Welcome from Barry

Our Executive Director

Welcome to Wycliffe Australia and the Bible translation movement. A movement that for centuries has seen extraordinary achievements by ordinary people committed to the message of the Bible being in the everyday language of the common man.

Today Wycliffe Australia has over 250 Aussies in 20+ countries around the world, doing what they can to help local communities to translate, to read, and to hear and understand the Bible in their own heart language. As you peruse our website we trust that you will get a feel and an understanding of the privilege that has been given to us.

If you would like to join us in this movement in any way, whether it be with tentative uncertainty or with assured boldness, we are here to help you take that next step with God.

God’s Word, available in the heart languages of the world, has proven to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit for transforming lives in every community it has touched. Bible translation is more than an exercise in linguistics. It puts you in touch with some of the most marginalised and poorest people on earth and in the process enriches your own life. Bible translation is also a highly effective mission strategy building the church on the foundations of God’s Word and transforming lives as people understand who Jesus is and grasp the love of God in their heart language.

Throughout the ages, thousands of Christians have dedicated their lives, and their skills, to the Word of God, painstakingly translating and joyously communicating it. With close to 7,000 languages in the world that has meant a lot of work and with still around 2000 languages without any Scripture available in their heart language there is plenty more to do. To ensure that the Bible is available for the remaining languages we need individuals whose own lives have been impacted by the Scriptures to join us in this task. Individuals who will commit to becoming translators, linguists, literacy specialists, disciplers, project managers, accountants, administration assistants, teachers, pilots, mechanics, cooks, etc.

In the next 20 years we would love to see a Bible translation in progress for every people group that needs it. That is about 100 new translation projects a year. It is impossible to achieve this apart from a dramatic move of God and Christians worldwide accepting the challenge to do something about it. You too, can be part of this world transforming vision by taking part through programs, mission trips, committing long-term to cross-cultural work, or getting behind a friend who is ready to go.

We would love you to get involved as we go to the ends of the earth.

Barry Borneman
Executive Director