14 Jul Spencers Home on Furlough

Dave and Becky Spencer, Global Ministries staff serving in Brazil with Wycliffe Bible Translators, have returned to the States on furlough. They are now in Littleton, Colorado. They are staying in the home of a Wycliffe friend who travels a lot.

For transportation, they found a mini-van through RighteousRides, a ministry which provides reliable vehicles for a nominal fee to furloughing missionaries. The mini-van will be available until they return to Brazil in January 2011.

Though in the States, Dave is managing preparations for a conference in Brazil which will draw 120 indigenous representatives and 60 missionaries. The Scripture Use Forum will be held August 29-Sept. 3. Dave writes about some of the topics to be addressed in the forum:

“The traditions of language, culture, literacy, church denominations, syncretism, and many other issues create barriers that interfere with the clear understanding of the Scriptures. For example, how much of the Bible would you and I understand if we were instructed to read it only in Greek or Russian? What is the right translation of the Bible? What is the right church denomination? What language does God speak? We know of one church that prohibits the people from praying in the indigenous language, claiming that God does not understand that language! What are the biblical responses to these issues?”

Dave will travel back to Brazil August 21 – Sept. 8 to attend the forum and help in the administration.