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David Reeves, CEO of Unfolding Word, on Locally-Driven Bible Translation Through Church Collaboration (Ep. 154)

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Manage episode 503757874 series 2825897
Content provided by The Finish Line Team. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The Finish Line Team or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

David Reeves once believed his role in missions was to give generously to the ministries he knew. But after a moment of full surrender as a young man, God redirected his path toward a life of hands-on impact that would ripple across missions, Bible translation, and church planting worldwide.

Starting out with an electrical engineering degree, David first served in tech support for a missionary aviation organization—work that eventually led him to leadership as general manager and later president. Today, he serves as the President and CEO of unfoldingWord, where he is pioneering a church-centered approach to Bible translation.

With more than 40 years of international leadership experience across cultures and sectors, David offers a rare perspective on how God weaves together innovation, missions, and radical generosity. Under his leadership, unfoldingWord is equipping local churches to translate Scripture into their own languages using open-source tools—shifting Bible translation from centralized projects to sustainable, grassroots movements led by the global Church.

Major Topics Include:

  • Using business as a means to access Scripture and the gospel in challenging places
  • The providential story of Unfolding Word
  • Making the local church the hero of the story
  • The seven key ideas of the Church-centric Bible translation model
  • Turbo-charging church planting movements with Bible translation
  • Why having Scripture in someone’s heart language is important
  • Unfolding Word’s impact on the Bible translation ecosystem
  • The benefits of the Creative Commons licensing model
  • Increasing Scripture engagement
  • Difficult lessons in trusting God
QUOTES TO REMEMBER
  • “From Pentecost to Revelation, the entire narrative is about the church.”
  • “How do we make the local church the hero of the story?”
  • “If we ever hope to finish the Great Commission in our lifetime, we have to stand on the centrality of the Church.”
  • “The Church operates in a healthy form as a complex network.”
  • “Persecution often creates unity movements. People don’t care what your denomination or your background is. If you’re in the midst of persecution, you’re a loved and welcomed bother or sister in Christ.”
  • “The most effective way to share the gospel is in the heart language.”
  • “The heart language of a community is the language of weddings and funerals.”
  • “Bible translation’s proper place belongs to the Church as a tool for discipleship and church planting.”
  • “Our passion is to empower modern-day ‘Pauls’ and church planters to help them to complete the Great Commission.”
  • “There is no Scripture engagement problem. It’s integral to church-centric Bible translation.”
LINKS FROM THE SHOW BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW

Revelation 7:9 | A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

2 Timothy 2:2 | Teaching Teachers

and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

  continue reading

158 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 503757874 series 2825897
Content provided by The Finish Line Team. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The Finish Line Team or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

David Reeves once believed his role in missions was to give generously to the ministries he knew. But after a moment of full surrender as a young man, God redirected his path toward a life of hands-on impact that would ripple across missions, Bible translation, and church planting worldwide.

Starting out with an electrical engineering degree, David first served in tech support for a missionary aviation organization—work that eventually led him to leadership as general manager and later president. Today, he serves as the President and CEO of unfoldingWord, where he is pioneering a church-centered approach to Bible translation.

With more than 40 years of international leadership experience across cultures and sectors, David offers a rare perspective on how God weaves together innovation, missions, and radical generosity. Under his leadership, unfoldingWord is equipping local churches to translate Scripture into their own languages using open-source tools—shifting Bible translation from centralized projects to sustainable, grassroots movements led by the global Church.

Major Topics Include:

  • Using business as a means to access Scripture and the gospel in challenging places
  • The providential story of Unfolding Word
  • Making the local church the hero of the story
  • The seven key ideas of the Church-centric Bible translation model
  • Turbo-charging church planting movements with Bible translation
  • Why having Scripture in someone’s heart language is important
  • Unfolding Word’s impact on the Bible translation ecosystem
  • The benefits of the Creative Commons licensing model
  • Increasing Scripture engagement
  • Difficult lessons in trusting God
QUOTES TO REMEMBER
  • “From Pentecost to Revelation, the entire narrative is about the church.”
  • “How do we make the local church the hero of the story?”
  • “If we ever hope to finish the Great Commission in our lifetime, we have to stand on the centrality of the Church.”
  • “The Church operates in a healthy form as a complex network.”
  • “Persecution often creates unity movements. People don’t care what your denomination or your background is. If you’re in the midst of persecution, you’re a loved and welcomed bother or sister in Christ.”
  • “The most effective way to share the gospel is in the heart language.”
  • “The heart language of a community is the language of weddings and funerals.”
  • “Bible translation’s proper place belongs to the Church as a tool for discipleship and church planting.”
  • “Our passion is to empower modern-day ‘Pauls’ and church planters to help them to complete the Great Commission.”
  • “There is no Scripture engagement problem. It’s integral to church-centric Bible translation.”
LINKS FROM THE SHOW BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW

Revelation 7:9 | A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

2 Timothy 2:2 | Teaching Teachers

and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

  continue reading

158 episodes

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