Supplement: Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada

The Pentecost season is a great time to connect with Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada.

Acts 2 describes the first Christian Pentecost. These events beautifully describe the mission and vision of Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada.

1. The Holy Spirit came and filled the believers gathered in Jerusalem. (Acts 2:2-3) This is the “power from on high” that Jesus told them to wait for. (Luke 24:49)

2. The Holy Spirit came with His fire, igniting a passion for spreading the gospel to all nations. (Acts 2:3-4)

3. The Word of God was translated into the mother tongue language of each person who gathered where the disciples were. (Acts 2:6)

4. The Holy Spirit worked through that translated Word creating faith in Jesus in 3,000 people that day. (Acts 2:37-41) These same things are true for believers in Jesus today. And they are especially apparent in those serving with Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada. The Spirit works through them with great power and ignites in them a passion for spreading the gospel by making it available in more languages.

That Word is proclaimed in those mother tongues in worship services and Bible study groups to strengthen and encourage the Christians in those language communities.

That Word is shared through Bibles published in those mother tongues and electronic devices embedded with audio versions of those translated Scriptures. The printed and audio versions are distributed throughout those language communities so that people can receive that lifegiving Word. The Holy Spirit works through that translated Word and is bringing more and more people to know Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.

LBTC missionaries and their partner organizations develop Bible study groups, listening groups, and literacy classes among non-Christians in these communities so that those who are being brought to faith in Jesus are encouraged through the fellowship of other Christians.

Both LBTC missionary families, Kuhns and Webers, returned to Cameroon toward the end of 2020. They returned with many changes happening in their missionary callings.

The Webers returned to wrap up their nearly forty years of LBTC service in Cameroon. They sorted through their many belongings, giving away many treasures to their friends and colleagues. They also sorted through forty years of papers, a treasury of Bible translation work, giving much of it to LBT US and LBTC missionaries and partners in the Bible translation work in Cameroon.

The Kuhns returned to Cameroon as well after their COVID-extended furlough. In the weeks that Kuhns and Webers were together in Ngaoundere two major events took place.

First was the Passation de Service a “changing of the guard” sort of event where the Cameroon Lutheran Church (EELC) leadership served as witnesses to Pastor Kuhn taking over the position of LBTC/ US representative for Cameroon from Martin Weber. Pastor David Federwitz (LBT US West Africa Regional Director) and Pastor Mohr both attended that event via digital means and spoke at length about both Martin’s service and Pastor Kuhn’s abilities and gifts to fulfill what that position requires.

Pastor Kuhn has his office in the Bible House next door to Pastor Touka’s office. This is an excellent arrangement. They are in regular contact with each other and are developing a great working relationship. Whenever someone from one of the language groups comes to visit one of them, they make sure the other is introduced and takes part in the meeting when appropriate.

Pastor Kuhn has been familiarizing himself with the various language communities and translation teams so that he is more aware of what is happening with them all and what needs each team has. He has committed to travelling to each of the language groups at least once before the end of the summer. The second event was a retirement celebration for Martin and Joan. What a joyful time that was, too. Many of the EELC leaders, as well as Kuhns and Derricks, were all able to be present. Pastor Touka gave a moving speech about Webers’ loyal and faithful service. Pastor Federwitz and Pastor Mohr again sent audio/video recordings of appreciation for Webers’ service to LBTC/US, giving thanks to the Lord for His countless blessings to the people of Cameroon through them. LBTC/US also had a plaque placed above the front doors of the Bible House in honour of the Webers.

The Webers are planning to do a cross-Canada Thank You tour, connecting with their many supporters and prayer partners are soon as COVID restrictions are lifted and people are able to gather again.

Pastor Kuhn and Pastor Mohr, in co-operation with LBTC’s ministry partner in the Cameroon Lutheran Church Department for Translation and Literacy, headed up by Pastor Touka, came up with a list of special projects for 2021 which will greatly enhance the ministry.

1. The Dowayo Literature Centre is desperately in need of renovations. When the renovations are completed the building will be the centre for the Dowayo translation team as well as the literacy and Scripture engagement workers. It will also house a radio station where Dowayo language programs, including Dowayo Scripture readings, will be broadcast. $500 is needed to completely fund this project.

2. The EELC supports a prison chaplaincy program. There is a need to train more chaplains and to supply those chaplains with more Bibles to distribute. Whenever available, Bibles in the prisoners’ mother tongues will be provided in audio or print versions. Thank you for fully funding this project.

3. Scripture engagement workers in the various language communities must travel great distances to reach outlying villages where they establish Bible study and Bible listening groups using Bible resources translated into their mother tongues. Bicycles will enable these faithful people to get to these villages more often and get to villages that are farther away from the central community. Thank you for fully funding this project.

4. Several language communities under the EELC have literature centres, but the work has stalled because they are no longer subsidized. The funds for this project will enable the EELC’s Department for Translation and Literacy to include leaders from these language communities (representing hundreds of thousands of people!) in a spiritual retreat and ministry planning exercises this fall so that they can move forward with literacy and scripture engagement work using local funding sources. $2,300 is needed to completely fund this project.

5. Dictionaries are a vital resource for translators to find the best word to describe in their heart language the actions and artifacts described in Biblical Hebrew and Greek. Where would we be without the Oxford English Dictionary and others like it? The funds from this project will provide the means for workser from several translation projects to attend workshops that will train them in developing dictionaries in their mother tongues to assist them in their translation work. $1,670 is needed to completely fund this project.

While COVID has had devastating effects on many Canadians in many ways, financially, LBTC has experienced minimal effect. Thanks be to God for generous donors who have the mission work of Bible translation at heart. But as God grows LBTC’s ministry, the financial needs will also grow. Please consider making a monthly, yearly, or one-time donation to support this Bible translation/gospel proclamation ministry.

Domestically, Pastor Mohr has been very limited in what he could do to make presentations to congregations or individual donors. But there have been opportunities to make virtual presentations—to the St. Catharines Seminary and to a congregation or two. LBTC has a virtual presentation at this summer’s LWMLC convention. Pastor Mohr was also invited to speak at the Canadian Institute for Linguistics’ (CanIL) chapel service in July and do a recruitment/informational event with them in the same week—again, all virtual. CanIL (associated with Trinity Western University, Langley, B.C.) is the preferred program for LBTC missionaries’ linguistics training.

In the mission field, our Lord is opening doors for new areas to engage LBTC missionaries. Pastor Mohr is in preliminary discussions to do translation work in at least three new areas of the world and there are several new language groups in Cameroon that are hungering for God’s Word in their own mother tongues. The fields are ripe for the harvest and so more labourers are needed. Training is available for Bible translation skills and linguistics, Scripture engagement and literacy work, and vernacular media specialist skills. There is also a need for educators and childcare workers. Check out lbtc.ca/get-involved for more information.

If YOU have a mission heart and would like to participate in the great task of bringing God’s life-giving Word to people hungering for what only Jesus can provide, CALL Pastor Mohr at 519-742-3361 or 866- 518-7071. God is growing the ministry of LBTC. You can be part of that growth.

As things begin to reopen across Canada, LBTC welcomes invitations to circuit and congregational events, regional church workers conferences, and any kind of church gatherings where Pastor Mohr and/or members of LBTC’s board of directors can share the good news of what the Lord is doing in the lives of people through the translation and proclamation of His Word.

Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada