While the Gospel bearing his name tells of the signs and miracles of Jesus, Apostle John’s enduring legacy extends further, a witness that continues to shape the mission of illumiNations Asia. As one of Jesus’ closest disciples, John is also the inspired writer of three epistles (1, 2, and 3 John) and the apocalyptic visions of Revelation. To hear John’s voice in Scripture across all five books is to hear echoes of faith, hope, and the eternal love of Christ, themes often reflected in Impact Stories and devotionals shared during Week 3.
For Christian minorities scattered across the diverse landscape of Southeast Asia, the lack of Scripture in their own native language represents not just a linguistic barrier, but spiritual disenfranchisement, a concern often explored through faith and inspiration stories. To be denied the Word of God in the very tongue that shapes their thoughts, dreams, and deepest emotions is to experience a diluted faith — a borrowed understanding where the voice of God is inevitably muted, a reality highlighted during movements like Pentecost 2025.
As the linguistically most diverse region of Asia, many ethnic minority Christians in Southeast Asia encounter Scripture not in their mother tongue, but second or even third languages. How then, can God’s Word become flesh and dwell among them (John 1:14) if they are relying on fragmented interpretations to piece together their understanding of Him, a challenge reflected in stories from Impact Stories in Indonesia?
The voice of God proclaims, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life,” (John 8:12b, NLT). He desires to break through the shadows of isolation and uncertainty — it is a verse that resonates deeply within the hearts of Christian minorities facing restriction and monitoring in their own country, and a calling embraced by those who join the movement and sustain the work through giving initiatives.
John’s Revelation promises a full restoration of all things: the Kingdom of God in heaven meets earth — give a verse for God’s children in their own language so that they too can find personal revelation in faith, a hope affirmed by global Scripture access efforts led by organizations such as the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
A Wife’s Fervent Prayer Answered
Thirty-five-year-old Rene attended church only when he felt like it. But everything changed because of his wife’s persistent prayer for him to become a faithful servant of the Lord, a testimony similar to others shared in Continuing to Sow in Different Ways.
During a community Bible checking session at their home, Rene’s wife read Mark 8:35 aloud in their heart language, Bantayanon. The verse immediately resonated with him. “The Lord opened my heart and I realized that I had been too focused on my job,” Rene admitted. This moment of clarity led him to make a decision to faithfully serve the Lord.
Pastor Cesar, a Bantayanon mother-tongue translator, has witnessed similar transformations. “I saw the people’s hunger in hearing the Word of God, especially when they heard it in our mother tongue for the first time,” he reported after conducting community checking sessions. “My community really needs to hear God’s Word, and community checking is a good way to share the Scriptures with them.”
Pastor Cesar also discovered an unexpected benefit: the translation checking process helped him build better relationships with his neighbors. The informal setting created a relaxed environment where he could comfortably engage them with Scripture in their shared language.
Your gift during our 1-for-1 matching challenge will be doubled, bringing life-changing Scripture to more communities waiting to hear God’s Word in their heart language.