We are so excited about a new missions partnership at First Free! As you know, we want to see the gospel go wide to all peoples. We have a strategic emphasis in missions on getting the gospel to unreached people groups, meaning ethnolinguistic people groups without a viable, indigenous witness for Christ. Or more simply, a group that speaks the same language, without anyone from that group who can tell them about Christ.

Periodically, I get together with missions leaders from other Bible-believing churches in Wichita. We realized one mission that we all agree on wholeheartedly is Bible translation. In fact, historically in missions, it is common for Bible translation into the mother tongue to lead directly to a large movement for Christ. The Word does the work in the power of the Spirit!

God opened the doors for a connection with Pioneer Bible Translators, a ministry that specializes in Bible translation. Together, we identified an unreached, Bible-less people group in Africa who is ready for the Bible. This people group is in a dangerous area, but a few believers came forward asking for a translation. Now a team is in place to start the process. Six or seven churches here in Wichita are all contributing to this project, including First Free! What a powerful display of gospel koinonia! Within 12-18 months, we expect to see progress in the gospel of Luke and in the Jesus Film translation, with a long-term goal of seeing the whole Bible translated for this people group.

Be encouraged about how God is using First Free and other churches in Wichita in purposeful partnership for the nations. Pioneer Bible Translators is even using this model of unity they've seen in Wichita to encourage churches in other cities to do the same thing.

"Behold, how good it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Ps. 133:1)