Bridge to God’s Word

As my translation team works through the book of Titus, I thought it would be fun to look at it in podcast form as well. We will consider the issues that are specific to translation, which are different than the types of things you might consider in devotional study. This podcast looks at the introduction - verses 1 through 4, and considers issues like how to translate "slave", how to translate "God's elect", and how to make it clear that Titus isn't Paul's biological son.

Come along with our translation team as we draft Titus! Join me as a I go through the book of Titus as I would with our translation team, considering issues that are specific to translation and thinking about how to clearly, naturally, and faithfully express those concepts in another language. This episode gives the background that we need before starting to translate.

Join us in the translation room in this podcast! Our primary task while I was in Africa was Exegetical Checking - checking a text that has been drafted to revise it and make it as accurate as possible. Get a glimpse of what it was like as you hear our translators talking through the text together.

There are many "support" roles that are essential to Bible translation, one of which is a teacher. Missionary teachers allow families to stay on the mission field by providing quality education for their kids, which also allows parents to work at various aspects of translation while the kids are in school. In this episode, meet Mindy, who is our teacher here in West Africa. She is an essential part of our team! Hear a little about her call to teaching, to missions, and to Africa.

While I'm in West Africa, I wanted to give you a look at some of the people who are working here, and who have dedicated their lives to Bible Translation! This is Marty and Tina, who started working here in 1995, and have faithfully dedicated their lives to this translation project. It's a bit longer than usual, but their story is worth the listen!

Now we reach the end of the story of the Bible. This podcast looks at the spread of the Gospel from Israel to the ends of the earth, and then considers our part as the modern day church in the story of the Bible. But, the story doesn't end there. The Bible gives us a peak into the final conclusion of the whole Biblical story in the book of Revelation. Christ is victorious! 

The promise has been fulfilled! However, the end of the story isn't quite here yet. The New Testament tells the story of how the sin problem is actually solved through Christ. This podcast looks at the beginning of the book of Acts, and the first church as it learns to live as a community of believers and as God's new temple, and also as they prepare to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

The first part of the New Testament introduces the fulfillment of God's plan for redemption! This is done through the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ. This podcast considers Jesus' birth, his ministry of power, his teaching of the Kingdom of God, and how God's plan is fulfilled through his death and resurrection. The Kingdom is opened!

Now that we have completed the Old Testament, we are moving on to the New Testament! This podcast has a bit of review - looking at the overall storyline of the Bible and the major themes and promises introduced in the Old Testament. Then, we move into the New Testament, looking at the structure of the books and how that fits the storyline of the Bible. Along with that, we consider how the major themes of the Old Testament are brought out in the New.

At the end of the Old Testament, the Israelites return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, relearn the law, and wait for the Promised One to come. In the New Testament, not only is the Temple rebuilt, but we see a fully functioning religious system, with Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, scribes, and rabbis. So how did this change happen? This podcast looks at the many political and religious changes that happened between the Old Testament and New Testament - changes that prepared the world for the Messiah.