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When people don’t have the Bible in their language it may seem obvious that translation and publication will help. Language can clearly be a huge barrier, but translation and distribution alone are not enough. Experience over many years in translations in many hundreds of languages has shown that there is a lot more to think about both coming from the perspective of Bible Translation organisations and of the church. (more in depth articles coming soon on SE and the Church)

The videos and questions in this app provide a starting place from a perspective of those involved in Bible Translation and Scripture Engagement to explore many of the factors that need to be in place for effective use of the Bible. These are usually in the context of a new translation being released but many apply to situations where the Bible has been available for decades or even centuries. Some will seem obvious and need little extra work, others will identify problems and possibilities that you will want to think about.

Each set of factors come with a couple of general questions and videos to help you discuss them. This will help you identify the needs and preferences of the community regarding the use of Scripture in discipleship, outreach and worship.

Each video comes with some extra questions you may want to talk about. You do not have to answer all the accompanying questions, certainly not in one go, and you may have more of your own. You also do not need to use all the videos, just choose those relevant for your situation.

Before you start think about the current use of the Bible in your community.

• Who uses the Bible? When, where and how?
• What books or passages from the Old and New Testaments are most helpful for addressing the basic spiritual needs of your community and are useful for people’s spiritual growth?
• What media and art forms are appropriate and available (print and/or non-print forms) to assist your community with accessing the Scriptures and using them for both personal and church growth?