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PIONEER BIBLE TRANSLATION-RECRUITING SERVICE

P.O.Box97 Marceline, Missouri 64658

Phone Office 816-376-3708 or 0166

Al Homiiloi)Pfesident

April and May News

9

Exciting News from your P.B.T. Staff and Recrtiits:

Brethren, Praise God for all His mighty works and His everlasting care for
the citizens of His KingdomI To save space we will itemize each important an
nouncement because so much has happened since we last wrote you a letter.
1. Cecil & Betty Byrd and children head for Zambia, Africa, after three
semesters of linguistics training. They were the first recruits of PBT
2. Bill Barton our associate who was here in Marceline, and became a member

of PBT home office staff, has moved to Dallas to be coordinator of recruit and
PBT affairs. He needs more financial help so is seeking employment in Dallas.
Pray ^or Bill in the Dallas office.
3. Dave Filbeck. our overseas Director for area penetration, has accepted
a position as Professor of Linguistics at Lincoln Christian Semi nary and will be
moving there this summer to also serve PBT. Dr. Filbeck will work with our other
advisors and personnel at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary, Max Ward Randall
and Dr. Rondal Smith.

4.

Recruits, John & Bonita Pryor joined John's

brother Dave and his wife

Sharran and both families are in summer training at Norman, Okla., preparing for
two semesters of language analysis and linguistics training before beginning work

on a field with a new tribe in 1976, Lord willing. (Two tribes, one for each family.)
5.

Exciting meetings with Dr. John Beekman and Dan Piatt and others of the

N^cliffe Bible Translators has given us indication that PBT may soon be asked to
accept an area of possibly 10-12 tribes where workers are presently needed. This
is of great significance for Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

It is the

FIRST offer ever made officially by W.B.T. to our churches to work in remote areas
where Scripture translation work will be the major emphasis for evangelistic out
reach. Pray that a formal invitation will soon be received. Tell others to pray.
We have been officially invited to provide short term assistants.
6. Many recruits have responded in the last semester from Universities and
colleges across the country^University of Cincinnati, Ball State Univ, in Muncie,
Ind., Miami University of Ohio, several Bible Colleges and more. Praise God for
over 15 recruits from these schools.

Rita Pearl of JBC in Tenn. has interested

many in the needs of the Bibleless tribes during her '75 college year. Praise GodI
7* Lincoln Christian College & Seminary is definitely preparing a course

(under the direction of Dr. Rondal Smith, Academic Dean) for college graduates so

they can in the shortest possible time (one semester) take New Testament and Greek
for purpose of Scripture translation background. This will be good preparation
for SIL training in Norman, Okla, or Dallas, Tx., vdiere all recruits will be ex
pected to spend at least one semester before working in a Bibleless tribe. Trans
lators will spend three semesters usually. Al Hamilton met with Dr. Smith, Dr.
Wayne Shaw, Cyril Simkins and Max Ward Randall, of LCC on May 21st and discussed
plans for close association of Lincoln's training program and PBT's recruiting and

field placement service.

We recommend LCC for all who plan to do Scripture trans

lation work.

8. Pray that more churches will become aware of the great opportunity and
responsibility that is before us in reaching these 2,000 tribes who have never heard
the first sermon or seen the first verse of Scripture. Perhaps you could be a trans

lator and will trade the pulpit for a tribe of people, or work as a support team mem

(^"UT'se, teacher, builder etc.) to assist in reaching thousands who haven't had

the first chance to hear....give them at least one chancel

.f /

Tours for Jesus,

Al & Annette Hamilton

RECEIVED JULIO 1975

loneer

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ransiators

IN CASE YOU DID NOT KNOW.

The number of languages in the world . . . according to the most recent edition
(1975) of Ethnologue, is 5,687.
How many languages are still waiting to get the Scripture ?

unknown,

probably 3,000 to 3,500. (Some languages are spoken by only a few old people.)

This 3,000 to 3,500 represents about 180,000,000 (one hundred and eghty
million) people.

Number of languages with some portion of the Scripture .... 1,500. (Many of
these have only a book so for.)

How long does it take to translate the New Testament? Average of 15 years.
Some have been completed in less than 10. We hope that the process con be
speeded up.

How many more translators and support personnel ore needed? Approximately
3,000 translators and 3,000 support personnel.

What is the average support needed for a translator to produce a translation

of the New Testament? Approximate cost of translator and his family per month
is $600 - minimum. Approximate years needed ... 15. Total cost is approxi
mately $108,000. (In addition to this is printing costs, administration, etc.,
which will bring the ultimate figure to about $150,000.)
How is the computer being used in the work of Bible translation?
Computers ore being used in three ways.
1. For accounting and other business purposes.
2.

To help moke concordances and dictionaries.

3. Composing the manuscript for printing.

THE NEED IS EVIDENT,

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PIONEER BIBLE TRANSLATORS, INC., WAS FORMED.

PBT is an organization designed to inform and challenge Christians to become

port of 0 Bible translation team effort.

PBT believes that the best and only sure way of reaching the tribes people
for Jesus Christ is to give them God's Word in their own mother tongue.
PBT does not believe in feeding the full and starving the hungry. Therefore,

as Paul, we desire "to preach the gospel where Christ (is) not known" Rom. 15:20(NIV),
Financial aid for the recruit/member is not PBT's primary goal, but we do lend
our services for soliciting funds if requested to do so.

Recruiting is done presently within the boundaries of the continental United States,
but international recruitment is looked forward to in the future.

The organizational structure of PBT is kept simplistic in order to afford

freedom of service to the recruit/member and to ovoid top heavy mangement.
PBT is a faith mission and all of its members from top to bottom, at home and

abroad, are supported by individuals and churches who believe in reaching every
creature for our Lord.

PBT encourages individuals to get involved in supporting a missionary with

a specified monthly amount. This usually is above and beyond their present
tithe and offering, therefore, it does not affect the local church finances.

YOU

HAVE

SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK, AND RIGHTLY SO

If Wycliffe is already involved in reaching the Bibleless tribes, why is Pioneer

Bible Translators even necessary?

Ans. - The Wycliffe Bible Translators hove asked all churches and denomina

tions to begin their own translation ministry because they cannot handle the entire

task alone. This is stated in the WBT promotion material ....

Is this the feeling among the scholars of the Christian Churches?

Ans. - Beginning in the fall of 1975, Lincoln Christian College will have a

specific curriculum orienting young Christian men and women towards translation

work.^ Also available will be a one or two semester program for giving laymen
the Bible background they will need before they go in support team roles to help

with the translation. This should lead one to realize, that indeed, our Christian
leaders have become aware of this great opportunity and are starting a full scale

effort to reach the Bible-less tribes. Eph. 5:16.

Does not such translation and linguistic work require only experts?
^Ans. - Any student who con do resonobly good college work con learn this
science. He does become on "expert" on the culture, language, and thought
patterns of the people he is giving his life to reach. What is needed are men

responsive to the leading of the Lord with all possible training consonant with
His will, who lay themselves and their training completely on the altar to be

used as He sees fit.

What is Pioneer's ministry?

^Ans. - Christ ministed to the whole man. He healed the sick, fed the hungry,
raised the dead, etc. Likewise, PBT believes in reaching the whole man. Therefore,
doctors, nurses, agriculturalists, carpenters, etc., as well are the language experts
are sent to minister to and win these people for Jesus Christ. PBT helps recruit
and organize these workers into teams, therefore PBT is designed to co-ordinate the

work and talents of Christian workers who feel called of God to reach the Bible-less

tribes. PBT also helps locate the workers who hove acquired their training.

What is Pioneer's relationship with the Wycliffe Bible Translators?

Ans. - Pioneer and Wycliffe are two totally different and separate organizations.

The formost goal of both however, is the taking of the Gospel to the unwritten languages
the services they provide to their own personnel on the field ( i.e., consultant help,
work shops, JAARS servic, etc.). This is a big help to all as it speeds up the effort
of the world. To this end, Wycliffe has offered to the members of Pioneer all of

of reaching the Bibleless tribes and minimizes the costs of such services to Pioneer
and the Christian / Church of Christ churches.
YOU SAY IT STILL SOUNDS

IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!

Hardly. Look at some of the available facts and resources.

First and formost . . . "an all powerful God" and His Great Commission.
96% of all church funds are used in the bringing of the Gospel to the 9% who speak

English.

4% is used to bring the Gospel to the other 91% of the porld's peoples.

With printed Scriptures in their own heart language, disciples can saturate their
own language groups, giving each individual the chance to hear and believe

Example of first missionary - Paul (Romans 15:20).

"It has always been my ambition to preach the Gospel where Christ was not known,
so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation."

The principle of multiplication of new believers will operate wherever Christians

are able to leave some of the Scriptures with everv tribe and language group, along

with demonstrating to a new believer how he can share God's Word with his people.
Spage age technology provides that there is no ethnic group, no man on the face of
the earth that we cannot reach: there is no language unlearnable.
"And this gospel of the kingdom WILL be preached in the WHOLE WORLD as a

testimony to ALL NATIONS, and then the end will come." Matt. 24:14 (NIV).
The Apostle John tells us that there will be a "great multitude that no one (can)
count, from EVERY nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne
and in front of the Lamb." Rev. 7:9 (NIV).

NOW

YOU MAY

asfc

IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN DO???

Only if you want toi

Join o team as a :

Bible Translator
Literacy Expert

JAARS Personnel
Journalist

Agriculturist/Community Developer
Artist

Bookkeeper/Accountant

Builder/Carpenter
Business & Base Manager
Buyer/Shipper
Children's Home Parents

Librarian
Maintenance Man

Photography & Graphic Arts

Pilots, Aviation Mechanics
Printer

Publications Department Manager

Commissary Manager

Radio Operators and Technicians

Computer-Related Personnel

School Administrator

Dialect Survey Team

Secretary
Doctors, Nurses, Lob Technicians & Dentists
Government & Public Relations

Group House Manager

Teacher
Telephone Technician
Typist

If you cannot go, then be a part of the body at home that sends. Pledge a monthly

amount to someone going from your own congregation or to someone PBT suggests
to you.

Become part of the Pioneering Spirit, by making you home avoilabe to members in
transit across the nation who may be on furlough, deputation, recruitment, or travel
ing between school sessions.

Become a representative of the Bibleless tribes for PBT in your area or congregoti

ion.

Become a part of a prayer team for a sepcific tribe and members of PBT.

PBT believes sincerely that as Christians we are to minister to one onothers needs.
Therefore, there is no charge to any individual for the services that PBT is able to

provide for him. We only pray that alj of God's children ore willing to do the some,

and serve those who ore giving their lives to translate the Scripture into the mother
tongue of all people. I John 3:16 & 17.

Pioneer Bible Translators was incorporated on February 13, 1974.

PBT, Inc., is a non-profit, tax exempt organization.

All support for PBT and its members should be sent by a check mode out to
Pioneer Bible Translators with on enclosed note (not on the check) specifying
the project ( i.e. printing, administrative, travel, etc.) or the name of the
member to whom the money is to go.
Address: Box 97, Marceline, Missouri 64658
Phones:

Founders:

816-376-3708
816-376-3166

Al & Annette Hamilton

Board of Directors:

Albert W. Hamilton, President

Marvin Carr, Vice President

Annette Hamilton, Secretary/Treasurer

Board of Advisors:

Operations and Development:

Mr. Al Bergstedt, professional consultant. World Vision International, Covina, Calif.

Dr. John M. Perry, Accountant
Dr. Roy Blizzard, past prof, of Hebrew at University of Texas, Austin Texas.

Dawson Jones, Photo-journalist.

Linguistics:
Dr. Rondal Smith, Academic dean, Lincoln Christian College

Dr. David Filbeck, professor, Lincoln Christian College

linguist to Thailand - Director of overseas penetration
Missions:

Dr. Max Ward Randall, professor, Lincoln Christian College

missionary to Africa, Professor of World Mission and
Church Growth.

USA Church Relations:

John Kessirtger, Highland, Illinois. Continental General Insurance Consultant.

Short term Missionary Assistant.
Bill Miller, Retired from USAF. Director of Christian Tape Recordings.

Wayne Smith, Minister of Southland Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky.

Office Staff:

Janet Davis, Administrative Assistant.

William E. Barton, B.S., Business manager and associate director.

June 1, 1975

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with joyful anticipation of rewarding accomplishments to come for the

Kingdom of God that I recommend Brother Al Hamilton and Pioneer Bible
T ronslators.

On the 21st of May, 1975, after considerable correspondence and numerous

telephone conversations. Brother Al Hamilton met with Dr. Max Ward Randall
and Professor Cyril Simkins of the Department of Church Growth and World

Mission and with Dean Rondal Smith of Lincoln Christian College and Dean
Wayne Shaw of Lincoln Christian Seminary. Represented also was Brother

Robert Phillips, new president of Lincoln Christian College and Seminary.

The meeting with Mr. Hamilton was arranged so that we of Lincoln Christian

College and Seminary might discuss with Mr. Hamilton, representing Pioneer
Biible Translators, plans for coordinating Mr. Hamilton's recruitment program

with our developing linguistic program at both College and Seminary level.
Lincoln Christian Seminary is calling for the fall of 1975, Dr. David

Filbeck to head the linguistic program for the Seminary. We anticipate

that numerous men and women will go through our developing linguistics
program in anticipation of a lifetime of translation work, reducing un

written languages to writing, and translating the Scriptures into the languages
of unreached tribes across the world.

Al Hamilton is a fine recruiter and Lincoln Christian College and Seminary

is determined to offer the best program possible to challenge those men and

women he is recruiting to on in-depth study of linguistics to prepare them to

go out to strategic unreached tribes and peoples across the world.
It is indeed with pleasure that I recommend Brother Al Hamilton and

Pioneer Bible Translators to our brethren everywhere.

Your friend and br

Dr. Max Wai

Protesson<wOiurch Growth and

WorUyMission
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