This press release hit the wire yesterday. One of my responsibilities is working with the DeMoss Group as Wycliffe presents various slivers of the Bible Translation story to the public through the media. I'm quite excited about this story -- about this relationship between Wycliffe and Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, so I decided to share it with whoever might be reading my blog this week.
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Wycliffe Bible Translators & Dallas-Based Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Partner to Develop Missions & Bible Translation Opportunities for African-American Churches
ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 14, 2007 - Orlando-based Wycliffe Bible Translators and Dallas-based Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (OCBF) have partnered to launch a nationwide effort to alert African-American churches to the needs and opportunities around overseas missions and Bible translation.
The partnership between Wycliffe and OCBF - founded and led by pastor, author and radio host Dr. Tony Evans - is the first of its kind and will challenge long-standing attitudes within African-American Churches regarding Bible translation and overseas missions.
"For generations, African-American Christians didn’t have the luxury of investing resources to serve people groups outside of our own communities," said Dr. Evans. "We had urgent equal rights issues right here at home. The minimal involvement of African-American churches in international evangelism and Bible translation efforts is a remnant of earlier civil rights injustices. Through this partnership with Wycliffe, we aim to change that."
The partnership leverages Wycliffe's 65 years of expertise in missions and Bible translation with OCBF’s ability to mobilize thousands of African-American Christians in a culturally relevant way.
Wycliffe is an international association of ministries dedicated to making God's Word accessible to all people in all languages. Although racially diverse, OCBF is one of the nation’s most influential, predominantly African-American churches with a congregation of some 8,500.
For Wycliffe Bible Translators, this is an opportunity to develop a new and creative model of partnering with the church that has the potential to impact lives for Christ. "Wycliffe is passionate about Bible translation and mission work," said Bob Creson, President of Wycliffe Bible Translators. "The African-American church has been passionately committed to - and successful in - breaking down social barriers and opening doors of opportunity in this country. We believe this is a God-given opportunity to combine our efforts to change the world for Christ."
WHAT: Wycliffe and OCBF will formally acknowledge the partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding
WHEN: Sunday, Sept.16 at 7:30 a.m.
WHERE: Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship at 1808 W. Camp Wisdom Rd, Dallas 75232
WHO: Wycliffe President, Bob Creson and Dr. Tony Evans
ABOUT WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS: There are more than 6,900 language groups in the world today. Of these, more than 2,200 languages are still without a Bible translation program started. Founded in 1942, Wycliffe is one of more than 70 organizations around the world that are assisting the Church in making disciples of all nations through Bible translation. The combination of tried and true language development techniques and technological advances are significantly accelerating the pace of Bible translation and impacting global evangelism and ministry efforts of every kind. Wycliffe and its partner organizations are working to start a Bible translation program in every language that needs one by the year 2025.
ABOUT OAK CLIFF BIBLE FELLOWSHIP: OCBF was founded by Senior Pastor Dr. Tony Evans and his wife, Lois, 1976 with ten people in their home. Today it is 8,500-member church that includes a state-of-the art Christian private school educating some 600 students, a social outreach program serving 6,000 people annually. OCBF serves nationwide via two major conferences and TV (broadcast in more than 100 countries) and radio broadcasts, including The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans (broadcast on 600 U.S.-based radio stations and in more than 40 nations worldwide).
Wonderful! A praise indeed. Let's see what God is going to do next!
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