Essentially Translatable

Many churches do not know about the ongoing need for Bible translation. Millions of people are still without Scripture in a language they understand. Join the Bible translation movement to put God’s Word in their hands.

Mark your calendar. Sign up to receive resources! Bible Translation Sunday is September 26th this year (lbt.org/bts).

Dr. Reed Lessing is this year’s sermon contributor for Bible Translation Sunday. He is the Director of the Center for Biblical Studies, a professor at Concordia University St. Paul, and the author of several Old Testament commentaries.

Heidi Goehmann is an author, licensed clinical social worker, deaconess, and mental health advocate. Heidi serves on Lutheran Bible Translators' Board of Directors and is passionate about God's Word in the hands of people everywhere. 

“That is what the Bible does for us. It helps root out all that internal stuff so that God can begin to heal and redeem and restore.” 

Show Notes

Dr. Bruk Ayele serves as president of Mekane Yesus Seminary in Ethiopia. Explore with him. Listen to Bible translation as mission within the largest Lutheran church body in the world. 

"Part of that mission …is bringing the Good News to someone in their heart language. So, if our missionaries are Bible translators, …we believe that that mission will be very effective.” – Dr. Bruk Ayele

Rob Hilbert is the Executive Director of Aramaic Bible Translation and missionary with Lutheran Bible Translators. He previously served as a missionary with LBT in Sierra Leone and Botswana.

“It was the language that Jesus spoke in and would have communicated in. So, it has been around for a long time. The [Aramaic] languages we currently work in are descendants of that language.” – Rob Hilbert

Students had questions, and the pastors had answers.  

Pastor Tom Lange teaches religion including Christian apologetics at Saint Paul Lutheran High School. 

Listen in to stories of Easter from around the world. Laugh, ponder, and rejoice!

“We’re celebrating, we’re remembering that again – that day. But on the other hand, there’s not a day that has gone by since that first Easter day where that statement isn’t true for all of humanity. Jesus Christ is risen today. And that changes everything.” – Rev. Rich Rudowske

Mart Green is the Ministry Investment Officer for Hobby Lobby and the founder of Mardel Christian and Education Supply stores with a heart for putting God's Word in their hands.

“We just said let’s come together. What can we do together in unity – in oneness – that we couldn’t do by ourselves? The big, big goal was to eradicate Bible poverty.”

-Mart Green

Martin and Joan spent over 30 years in Cameroon, West Africa engaged in Bible translation ministry. Discover what it means to follow God’s call and witness lives transformed by the Gospel.

“And so, I surrendered it to God after that. I said, “God, you gave it to me. You can have it back.” –Joan Weber

Michaela Federwitz grew up in West Africa as a Missionary Kid with Lutheran Bible Translators, offering her a unique “third-culture kid” perspective. She will soon return to West Africa to serve as a nanny for the children of LBT-Canada's missionaries Rev. Mike and Kara Kuhn.

“The more effort you put into actually caring and getting to know that TCK, the more open they’ll be with you and the more they’ll feel comfortable.”

Support Michaela’s ministry at https://lbt.org/project/michaela-federwitz/.

“Once upon a time…” The phrase may sound beautiful, but it would not be an accurate way to begin the story of Jesus’s birth. Now try to begin to imagine all the struggles of translating in another culture and language!  Join Dr. Becky Grossmann and co-hosts, Emily Wilson and Rich Rudowske, to discuss the idea of discourse, why it’s important, implementation and outcomes in translations, and the joy found in God’s Word.  

“When you’re translating, you want to make sure that you’re using features that are natural in their language...” – Dr. Becky Grossmann, Bible translation consultant, Lutheran Bible Translators