Bible translation organization equipping Arabic churches in 19 countries

Bible translations will be expanding into 19 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The translation organization, unfoldingWord, is broadening their reach to these areas to give Christians tools and training to complete Bible translations for their communities and churches, Mission Network News reports.

"Now is the time to do this," says unfoldingWord CEO David Reeves. "So many people are hungry for the gospel and coming to Christ."

unfoldingWord creates training hubs in various communities, providing resources to the people there to work on translations and theological training and teaching the Arabic-speaking church networks how to accomplish these tasks.

"The Church itself can use those resources to translate the Bible into their language," Reeves explains.

"They don't have to wait on anyone."

While there are dozens of different languages spoken across the Middle East and Northern Africa region, nearly everyone uses Modern Standard Arabic for reading and writing. unfoldingWord says they are dedicating their resources by focusing on this trade language to make the Bible as accessible as possible to the largest number of people.

The organization will also help teach Christians with evangelizing others, using what they've learned to share the Gospel in their own communities.

"They can help others in that region (in) places we can't go easily," says Reeves.

He says the strategy has the potential to spread through the entire region through the empowerment of the Christian workforce they will equip.

The region has not been receptive to the Gospel in the past. Reeves asks for prayer as they begin to bring Biblical translation resources in the region.

"(We are working in) an environment that's very hostile to the Gospel and certainly doesn't want to give any ground to Christianity and Christ-followers," Reeves says.

"The Holy Spirit is working in this region of the world in profound and deep ways."