In John 17, Jesus prays the following:
13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them [d]from [e]the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
In Jesus’ prayer to His Father, He says. “Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth.” Jesus’ own prayer is that His people, His very bride, become purified and made holy by the truth of God’s word. In the early days of the church, the Holy Spirit inspired Peter, Paul, and others to speak, and their words were heard in the language of the hearer. Entire alphabets have been created for the sole purpose of translating a Bible, and cultures have been fundamentally and miraculously changed when its members heard and understood the truth of the Gospel. God wants everyone, all of his children, to be transformed by experiencing His Word.
Jesus also says that we are sent, just as He was sent. Jesus experienced great joy in pursuing His mission on earth, and when he went to the Father, he sent us. Not only to enjoin Him in work, but also to experience this great joy!
Lydia and I have felt a strong pulling on our hearts to pursue this very calling: to sanctify the world in truth. God has been equipping us to help teach individuals and communities how to experience the truth of Jesus. We will be engaging in the worldwide mission of Bible translation while also finding opportunities to help hurting communities care for their children.