What Does a Bible Translator Do When. . .

Heidi Chupp • Jan 29, 2020

The journey of a TEAM Bible translator begins long before the first word of Scripture is written down. It includes undergoing extensive training, cultivating cultural sensitivity and navigating the possibilities of a difficult climate or an unfriendly reception.

And once the translation work begins, each language project has unique challenges all along the way. For example …

… After 10 long years, still searching for just the right word for “hope.”

… Discovering two very different words for “God.”

… Realizing that your recommendations as translation consultants don’t go over too well with the translation team.

So, what’s a Bible translator to do in the face of these challenges?

Hope: Waiting Expectantly

Since you’re reading this blog post, you probably grew up in a literate society where you made sense of the world from things like books and road signs and websites. You have an awareness of other cultures and viewpoints.

But none of that awareness is reality for most Kwong people, who live in the African nation of Chad. Most haven’t grown up reading .

As Mark and Diane Vanderkooi have discovered, the Kwong language reflects that mindset: nearly zero abstract terms.

This meant that some key biblical terms were best translated and understood using the name of a body part .

Faith? “Putting your chest.”

Forgiveness? “Cooling off your stomach.”

Patience? “Taking your head.”

But when it came to translating the word “hope,” Mark and Diane were stumped.

A woman in Chad is learning to write.

In some cultures, words for abstract ideas are difficult to translate. So translators have to come up with alternatives that still convey the same meaning.

They spent 10 years searching for an adequate term and coming up with phrases that worked, but just didn’t fully resonate. Then Mark and the translation team came to 1 Peter 1:3 — “God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (NIV).

As they explored this verse, they began to see a distinction between hope viewed as something a person does, and the beautiful view of hope that the verse communicated: something that comes to a person.

And so today, “hope” in Kwong is expressed “waiting expectantly for the good things to come.”

Help from the Holy Spirit

Simson Dowansiba learned on the job when he joined the team translating Scripture into his mother tongue of Hatam. He learned to carefully read through drafts and discuss options for clearer wording, all the while preserving the original meaning.

Then the team faced a difficult decision. The Hatam culture, located in Papua , Indonesia, did not have its own concept of God. And there were no simple alternatives.

There was the commonly accepted, well-known term borrowed from the Indonesian Bible — Allah — which communicated God as all-powerful, eternal Creator of heaven and earth.

Simson translates the Bible

As Simson’s team translated the Bible, they realized they didn’t have a word that fully described who God is. Fortunately, they had language consultants to guide them.

But as the team continued to study the Scriptures, they uncovered another aspect of God’s character: that of the Leader whom a person chose to follow. It was a much more relational concept. Tuhan, another borrowed word, was more accurate for this interpretation.

Which word should the team use?

“We had an opportunity to go to some translation workshops,” Simson says. “We were taught, if you don’t have a word that is exact, use a word that is closest … to the one you’re trying to translate.”

As they discussed terms, the team members came to a conclusion: Both words were necessary.

For some verses, the word Allah was sufficient to reflect the original language and intent. But some passages required the term “Lord God,” and for these they used Tuhan Allah.

Today the entire Hatam Bible has been translated. Simson is grateful for his training, but he’s most thankful for the supernatural help he’s received.

“From the human standpoint, this is a very difficult job,” Simson says. “It was the Holy Spirit that was helping me to choose the right words to give an accurate translation.”

Nosey Partners — and Servants

“So why did you choose this particular word to translate the word ‘parable’?”

“If you translate the word ‘angels’ using a word meaning ‘messengers,’ do you need to say whose messengers they are, and whether they are human or spirit messengers?”

Keith and Grace McCune ask questions like these all the time.

Keith and Grace McCune

Language consultants Keith and Grace McCune see themselves as servants to translation teams. Their efforts have helped bring Scripture to language groups throughout the world.

“We’re being nosey partners,” says Grace.

That’s because they work as translation consultants in Asia , coming alongside Bible translation teams to help them render the Scriptures into the clearest and most accurate translations possible.

Sometimes the interaction is straightforward and smooth. And sometimes they disagree.

Grace and Keith encountered this when they were working through the book of Acts with one team and discovered multiple possibilities for translating the term “Christ.”

One option was to use the transliteration that already existed in this language (krista), but it conveyed only the form and carried no meaning. They could use the translation of the Greek ‘Anointed One.’ Or they could go with the Hebrew “Messiah” to create a connection with the Old Testament prophecies.

The discussion lasted for days.

Grace and Keith recommended going with ‘God’s chosen ruler’ — but ultimately, the translators opted to use krista, along with a footnote.

And the McCunes accepted their decision.

“The consultant is kind of a servant,” Keith explains .

“We are not the bottom line,” Grace adds. “We ask, we advise, we suggest — and then they make the call.”

‘This is for Everybody’

Bible translation is indeed full of daunting tasks. But those who say “yes” to these challenges have their sights set beyond the challenges: to help bring God’s love to some of the 200 million-plus people who still need the Scriptures in their mother tongue.

Besides, Keith and Grace say, God was the very first Bible translator.

“The Gospels — when they were first written — are already translations,” says Grace. “Because Jesus spoke in Aramaic, and then it was written down in Greek.”

“God is all about translation,” Keith says.

Grace agrees. “He encourages us to do it by saying, ‘See? I did it. You go ahead. This is for everybody.’

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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