Is Information Technology a Worthwhile Mission Investment?  
 

Nearly all Christians will acknowledge that people need a version of the Bible in their own language. Coming to know the character of God through reading the Bible is an essential part of being a Christian.

Given this, it makes a lot of sense for the church to send workers who will help translate the Bible into the languages that need a version. Wycliffe exists to build partnerships that will achieve this aim.

Dorie and I often do a skit when we visit churches. We assign a willing volunteer the responsibilities of doing the job of translating a language in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The translator first has to go through a graduate level training course, Bible school, and language study in a regional language. Then like every missionary, they must build a team of prayer and financial supporters. After being assigned to work in a language group, they are subsequently faced with a variety of support tasks. For each support task, we load the 'translator' down with a symbol of that support task...construction, financials, administration, literacy, computer technology, car maintenance, community projects, medical needs, not to mention the training of the children.

It doesn't take long for people to realize the obvious....that this trained Bible translator has too much to do. He needs help! At this point, we welcome members of the church to come help with skills that they already have.

This is exactly what Dorie and I have done. We've taken our skills and made them available to the Wycliffe in support of the task of Bible translation. My skills are in information technology (IT). By doing this, we have lightened the load of the Bible translators and thereby speed the day when others will have the Bible in their language.

Today there are approximately 200 open positions for IT support workers in Wycliffe. By investing in people to come take up these roles, you are lightening the load of the Bible translator and thereby speeding Bible translation. And you are keeping the Bible translator from burning out with extra support tasks.

So, is it necessary to invest in mission IT support workers? I feel strongly that it is vital to the success of a Bible translation movement. By supplying this need the church is supporting the establishment of churches around the world through Bible translation.

Will you be an advocate for IT and other support mission workers?