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History

The men who started ABT did not set out to establish a new organization. But God surprised them.

ABT’s short history as an organization begins in 2010, but the story really began before that. It includes several young men whose paths were eventually to cross. Both single and married, ranging from the son of overseas missionaries to the son of former Amish, these young men were burdened for the unreached.

One of these brothers felt the burden for Bible translation when researching a thesis on the History of the English Bible. He was touched with the zeal of men like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale. The vision and burden of Wycliffe and Tyndale began to burn in his own heart.

The burning question in the minds of each of these young men became: How can a people turn to Jesus and truly follow Him without access to God’s Word?

These and other Anabaptist young people began training as Bible translators. However, it became apparent that the conservative Anabaptist people lacked a suitable avenue by which to get involved in Bible translation and church planting.

The brothers who met to pray about this felt that perhaps Christian Aid Ministries, with humanitarian aid programs all over the world, could start a new program to provide the necessary avenue. Christian Aid Ministries blessed the idea of a Bible translation ministry, but advised that a separate organization be founded. Thus, All-Nations Bible Translation was legally established as a nonprofit ministry in 2010.

In the years since, ABT has been growing into its role as a servant to the Church and facilitator of Bible translation and church planting.

  • 2010
  • First members-in-training approved
  • 2012
  • First Awareness Tour, 25 presentations by two men with young families
  • 2013
  • Five-week Kingdom Warriors Training Camp held at Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute during the summer

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  • Three-week exploratory trip in Mexico
  • First exploratory trip in Southeast Asia
  • 2014
  • Land purchased in State College, PA, and building begun
  • 2015
  • Office moved from Treasurer’s basement to State College office
  • First newsletter published
  • Three-member Executive Committee formed
  • First family completed Phase II Training and left for southern Mexico
  • History of the English Bible recording produced
  • First weekend event for the public, precursor of EXPLORE ABT
  • New ABT website developed
  • 2016
  • Second Awareness Tour, around 40 presentations in U.S. and Canada
  • First EXPLORE ABT event (now an annual event)
  • First Orientation (Phase I training) for a batch of new members
  • 2017
  • First Sending Church Encounter
  • Five more Sending Church Encounters throughout the year
  • Board, Executive Committee, and a number of members attended Wayumi
  • First Africa team completed Phase II Training and sent
  • First Team Compatibility Assessment hosted at the ABT base
  • ABT representatives attended the Bible Translation Conference for the first time
  • 2018
  • Colombia exploration stepped up and carried into the Amazon jungles
  • ABT Translation Philosophy ratified by the Board
  • First Camp Week for all ABT members (now an annual event)
  • First Asia-Pacific team completed Phase II Training and sent


ABT’s story is not very long yet. Bible translation is a long and tedious process. Discipleship and church planting in unreached people groups takes years of sweat, prayers, and love. This means that ABT’s goals are still primarily ideals for the future. Yet as God has proved His faithfulness in the past, so He will in the future.

As ABT serves the Church in the years to come, we pray that this service will result in worship to God through Jesus Christ in some of the still silent corners of the world. He is worthy.




  • “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
  • “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witness of these things.” Luke 24:47, 48
  • “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19
  • “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3
  • “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel.” Ephesians 3:6
  • “That they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21
  • “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?” Mark 11:17
  • “Ask of me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance.” Psalm 2:8
  • “Behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes.” Revelation 7:9
  • “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1
  • “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
  • “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
  • “As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country.” Proverbs 25:25
  • “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:10
  • “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.” Psalm 22:27
  • “Truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” Numbers 14:21
  • “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.” Psalm 96:3, 4
  • “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14
  • “That all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.” 1 Kings 8:60
  • “For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations.” Malachi 1:11
  • “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.” Psalm 86:9
  • “For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” Isaiah 61:11
  • "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10
  • "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3, 4
  • "You are worthy. . .; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God." Revelation 5:9, 10