A missiology of progress : Assessing advancement in the Bible translation movement

[C]omplete the Great Commission [have] successively reworked its terminology and methodology. One major emphasis has been the collection of data about people groups and the status of evangelization and Christian expansion. Depending upon the researcher or the specific database in question, such data may include percentages of exposure to the Gospel, resources of literature available in a people group, the status of church planting, etc. (p. 127)


Introduction
Using statistics has been a common method for determining the state of progress, as we have been told, 'you are what you measure' or 'what gets measured counts'. Applied missionally, Higgins (2010) noted how efforts to: [C]omplete the Great Commission [have] successively reworked its terminology and methodology. One major emphasis has been the collection of data about people groups and the status of evangelization and Christian expansion. Depending upon the researcher or the specific database in question, such data may include percentages of exposure to the Gospel, resources of literature available in a people group, the status of church planting, etc. (p. 127) A more complex example comes from church historian Stanley (2018:10), who noted how '[t]he twentieth century did not quite turn out to be the century of Christian missionary triumph that the founders of the Christian Century [i.e. the 20th century] fondly imagined'. Near the start of that century, during the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference of 1910, conference chairman John R. Mott proclaimed that all available resources would be quickly deployed to support a missionary conquest to the ends of the earth. The conference was initiating a comprehensive plan for evangelisation that would see the world completely 'reached' in the foreseeable future.
For a number of very complex sociological, geo-political and religious reasons, this bold vision was not achieved. Stanley (2018:10) pointed out: 'Statistical estimates suggest that in percentage terms Christians accounted for a slightly lower percentage of the world population in 2000 than they had at the beginning of the century'. Sourcing the World Christian Database, Stanley (2018:10) noted that the global percentage of Christians 'fell from 34.46 percent in 1900 to 32.65 percent in 2005'. Rather than progress, there was regress.
Declaring bold pronouncements of progress in God's mission, as well intended as they may be, is not a wise tactic. This should humble our attempts at considering what progress looks like in mission. Livermore (2015:213) brought this clarity: 'What do we want to measure? What valid, reliable tools exist to measure this?' Statistical analysis has been a common method for determining progress in missional activity. In the case of Bible translation, measurable statistics have been readily available showing progress. However, there have been gaps such as biblical, sociological, theological and missiological factors. The aim of this study is to consider broader factors than just quantifiable measurements that could be used to develop a missiological foundation for missional progress, especially for Bible translation. The setting was to analyse inputs from leaders within the Bible translation movement in terms of their understanding of the factors to be considered for a missiology of progress. Using a qualitative study based upon a questionnaire, the researcher grouped the responses by common categories and then analysed the key findings. The qualitative nature of how Bible translation was conducted reveals important factors such as signs of increased collaboration between Bible translation agencies, improved quality of relationships between Bible translation agencies and the local church, and also theologically significant milestones. The study concludes that progress in the Bible translation movement has to be considered within the broader context of God's mission. Church history has revealed how progress in one era could be regress in another era. Consequently, reflecting and learning together within the Bible translation movement has been a key to progress, and therefore, all participants in the Bible translation movement have been called to work and learn together.

Research method and design
The question of broadening the criteria for determining progress in the missio Dei, and in particular to Bible translation, is the research problem that is explored. The research aims to answer whether a qualitative missiology of progress can be developed that will serve the Bible translation movement and beyond that relies less on quantitative statistics (because these are readily available).
The research was conducted in January 2019 -February 2019 through an online questionnaire developed by the author. Thirty-two leaders of Bible translation organisations primarily affiliated with the Wycliffe Global Alliance were approached. Twenty-four responded: 58% from the Global North and 42% from the Global South. The researcher asked three questions: (1) How do we know what God considers to be progress in the Bible translation movement? (2) What milestones are theologically significant for the Bible translation movement in the coming decades? and (3) What milestones will we cross together in the Bible translation movement in the coming years?
The responses to the questionnaire provide data that were analysed and grouped according to the questions, resulting in subthemes and topics. This informs the conclusions that answer the research problem. For referencing purposes, 'PN' equals Participant Number, the date of the response, and the global location of the participant: 'GN' is Global North and 'GS' is Global South.

Defining progress
The meaning of 'progress' expresses the concepts of advancement, breakthrough or 'movement towards a goal' (Dictionary.com: n.d.). Consequently, when 'progress' is used within the context of God's mission and the Bible translation movement, one is attempting to describe that goals are advancing and something significant is happening. This is intended to carry an overall positive connotation. Godin (2019:n.p.) raises the concern that more data are not what is missing to solve challenges. Instead, 'more insight, more innovation and better eyes' is required. In other words, discernment is what is needed to turn data into information from which 'useful truth' is extracted.
With this in mind, we look at the first question asked in the survey: question 1: how do we know what God considers to be progress in the Bible translation movement?

Progress in the Bible
What glimpses of the concept of progress do the Bible give to inform the question? Survey participants offered their reflections on these passages as examples: The Apostle John writes in Revelation 7:9-10 (NET): ere was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb … Viewing this through a grid of progress, one sees: '[M]ore people able to praise God's name in their own language; and ... more people knowing [God] in their own language, with the ultimate goal that more people will be real followers of Christ.' (PN8, 22 March 2019, GN) Also noted is how Jesus is 'building this global church which will last forever. So, we believe that work which supports this agenda is worthwhile because it is in line with [Jesus'] purposes'.
Habakkuk 2:14 (NIV) states: '[f]or the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea'. The application suggested: 'Bible translation constitutes an essential contribution … and fulfilment … to spreading the knowledge of the Lord'.
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:24-29 (NIV): '[t]o them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory'. The application in progress can be seen as 'more people having access to Scripture, which is a source of the knowledge of God'.
The Gospel of Luke 10:21 (NIV) states: 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children'. When the 70 return and give Jesus a report, 'his reply seems to focus on something that has been taken for granted, gratitude to God for what he has done for us'. Therefore, 'out of gratitude we share this with others, which is the best motive'. In summary, discerning useful truth leads to a variety of references to support an understanding of how progress is defined and described in the Bible. Examples include how a variety of historical messengers were active in the process of expanding God's kingdom, and how God imbued the notion of progress in visions recorded in Scriptures such as Revelation and Habakkuk.

Progress in the mission of God (missio Dei)
How is progress defined in relation to the mission of God? In general terms, the missio Dei is God's purpose of redemption and reconciliation of all that was lost through the fall. God's instrument for mission is the universal church, whom he invites to join him. A participant notes: 'God desires to see the church communicate this mission in ways that present him as a Father to people in different languages and cultures and these people embrace him thus and not as a stranger. In some areas, the church has understood this and it is the church that seeks Bible translation done in the languages and cultures where it is found. It happens when 'the community is involved in the translation process -as reviewers and supporters'. It occurs when 'translated Scriptures are available in formats that the community can engage with: book, audio or video, digital formats, etc.' Progress in the community is noted when there is 'regular interaction with the Scriptures' because there's the 'availability of the Scriptures in a language that people can best understand and in a form that's easy to engage with, and people are empowered to use those Scriptures'. Progress happens when we are 'serving not only prestigious groups, but poor, marginalized and "forgotten" groups' (e.g. serving deaf communities).
Progress for Bible agencies benefits from the work of Crutchfield and Grant McLeod (2012:7) who noted how 'success is found when non-profits strive to create collective impact ... and thus are able to achieve greater results than any one player could achieve alone'. The implication for the Bible translation movement is for participants to change their collaborative efforts to share objectives with each other and hold each other accountable for these goals. In summary, a number of ways progress is determined with Bible translation in the missio Dei include insights of its effects after it has been translated and made available in various forms to individuals and the church. This includes qualitative factors such as growth in partnerships, greater collaboration among key players and ensuring greater community ownership and involvement in the Bible translation process.
We now look at the second question asked in the survey: what milestones are theologically significant for the Bible translation movement in the coming decades?

Key findings on significant milestones
Using milestones to define progress may be a helpful approach. A milestone is a 'significant event or stage in the life of a person' (Dictionary.com: n.d.) and as opposed to looking forward when making strategic plans.
As an example of milestones, a participant noted, 'It seems that God leads people through situations and then tells them to remember what he has done, rather than telling them in advance what to expect'. For example, over 3300 years ago Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan River. The Lord told Joshua to have someone from each of the 12 tribes to take 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan and place them on dry ground as they crossed over to the Promised Land (Jos 4:1-9). Joshua set up the 12 stones to mark the occasion, and to remind future generations about what God had done for the people of Israel by delivering them to the Promised Land.
An ancient milestone in Bible translation was the Septuagint, the translation of the Old Testament (OT) from Hebrew into Greek in the third century BCE, commonly known as the LXX (Roman numeral 70). According to tradition, the Septuagint was produced by 70+2 Jewish leaders from Alexandria. This was 'an event without precedence in the ancient world' (Marcos 2000:18) because of the acceptance of the Greek language by the Jewish Diaspora in the Hellenistic world. The Apostle Paul used the Septuagint on his three missionary trips.
A participant observed, 'As best we can tell, we're crossing the milestones already'. For example, it has been nearly 100 years since Francisco Diaz, a Cakchiquel from Guatemala, met William Cameron Townsend and helped him understand that the needs of the Cakchiquel people were very different to the latinos (Spanish speakers with European ancestry).
At the time, Townsend had been selling Spanish Bibles, but these were of no use to the Cakchiquel.
An often-overlooked part of the Diaz-Townsend story and the formation of SIL International, and later, Wycliffe Bible Translators, was in fact the friendship between the two men. Diaz and Townsend started a school for Cakchiquel children. This shaped Townsend's vision of every language group having the Scriptures in their own language. The milestone of the greatest effort in history to translate, publish and distribute the Bible in every language of the world is well underway.
Changes in theologising are another indicator of progress. The contextualisation of the gospel that takes place in and through Bible translation is important. This has relied on the role of the missionary Bible translator as an interpreter. A participant noted an emerging theological approach: 'The gospel in context [that is] identifying the existence of God in our domain culture and identity … [shows/points] the way for authentic transformation' because it acknowledges God was in the language community 'before the missionaries arrived'.
There is a shift in the 'understanding of, and redefinition of, "sending" and "receiving"' of Bible translation movement personnel. This shift involves newer concepts such as 'polycentrism, generosity, community and even prayer among God's people [in and for] the Bible translation movement', and seeks 'greater participation from the global church'. Consequently, 'the historic players in the Bible translation movement need to be intentional in leaving room for others to participate'. Crutchfield and Grant McLeod (2012) stated:

Considering theologically significant milestones
[W]e get caught up in measuring the wrong things, because the things that really matter are often more difficult to measure … [T]o achieve greater social change you must also focus on those things that are external to your own organization … It's about leveraging every sector of society to become a force for good. (pp. 234-235) The historic way of measuring a milestone in some circles has been 'Bible translation started/completed in every language that needs one'; 'every time sufficient parts of the Bible [are] translated in a specific language for people to come to faith and salvation in Jesus'; 'when people of all ethnicities and languages worship God before His throne'; 'availability and access to the Scriptures in the language(s) [and format] of people's choice' so they can enjoy God's Word; or 'the day the "last language" is being started'.
All of these fit the criteria of a significant milestone. However, participants wonder what is a theologically significant one? How many of us have thought of progress and milestones in this regard? A participant suggested any 'discussion of "theologically significant" milestones probably needs to happen on a broader basis … as we may need help to get a better grasp on the impact'. The greatest milestone we are starting to see is the 'worldwide church participating more fully in … unprecedented ways … to accomplish God's mission'. Ownership takes place in the following ways:

Theological milestones in local languages and cultural contexts
In collaboration: Busby (2019) wrote: [M]inistries are becoming more receptive to hearing from the Holy Spirit first and then using strategic planning to carry out God's plan. But, first, we must master the discipline of stillness … and be aware of the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit. (n.p.) In humble leadership: We are continuing to see 'growing awareness and direct participation and responsibility' by the Global South church for the Bible translation movement, with greater 'resource mobilization' and funding; the church and communities are 'taking the lead in ownership -holding the power of informed decision making, and participation'.
In scholarship: here is a growing academia in the church that is interested in Bible translation, and there will be a shift from the less educated to a well-read translator pool and players in the Bible translation movement.' (PN24, 25 March 2019, GS)

Changes in local contexts affecting progress
There is an 'increased voice of local believers in the translation process and in translation decisions': '[S]cripture engagement increasingly happens at the front end of the Bible translation process, rather than near or after completion of the translation. Theologically, this recognises communityengaged Bible translation is, in fact, Scripture engagement.' (PN21, 1 April 2019, GS) And viewing 'Scripture engagement programs as distinct from the Bible translation process unnecessarily delays access to God's Word'. 'Where the church is not present or weaker, engaging with Scripture (in whatever form or type) needs to take place as early as possible'.
'Bible translation agencies no longer decide who needs Scripture, and in what form it will meet the felt need for access to Scripture'. Therefore, a significant theological milestone is the: In other words, the 'use of culturally understood and identifiable key biblical terms in translation -e.g. use of the name of God' -are challenges we face.
Our global-regional-national-local contexts are going to keep looking: '[D]ifferent in the coming decades to what it has been like in the past. Technology and engineering make more things possibleinternet, travel, etc. -but populism, and whatever may come next, is making societies more distrustful of others.' (PN1, 19 March 2019, GN) We also see how it is difficult to engage the church in some contexts: '[I]n reaching the less reached; [for example, when] local outreach and diaconal activities become more popular in our churches in the west, we have a harder time to get them engaged.' (PN8, 22 March 2019, GN) In summary, the concept of using milestones to determine events of progress in Bible translation enriches an understanding of the complexities of the process. For example, one sees the integration of scholarship, leadership, collaboration and unity in the church community as essential to the process while simultaneously considering globalregional-local contexts at play. There is also the development of the theological aspects of the translator's role. This ensures greater ownership of the church in the theologising process of the church engaging with the Bible.
The final question (question 3) from the survey is, what milestones will we cross together in the Bible translation movement in the coming years?

Key findings about milestones in the Bible translation movement
Will we actually 'ever reach the milestone of having finished the work of Bible translation? There will be ongoing needs until the end of time'. Let us look at some of the changes affecting the Bible translation movement that help us consider upcoming milestones.
There are changes in role-players because 'Bible translation [is] moving out of the realm of the "professionals" to the church and lay persons'. We are no longer the only participants in the process. There are 'other players coming in'. Bible translation is: http://www.hts.org.za Open Access penly accessible to all who want to participate ... without barriers. The foundational issues of quality assurance will not be addressed in the same way as they currently are. Bible translation will move from "expert centric" to ecclesiastical and user centric endeavours.' (PN10, 18 March 2019, GN) ' [To] the degree that the participants of the Bible translation movement are serious about including the church, we will see work started in the languages that do not have work in progress in this generation; however, this requires many more conversations in various circles and levels. ' (PN2, 20 March 2019, GS) 'The church will not participate because we invited them. They will participate because they need Scriptures for evangelism and missions'. As the Global South church becomes 'more informed and involved … we can expect to see an increase in the resourcing of Bible translation'.
There are changes in training where a milestone could be: As the Global North baby-boomer generation ages and literally dies off, the absence of 'their mindsets and influence of resourcing mission activity, including the Bible translation movement … could be noticed by 2035 and even sooner'. The younger generations of the Global South and Global North will engage more and more in the Bible translation movement. However, it has been primarily: '[C]onstructed' by the boomer mindset and thus there will be uncertainty as to transition. On the other hand, under God, a revelation of how God will "supply" His mission in this transition time ( Changes in integration will become apparent when 'Bible translation organisations partner very closely with regional and local churches to give support to the churches' ministry and strategies'; 'Bible translation organisations' ministries and strategies are integrated with partner organisations, and regional and local churches ministries and strategies'; and when 'Bible translation organisations' ministries -which are already integrated with regional and local churches ministries -come under the leadership and direction of the churches'. We acknowledge that this cannot be accomplished simply by our working harder or doing more of what we are now doing. It will require us to make significant changes in our attitudes and ways of working.
Our desire is to build capacity for sustainable Bible translation programs and Scripture-use activities. Therefore, we urge each entity within our family of organisations to give priority to strengthening present partnerships, forming additional strategic partnerships, and working together to develop creative approaches appropriate to each context.
To this end we commit ourselves to pray for the fulfilment of this vision, seeking God's guidance and obeying Him in whatever new directions He may lead. (p. 5) The best-known phrase from Vision 2025 is its quantifiable aim to have a Bible translation programme in progress for every language that needs it by the year 2025. When the vision was adopted in 1999, the number of languages needing Bible translation was about 3000 (± 10%). Currently, it is about 2100.
Some adopters of Vision 2025 have turned it into a practical goal with a view that Global North Christians will continue to play key roles in developing strategies associated with Vision 2025. This is logical because the vision was adopted at a time when the Global North influence in mission leadership and strategy was at its peak.
Balance is required, however, with dialogue from the Global South, so that their perspectives will have a continuing role in realising the vision, which takes place in contexts where 'the predominance of one culture over others is no longer accepted, and where cultural polycentrism is a fact of our time' ( These insights provide a sensitive reminder of how progress should be determined in the Bible translation movement.
Listed below are some final thoughts from survey participants, as they contemplated the future of the Bible translation movement: • An expectation of more than 50% of translation specialists coming from the Global South. • A measurable increase in financial contribution is looked for; for instance, by 2030 a full 50% of projects might not be funded by the traditional Global North funders. • Within 2-3 years, new curriculum and approaches for training for Bible translation will have been tested and released across the globe. • Envisioned in 3-4 years, the key Bible translation organisational structures will operate like movements that enable greater participation by the global church. • In 5 years, church denominations will be the leaders of the Bible translation movement; Bible agencies will recognise this shift and will be happy to embrace this change.
In summary, determining what progress actually looks like in Bible translation has been broadened from the quantifiable implications of some interpretations of Vision 2025, to broader qualitative considerations that include greater ownership and participation of the global church in the Bible translation movement. This is more difficult to predict or measure, and yet provides the potential for greater sustainability.

Conclusion
The purpose of this research has been to identify criteria for determining progress in the Bible translation movement embedded in the missio Dei. The analysis of progress was based upon a survey of three questions posed to leaders of the Bible translation movement: (1) How do we know what God considers to be progress in the Bible translation movement?, (2) What milestones are theologically significant for the Bible translation movement in the coming decades? and (3) What milestones will we cross together in the Bible translation movement in the coming years?
Through the analysis of survey responses, the multi-faceted nature of determining what progress looks like has been identified. Given the enormousness of the Bible translation responsibility of the Bible agencies, churches and other participants, it is important to ensure that there are solid missiological foundations upon which this takes place.
There are many aspects that can be counted. While it may be right to factor the quantitative measure of people and organisations involved in the Bible translation movement, there is also the qualitative nature of how these players conduct their ministry; signs of increased collaboration between Bible translation agencies; and improved quality of relationships between Bible translation agencies and the local church.
Keeping an eye on the progress that is still needed leads one to wonder if Bible translation will actually ever be finished. The words of the Old Testament prophet Zechariah seem important: 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit"' (Zch 4:6 NIV). These words to Zerubbabel were meant for encouragement. While the strength of the workers rebuilding the temple failed because the work was so strenuous (Neh 4:10), their efforts would succeed because of the help of God's Spirit.
Through this research, a missiology of progress has emerged that considers: (1) an understanding of what progress could be in the Bible translation movement in the context of God's mission has been broadened; (2) relevant milestones and how they could be theologically significant; (3) church history -what looks like progress in one era can actually be regress in another; (4) that reflecting and learning together within the Bible translation movement is a key to being faithful to God's calling and (5) that all who participate in the Bible translation movement are called to do so together to serve God's purposes -this is their privilege and joy.