ABT partners with sending churches to faciliate church planting among unreached people groups. The sending church is the primary support team behind each church-planting team member.
Bible translation is ABT's specific function. Church planting, however, is done under the direction of sending churches. The two really are inseparable, because discipleship and church planting depend on the Word of God. Bible translation is a means to the end of church planting.
ABT’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee operate with input from Christian Aid Ministries, and the ABT Advisory Council. Ethnos360 and other Bible translation ministries provide occasional consultation and some necessary training.
Keep reading to learn more about ABT's operation, or read this post on our blog to understand ABT's relationship to the Church.
Training
ABT does not provide all the training necessary for Bible translators or community development facilitators. Much of team members’ training is provided by other organizations who specialize in various aspects of training needed. These organizations include the following:
This training is sandwiched between two periods of interactive ABT-specific training at our base in State College, PA.
ABT works with members-in-training to help them acquire the necessary training and contributes a percentage of financial support for training expenses.
The Sending Church
Primary support for each church-planting team member is provided by his sending church.
Each team member’s home church or sending church should be committed to providing support in many areas including prayer, finances, logistics, and communication.
Typically, one sending church will give primary oversight to the church planting process.
The Bible Translation and Church Planting Team
ABT translators and other team members, whether working in medical or other community development roles, have one goal: to establish a local church with local leaders under the authority of Jesus Christ by His Spirit and His Word.
Discipling and church planting is the responsibility of all team members.
The Bible translation, as well as any community development, serves this goal of church planting. This is why, in the illustration above, Bible translation and church planting are shown as a joint project. However, ABT will have primary oversight of the translation process, and the sending church will have primary jurisdiction in church-planting responsibilities.
Interested in serving on an ABT church-planting team?