What is Wycliffe's goal?
Why is Bible translation so important?
How did Wycliffe get its name?
How long does it take to translate a New Testament?
Does Wycliffe plant churches?
How many are involved in Wycliffe?
Can you give me an e-mail address for a Wycliffe member?
Where does Wycliffe work?
Who and what is involved in Bible translation?
What should I do to prepare myself for service with Wycliffe?
What college should I attend if I want to join Wycliffe?
What training do I need to be a translator?
Are others needed, besides translators?
How can I be a Wycliffe employee?
Is there a minimum or maximum age limit for joining Wycliffe?
How much financial support do I need to join Wycliffe? How is it raised?
Do you have to be debt-free before you can become a member?
What about my family?
Are there other ways I could be involved?
Where can I get copies of Bibles in other languages?

Q. What is Wycliffe's goal?
A. Wycliffe's goal is to help the church obey the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20) by ensuring that a translation of the Bible becomes available to everyone in the language they know best. This is not something we can or should accomplish alone. The task belongs to the whole church. Recently God gave us a fresh urgency and a fresh vision. By the year 2025, together with partners worldwide, we aim to see a Bible translation programme begun in all the remaining languages that need one.

Q. Why is Bible translation so important?
A. The Scriptures are essential for evangelism, discipleship, and church growth. Jesus told His followers to take the Gospel to all the world, but there are still hundreds of language groups which don't have God's Word in their mother tongue—the language they understand best. History shows that there has never been a strong indigenous church without the translated written Scriptures used by indigenous leaders. Missionaries from every mission and denomination depend on Scripture in the language of the people with whom they work to make a lasting impact.

Q. How did Wycliffe get its name?
A. In the late 1300s, John Wycliff became the first person to translate the Bible into English. Before that English speakers had to learn Latin to read the Bible. Wycliff wanted the Bible available to every person. Cameron Townsend, Wycliffe Bible Translator's founder, chose to use the name "Wycliffe" because both John Wycliff and Wycliffe Bible Translators have a common passion: that every person should have a Bible in their language.

Q. How long does it take to translate a New Testament?
A. It often takes ten to twenty years, depending on many factors such as: the level of the peoples' participation, living conditions, health of the translators, other mission responsibilities of the translator.

Q. Does Wycliffe plant churches?
A. Yes...and no. As a Bible translation organisation, we are focussed on a specific part of fulfilling the Great Commission—providing people with God's Word in their language. Our staff are not pastors; they do not organise large-scale evangelistic meetings or seek to start churches. However, they do review translated Scripture with people as a part of their work, and they often hold Bible studies or teach literacy with Scripture materials. God uses these efforts and the witness of translators' lives to bring people to Himself. As national believers come to know the Lord and are instructed by His Word in their language, they form and oversee their own churches.

Q. How many are involved with Wycliffe?
A. Cameron Townsend recruited the first two students for linguistic and translation work in 1934. Wycliffe has since grown to include over 5,180 career and short-term members, plus over 500 others preparing for service. More than 1500 additional workers are still needed in both language-related and support roles.

Q. Can you give me an e-mail address for a Wycliffe member?
A. Many Wycliffe members, at home and overseas, have access to e-mail. We can't give e-mail addresses to the public for two reasons. Many members, depending on their e-mail provider, must pay for each e-mail message they receive. This costs generally more than a foreign postage stamp. Also, some members are in sensitive countries, and they would rather give out their e-mail address personally. Please contact the member by snail mail for their e-mail address. Be advised, personnel who do not work on a centre may pick up their e-mail on an irregular basis.

Q. Where does Wycliffe work?
A. In more than 70 countries, and all continents except Antarctica! The majority of the work in the Americas has been completed, but in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific there are still thousands of language groups needing translators.

Q. Who and what is involved in Bible translation?
A. Team-work. There are many different roles and areas of expertise. Surveyors carry out initial research to establish translation needs. Working alongside local people work is done where needed to develop an alphabet for each unwritten language, analyse the grammar, produce primers and teach the speakers to read. Literacy specialists help train others in order to establish ongoing literacy programmes and encourage widespread use of the language in written form. Linguists/translators oversee the actual translation work and pass on their skills to local people. Other people specialise in encouraging Scripture use. We also need support workers, such as secretaries, teachers, accountants, computer technicians and programmers, mechanics, pilots, printers, media personnel and many others. Chances are, with your gifts and professional skills, you could be a valuable part of the Bible translation team.

Q. What should I do to best prepare myself for service with Wycliffe?
A. Now is the time to start; for future translators, extensive Bible training is a necessity. All who work in language-related areas would need to take linguistics courses such as those offered through, for example, the European Training Programme. Wycliffe also has many other areas where you could use your skills to speed up the work of Bible translation. Besides having technical skills, Wycliffe also expects its members to be healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually. If you are weak in one of these areas, start now to strengthen that area.

Q. What college should I attend if I want to join Wycliffe?
A. First of all, we do not have a list of recommended schools for those wishing to serve with Wycliffe. There are many good colleges so we are hesitant to recommend any one to the exclusion of others. Secondly, more important than a degree from a specific school is a young person's development of character, spiritual maturity, personal purity, and moral integrity.

In general, those wishing to join Wycliffe need to ask, "In what area will I be serving with Wycliffe?" There are two broad categories of service within Wycliffe, which helps determine the type of schooling chosen—language work and support roles.

Language-related personnel are schooled in linguistics, literacy, and anthropology. Those wishing to be involved with language work will need to pursue a bachelor's degree. Some possible degree options may be missions, intercultural studies, linguistics, english as a second language (ESL), anthropology, or biblical studies. Wycliffe does not require any specific degree to do language work though some may be better preparation than others.

Support personnel join with a wide variety of skills, some professional (computers, accounting, managerial, communications, teachers, pilots, etc.) and some technical (carpentry, auto & aircraft mechanics, truck drivers, etc.). Those wishing to do support work will want to pursue a degree or vocational training in their specific field of interest. Wycliffe has a need for new members in many skill areas.

Q. What training do I need to be a translator?
A. A good understanding and working knowledge of Scripture is important.

SIL International offers training for applied linguistic fieldwork at 13 institutions around the world. Topics for courses include phonetics, phonology, grammar, language learning, linguistic field methods, cultural anthropology, sociolinguistics, literacy, translation, and language programme planning.

Q. Are others needed, besides translators?
A. We are glad you asked that question! Hundreds of literacy workers are needed to develop teaching materials and train local people to teach reading classes. We also need secretaries, teachers, accountants, computer technicians and programmers, mechanics, pilots, printers and many others. Chances are, you could use your professional skills on the Bible translation team.

Q. How can I be a Wycliffe employee?
A. Wycliffe is a mission organisation whose members—whether translators, administrators or support workers—raise their own financial and prayer support.

Q. Is there a minimum or maximum age limit for joining Wycliffe?
A. Those joining Wycliffe as members must be eighteen years of age or older. For those who want to be involved in linguistic work there is a maximum age to join depending on qualification and experience.

Q. How much financial support do I need to join Wycliffe? How is that support raised?
A. Wycliffe provides a rough estimate (which differs for each individual) early in the membership process because so many variables exist (field chosen, size of family, etc.). A person raises his or her own financial support through the leading of God and the responsiveness of family, friends and church congregations.

Q. Do you have to be debt-free before you can become a member?
A. A person must be debt-free, except for study loans, in which case a specified maximum is permitted. It is important for you to be able to service any financial commitments.

Q. What about my family?
A. Wycliffe puts high priority on the family. As equal members in the organisation, wives who are not directly involved in a language project or support work with their husbands participate in whatever way they are able. At many centre locations, mothers are able to share directly in the ministry work, on a part-time basis, by taking advantage of the child-care provided. Several hundred teachers provide an excellent education for children of our missionary staff. Many children attend schools on our centres. Others study at home with their parents in village locations.

Q. Are there other ways I could be involved?
A. Yes. Pray regularly for a missionary or a language group that doesn't have the Scriptures, or help finance someone who works with Wycliffe. You can also volunteer to work in an office or on a project.

Q. Where can I get copies of Bibles in other languages?
A. Our South Africa office doesn't actually sell Bibles but we know a few people who can help. The Bible Society of South Africa has different language editions in stock. UBS (United Bible Societies) provides links to Bible societies in other countries. SGM (Scripture Gift Mission) International provides a number of shorter Scripture booklets.