In recent years, there has been a lot written on such subjects as “Bible Poverty” and “Bible Literacy.” When the subject of Bible Poverty is spoken of, it most often is focused on the need for more translations needed in the languages of the world. Experience has shown us that the Bible has the most impact in a person’s life if they can read it or hear it in what we call a person’s “heart language.”
What do we mean when we refer to a heart language? This can become a bit complicated and could take an entire paper to explain. However, for the sake of brevity I will attempt to be both accurate and clear. In many nations of the earth, people know multiple languages. They may have one or two national languages. They may also have one or more local languages they speak in their town or village. The local language is probably the one they grew up with in their home, as parents spoke to their children and the children spoke back to their parents and relatives.
It is sometimes called a person’s mother tongue. It can also be the language a person dreams in. A heart language can be a cultural, historical, national, or religious marker of identity. It is the language of deep communication. It is often the language a person cries out in and prays in when they are suffering. It is the language that touches the heart of a person at its deepest level. Therefore, it is important that we provide Scripture in the heart languages of people so that they can hear God speak “their language.”
The major Bible Translation Ministries in recent years have done a fabulous job at highlighting this need to the Church. They have raised hundreds of millions of dollars of income to tackle this need. New language translations are being started almost on a daily basis.i They have done such a good job on this that over 98% of the world’s population have some Scripture in a language they can understand.ii
The 2024 Global Scripture Access report shows that about 165 million people still need some Scripture translated in a language they can understand. This can be found under the Scripture Access Status section of the Report.
Currently, the majority of the world’s over eight billion people have access to a complete Bible, a New Testament, or one of the four Gospels in a language they can read and understand. This gives most people access to Scripture so that they can meet Jesus as Lord and Savior, if they desire.
There are more challenges though. There are close to one billion people who cannot read. What about them? What good is a print Bible if a person cannot read it. I have read stories of African Christians who sleep with their Bibles. They know the Bible is the Word of God. They know God’s Word is powerful. However, they cannot read it to know what it says, so they sleep with it hoping it will provide God’s protection and blessing. It is heart breaking.
These believers need an Audio Bible in a language they can understand. When they hear God speaking through the Audio Bible, their life is transformed! The development of, and distribution of audio Bibles is one of the most significant and important events taking place in the Bible world today.
In addition to meeting the needs of non-literate people, there is the challenge that perhaps half of the world’s population prefer to learn by spoken means of communication rather than by written communication. The study of this phenomenon is called Orality.iii The Audio Bible format is an answer for this challenge.
Finally, although Bibles, New Testaments, and Gospel Portions are translated and available, they are not getting to millions of Christ followers and Seekers who want them. The Bible Gap refers to the shortage of Bibles and New Testaments that exist in the world. Believers desire a copy for their spiritual nourishment, but they cannot get their hands on the precious Word of God. There are millions of believers who are spiritually starving, for the nourishment that only the Word of God can provide. This problem seriously inhibits the spiritual growth of Christians and hinders the healthy expansion of the Church. There is a famine taking place in the world today that very few people are talking about. It is a famine of God’s Word. This is especially prevalent in places where the Church is growing the fastest.
My next blog will look at where this is happening, and why it is happening? Stay tuned.
i https://wycliffe.org.uk>story>
ii https://www.wycliffe.net>statistics
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