We serve a God of second chances.

Bible For Everyone

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

2 Timothy 3:16

Every time you open the Bible App, you hope to find something from God’s Word that will speak into your life. But, what if instead, you saw this?

Sorry, no Bibles exist in your language.

If that seems hard to imagine, then you may not have heard: more than a billion people still don’t have a complete Bible in their language. Most languages don’t have a complete New Testament. More than 165 million people don’t have even one Bible verse in their language. Why is this so important to us?

…people need more than food to live—they need every word that the Lord has spoken.

Deuteronomy 8:3

If you missed our last opportunity to help…

We hope you’ve already been hearing about #BibleForEveryone, YouVersion’s translation initiative with ministry partners, where we identify strategic projects that could rapidly get Scripture to huge numbers of people with modest additional funding. Life.Church committed to match contributions from the global YouVersion Community (that’s you!) toward Bible translation, up to $1 million.¹ So far, your generosity has already covered three quarters of our current project: helping churches in Gabon, Africa, translate the Gospel of Luke into three languages (Kota, Obamba, and Teke).² Thank you!

Progress Chart - $355,000 Raised - $191,000 To Go

…we love this project for so many reasons:

To get Scripture circulating quickly, each time they translate a new chapter, these local churches will release it as audio recordings and print booklets. When they complete the final chapter, they’ll compile everything into a single book — which we’ll also offer in the Bible App. And, with less than $200,000 to go, these Bible translators are more excited than ever to finish! We saved our favorite 280,000 reasons for last: the people who will finally have the opportunity to experience the same life-changing power of God’s Word that we already enjoy:

“…blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Luke 11:28

Give Now

Don’t miss out on this historic move of God.

Translating the Bible into another language used to take decades. But visionary organizations that make up the illumiNations movement now project that with enough funding, they could have the New Testament translated for 99.9 percent of the world’s population by the year 2033. Incredibly, they should also be able to get the rest of the Bible translated for 95 percent of the world within that same timeframe (and at least some portion of Scripture for everyone else).³

Bible history is happening right now, within your lifetime.

This isn’t just some vision for a distant future. During 2017 alone, Life.Church and YouVersion’s generous community together contributed more than $655,000. The four projects they funded provided Scripture to more than 1.17 million people, in Zambia, Tanzania, Australia and Southeast Asia!⁴ What will happen when every person on earth finally has the opportunity to experience the life-changing power of God’s Word?

Join us. And let’s finish this… together.

Pray, and ask God to continue accelerating the process of releasing His Word into every language. Ask Him to prepare the hearts of those who will be hearing about Him for the first time. And give. Then one day, you’ll have the great joy of standing before God’s throne and seeing people that your gift helped bring there:

…in front of me was a huge crowd of people. …so many that no one could count them. They came from every nation, tribe, people and language… They cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God!”

Revelation 7:9

Give Now

Notes

¹ All contributions received through the #BibleForEveryone campaign will be used exclusively for the purpose of Bible translation. Life.Church is contributing $1 million over the four-year period from 2017-2020. During each calendar year, Life.Church is contributing $250,000, spread across different, high-impact translation projects. As each project is completed, any remaining funds are then applied toward the next translation project, as selected by YouVersion and its partners. (See original blog post for full details.)

² Blog post, “Don’t miss your chance to take part in this move of God.”

³ See illumiNations’ website for details.

⁴ Original blog posts: Zambia, Tanzania, Southeast Asia.

2018-03-142018-03-23

Don’t miss your chance to take part in this move of God.

Bible For Everyone

A friend introduces you to a young woman from another country. As you get to know one another, you mention your faith. She has questions, so you show her the Bible on your phone. When you switch to a version that’s easier to read, she asks if the Bible comes in other languages, too. You know the Bible App offers over 1,200 languages, so you’re excited to look for one for her. But then, you discover a terrible truth:

I’m sorry… the Bible doesn’t exist in your language.

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone…”

Mark 16:15

These were some of the last words Jesus said before He ascended into Heaven. And yet today, two thousand years later, more than a billion people still don’t have a complete Bible in their language. Most languages don’t have a complete New Testament. And more than 165 million people don’t have even one Bible verse in their language.

Today, we’re inviting you to join us: Let’s fulfill that mission.

Smartphones can give us turn-by-turn directions, help us take amazing pictures, and (of course) even read the Bible to us. Now, just as YouVersion uses technology to help you connect with God in His Word, our Bible translation partners are leveraging technology to offer that same opportunity to everyone else.

…before people can pray to the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him.…

Romans 10:14

The plan is set.

Translating the Bible into another language used to take decades. But visionary organizations that make up the illumiNations movement now project that with enough funding, they could have the New Testament translated for 99.9 percent of the world’s population by the year 2033. Incredibly, they should also be able to get the rest of the Bible translated for 95 percent of the world within that same timeframe (and at least some portion of Scripture for everyone else).¹

We’re all in.

Last year YouVersion created #BibleForEveryone, a translation initiative where we work with partners to identify strategic projects that could, with modest additional funding, rapidly provide Scripture to huge numbers of people. In addition, Life.Church committed to match any contributions the global YouVersion Community makes toward Bible translation, up to $1 million.²

It’s already working.

During 2017, Life.Church and YouVersion’s generous community together contributed more than $640,000. The three projects they funded provided Scripture to more than 1.17 million people, in Zambia, Tanzania, and Southeast Asia!³

Now, this is your chance.

Click below to help churches in Gabon, Africa translate the Gospel of Luke into three languages (Kota, Obamba, and Teke). To get Scripture circulating in their communities as quickly as possible, each time a new chapter is translated, local churches plan to share it as audio recordings and print booklets. When this project is complete, they’ll compile it into a book — and of course we’ll offer it in the Bible App — and 280,000 Gabonese people will have the opportunity to recognize themselves in these words of Jesus:

…the father said to his servants, “Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.… My son was…lost, but now he is found!”

Luke 15:22-24

Give Now

Don’t miss it.

This isn’t just some vision for a distant future. It’s Bible history, happening right now, within your lifetime. What will happen when every person on earth finally has the opportunity to experience the life-changing power of God’s Word? Join us, and let’s find out, together.

Get in now on this worldwide move of God.

After this I looked, and there in front of me was a multitude that no one could count, people from every tribe and every nation.

Revelation 7:9

Notes

¹ See illumiNations’ website for details.

² All contributions received through the #BibleForEveryone campaign will be used exclusively for the purpose of Bible translation. Life.Church is contributing $1 million over the four-year period from 2017-2020. During each calendar year, Life.Church is contributing $250,000, spread across different, high-impact translation projects. As each project is completed, any remaining funds are then applied toward the next translation project, as selected by YouVersion and its partners. (See original blog post for full details.)

³ Original blog posts: Zambia, Tanzania, Southeast Asia.

2017-10-132018-03-23

Make Bible history: Help get God’s Word to people who have never had it.

#BibleForEveryone

Earlier this year, we invited you to join us in the #BibleForEveryone challenge,¹ the historic move of God that’s helping visionary ministries translate God’s Word for more than a billion people who don’t have it yet. If you speak English, the Bible App lets you choose from 50 different versions. But did you know that:

Most languages don’t even have a complete New Testament.

…before people can pray to the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him.…

ROMANS 10:14

Although many languages have at least a few Bible verses (some up to a chapter or two), many have no Scripture at all. It used to take decades to translate the Bible into a new language. But progressive translation ministries have been working together to develop more efficient processes and better take advantage of available technologies, resulting in drastic reductions — in many cases down to just a few years.

But God has been moving on the hearts of His people.

In 2016, the world’s Bible translators set a shared goal: by 2033, their plan is to have at least the New Testament translated for 99.9% of the world’s population. Just imagine: for the first time ever, people who have never had God’s Word in their own heart language may see themselves in these words of Jesus:

“…he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that were never lost. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost.”

MATTHEW 18:13-14

You could be a part of that movement.

No longer a vision for some distant future, this dream is actually being fulfilled, right now. Don’t miss your chance to take part in the Bible history that’s happening now, within your lifetime. Join us, and let’s find out what happens when every person on earth finally has the opportunity to experience the same life-changing power of God’s Word that we already enjoy.

#BibleForEveryone

Getting started is easier than you think.

All this year at YouVersion, we’ve been working with Bible translation partners to identify high-impact projects that translators could complete quickly with just a little more funding. Also, Life.Church has committed to match up to $1 million of all contributions that the YouVersion Community makes toward Bible translation over the next four years.²

Here’s what God has already done, through the YouVersion community, and others.

In addition to helping 75,000 people in Zambia receive the book of Acts for the first time, thanks to the generosity of those who supported our second project, soon about 140,000 people in Tanzania will have the opportunity to enjoy their own, brand-new New Testament…in their native language of Kinga. Today, we’re announcing our next project:

Help persecuted Christians in Southeast Asia finish their New Testament by the end of 2017.

For the safety of the people already at work on our third project, we can’t share specifics. Here’s what we can tell you: Even though political and religious opposition have made Bible translation in this Southeast Asian country extremely dangerous, several native speakers are still on schedule to complete the New Testament in four new languages by the end of this year. Assisted by three YouVersion partners and several churches, not only will their courageous sacrifice make God’s Word available for up to 960,000 people — but their work could even encourage others in the area to begin similar Bible translation projects.

Give Now

Let’s change the world… and change eternity.

In the coming months, we’ll continue sharing with you about the other projects for which we’ll be matching funds, and we’ll update you on each project’s progress. Get in now on this worldwide move of God. Pray and ask Him to continue accelerating the work of translating His Word into every language. Ask Him to prepare the hearts of those who will be hearing about Him for the first time. And give.

Then one day, you’ll have the great joy of standing before God’s throne and seeing some of the very people that your gift helped bring there:

“After this I looked, and there in front of me was a multitude that no one could count, people from every tribe and every nation.”

REVELATION 7:9a

Notes

¹ Refer to part one of this series, “History is being made, right now. Be a part of it,” and part two, “This is it: Your chance to be a part of Bible history.”

² All contributions received through the #BibleForEveryone campaign will be used exclusively for the purpose of Bible translation. Life.Church is contributing $1 million over the next four years. During calendar year 2017, Life.Church is contributing $250,000, spread across four different, high-impact translation projects. As each project is completed, any remaining funds are then applied toward the next translation project, as selected by YouVersion and its partners. (See original blog post for full details.)

2017-07-142018-03-23

This is it: Your chance to be a part of Bible history.

Map

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” …But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him?

Romans 10:13-14

A few months ago, we introduced you to the #BibleForEveryone challenge,¹ inviting you to join us in the historical move of God already underway: helping visionary ministries get God’s Word translated for the billion-plus people who still don’t have it. English speakers can select from 50 different versions in the Bible App, but did you know…?

Thousands of the world’s active languages still don’t even have a complete New Testament.

Some languages have portions of Scripture, maybe a chapter or two of the Bible, but many still have no Scripture at all. Translating the Bible into a new language used to require decades. But today, by collaborating on new processes, innovating with new technologies, and sharing resources, visionary Bible translation organizations have drastically reduced that cycle — in many cases to just a few years.

Now, the world is about to change.

Last year, Bible translators from around the globe set the shared goal of translating at least the New Testament for 99.9% of the world’s population by the year 2033. Just think about what that means. Consider one of the last things Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection, just before he ascended into heaven:

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.…”

Mark 16:15

Don’t miss out.

If Bible translators reach their goal, not only will that command be possible, but it will be fulfilled within our lifetimes. What will happen when every person on earth has the same opportunity to experience the life-changing power of God’s Word that we already enjoy? Become a part of the Bible history taking place right now, and let’s find out!

Kingja People

We’re in.

At YouVersion, we believe that with your help, we can see Bible translation accelerated even further. We’re already working closely with Bible translation partners to identify high-impact projects that translators could complete quickly with just a little more funding. Life.Church is in, too: committing to match up to $1 million of all contributions the worldwide YouVersion community makes toward Bible translation over the next four years.²

Are you in?

Thanks to the generosity of those who supported our first project, very soon, almost 75,000 people in Zambia will be enjoying the book of Acts in their native language…for the first time ever. Today, we’re announcing our next project:

Help the Kinga people of Tanzania complete their New Testament by the end of 2017.

About 140,000 Kinga people live in Tanzania. The Kinga are primarily subsistence farmers, growing potatoes, wheat, peas and maize. Many Kinga identify as Christian, and they enjoy reading and listening to Scripture in church and hearing it read on the radio. Unfortunately, although a Kinga translation of the New Testament was first printed in 1961, that version is no longer available. In addition, the Kinga language has changed so much since that publication that most Kinga people today would struggle to read it.

They’ve already started.

The Kinga are working now with Bible translation ministries to create their own complete, easy-to-read New Testament, expected to be ready before the end of this year. This modern version will be stored online, so it will always be available, now and to future generations, in smartphone, web, and print formats. You can help them finish:

Give Now

Let’s wipe out Bible poverty together.

Then one day, you’ll have the great joy of standing before God’s throne and seeing some of the very people that your gift helped bring there:

After this I looked, and there in front of me was a multitude that no one could count, people from every tribe and every nation.

Revelation 7:9a

Notes

¹ Refer to original blog post: “History is being made, right now. Be a part of it.”

² All contributions received through the #BibleForEveryone campaign will be used exclusively for the purpose of Bible translation. Life.Church is contributing $1 million over the next four years. During calendar year 2017, Life.Church is contributing $250,000, spread across four different, high-impact translation projects. As each project is completed, any remaining funds are then applied toward the next translation project, as selected by YouVersion and its partners. (See original blog post for full details.)

2017-05-082018-03-23

History is being made, right now. Be a part of it.

ROMANS 10:13-14 NLT

Life.Church started YouVersion to help people engage with the Bible. Year after year, more and more people join us in the vision to spread God’s Word. Installed on over 270 million unique devices, the Bible App has been downloaded in every country on earth. All of us in the global YouVersion community are blessed that we get to take part in this historic move of God. Even so, today we face a significant challenge together:

More than a billion people still don’t have a complete Bible in their language.

In fact, thousands of the world’s languages don’t even have a complete New Testament. And of these, more than 1,000 have only some Scripture, ranging from just a few Bible verses up to perhaps one or two chapters. Everyone deserves the same opportunity to experience the life-changing power of God’s Word that we already enjoy. That’s why…

This needs to change.

In the past, getting the Bible into another language — accessing sources, translating, proofing, printing, and finally, distributing it — often took decades. But today, the world’s leading Bible translation ministries collaborate as illumiNations, an alliance created to help them easily exchange ideas, share systems, improve practices, and recruit givers. Working together, they have leveraged advancements in technology, communication, and travel to shorten the translation process, in many cases to just a few years.

It starts now.

Another benefit of their collaboration is that illumiNations now believes that they can have at least the New Testament translated for 99.9% of the world’s population by the year 2033. What will happen when almost every person on earth can finally engage with God’s Word in their own language? For the first time ever, not only is this dream possible, it’s actually within our reach.

We’ve already accepted the challenge.

We believe we can accelerate translation even further. That’s why, over the next four years, Life.Church has committed to match $1 million of contributions made towards Bible translation.* We’re working closely with our Bible translation partners to identify specific high-impact projects that can get the ball rolling. For example, the Mongu cluster of people groups in Zambia, Africa recently received the Gospel of Luke, the first Scripture they’ve ever had in all five of their languages: Fwe, Kwangwa, Makoma, Mashi, and Shanjo. But that’s just the beginning.

Give Now

Now, we’re challenging you.

Our first project is the next book of the Bible scheduled to be translated for the Mongu: the book of Acts. Project coordinators estimate that with some financial assistance, they could have the entire book of Acts translated into all five of these languages by this September. So that’s our first challenge: Life.Church will match whatever the YouVersion community gives towards translating Acts for the people of the Mongu cluster.*

Let’s wipe out Bible poverty together.

In the coming months, we’ll tell you more about the other projects for which we’ll be matching funds, and we’ll update you on each project’s progress. Get in now on this worldwide move of God. Pray and ask Him to continue accelerating the work of translating His Word into every language. Ask Him to prepare the hearts of those who will be hearing about Him for the first time. And give.

Then one day, you’ll have the great joy of standing before God’s throne and seeing some of the very people that your gift helped bring there:

After this I looked, and there in front of me was a multitude that no one could count, people from every tribe and every nation.

REVELATION 7:9a NIV

Give Now

Notes

* All contributions received through this campaign will be used exclusively for the purpose of Bible translation. Life.Church has committed to match up to $1 million of contributions that the YouVersion community makes toward Bible translation from 2017-2020. Life.Church will contribute $250,000 during calendar year 2017, spread across four different, high-impact translation projects. Contributions will first be applied toward the most current Bible translation project identified by YouVersion. When that translation project is fully funded, any remaining funds will then be applied toward the next translation project, as selected by YouVersion and its partners.