn more. Visit www.talkingbibles.org. Or call the office and explore how you can help and make an essential difference. Just call 1-800-318-7262. Be a missionary, in this new sort of way, by helping send out countless numbers of Talking Bibles in whatever language is needed. Thanks be to God. To Him belongs all the glory, praise and thanksgiving.

Because they need to hear,
Harvey Hoekstra – harvey@talkingbibles.org
www.talkingbibles.org

Goal: AN ANNUAL TALKING BIBLE SUNDAY IN THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES WITH A SPECIAL OFFERING TO HELP PROVIDE TALKING BIBLES.