Wycliffe Associates Asks for Donor Support but Provides Few Details
The large Bible translation group encourages giving to efforts in dangerous areas of the world, but provides little information about its timeline or accomplishments.
Wycliffe Associates, one of the most recognized Bible translation groups, recently sent a fundraising letter urging donors to “move quickly” to share the Scriptures with “multitudes of lost people in the heart of the Middle East.”
The letter does not name any countries or languages that will be the subject of the fundraising effort. It mentions that the Christians are “under attack” so the translation training workshops Wycliffe will undertake must happen in a neighboring country.
“These Christians are under attack. Their lives are at such risk. I can’t even tell you exactly where they are; it’s simply too dangerous,” said the letter signed by Stephen Martin, vice president of field development for the ministry.
While security concerns are legitimate and there are places in the world where it is dangerous to be a Christian, security concerns and transparency require a balancing act that can be difficult to navigate. Experts agree an organization ought to be as transparent as possible without jeopardizing lives of individuals.
Wycliffe claims in the fundraising letter that “launching a translation of the Bible takes just $19,500 with this strategy.” But it does not explain how much of the project will be accomplished with those funds nor the timeline for completing any part of the translation project.
This is not the first project Wycliffe Associates has publicized without including many details.
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A Wycliffe Associates press release from February 1, 2023, announced the dedication of a New Testament completed by local translators in a minority language in Southeast Asia.
Wycliffe Associates encourages donors to provide Technology for National Translators (TNT) kits to translation teams in Southeast Asia. One kit costs $1,500 and “includes a very specialized computer that is sturdy and fully loaded with software and the ability to access the internet so translators can get online, plus the training they need to begin translating.”
The statement celebrating the completion of the New Testament in Southeast Asia did not indicate it used TNT nor indicate how long the project has been in progress.
According to its 2022 audited financial statement, Wycliffe Associates had revenue of $39.7 million and expenses of $45 million. It spent $7.5 million on fundraising.
In the MinistryWatch database, Wycliffe Associates earns a donor confidence score of 64, meaning donors should “give with caution.” It earns a “D” transparency grade because it does not belong to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and does not publish Form 990s with the Internal Revenue Service. Wycliffe Associates has an efficiency rating of one out of five stars.
