Bible Translator Position Description
Assigned to a Baptist Mid-Missions Field Council

Position Title: BIBLE TRANSLATOR

Objectives of Position:

1. Good functional and personal interaction with members of the Field Council, national partners in the translation process, and in other relationships with Baptist Mid-Missions and national groups.

2. Scripture manuscripts which are of the highest quality, conforming to Baptist Mid-Missions/BI standards and policies.

3. Incorporation of Scriptures into the life of the churches and their host society.

Responsible to: FIELD COUNCIL, FIELD ADMINISTRATOR

Duties and Procedures to Fulfill the Responsibility:

1. Exercise of the translation process: orthography development, language analysis, Bible translation, field testing, revisions, within the guidelines of and with the help of qualified Bibles International Bible translation consultants.

2. Use of computers and other technical resources to facilitate the process.

3. Publication and distribution of Scriptures, including trial portions and larger units such as the New Testament, with the help of Bibles International.

4. Coordination with the Field Council for support services and ministry interface.

5. Local-church ministries as part of the Field Council team.

Qualifications:

The objectives of the position will be fulfilled most successfully by a person with these qualifications:

1. Character and gifts:

a. Personal commitment to Jesus Christ, to His commission and to His Word.

b. Spiritual and emotional maturity demonstrated by integrity, objectivity and intellectual honesty.

c. Interest and ability in biblical exegesis and teaching.

d. Ability to spend long hours on detail work.

e. Open mind to non-traditional ways of looking at language and translation.

f. Willingness to travel and operate under less than ideal conditions for long periods of time. g. Achieve a percentile score of 90 or better on the Modern Language Aptitude Exam.

2. Academic preparation:

a. Master of Divinity degree or equivalent, with aptitude in Greek and/or Hebrew.

b. Linguistics training comparable to at least two summers at Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).

c. Training and reading in translation theory.

d. Training in techniques of language learning.

e. Ordination expected for men.

3. Fruitful experience in local-church ministries and leadership.

4. Missionary appointment by Baptist Mid-Missions and successful completion of deputation ministry and field orientation.

Application is made through the Baptist Mid-Missions Candidate Department:

Rev. Steve Fulks
Church Relations
Baptist Mid-Mission
Box 308011 Cleveland, OH 44130-8011
(216)826-3930