Development Groups

Here you'll find high level descriptors of the Forum's Development Groups with contact information. The groups meet face to face once a year at the Annual Meeting and participants are welcome to join in their meeting,

Some groups meet more than once a year as circumstances permit, providing some continuity between Annual Meetings; and, each has a steering committee.

Together1

Development Group Details

Scripture Engagement

Chair: Jennifer Brassington, SIL

The Scripture Engagement Development Group is a place for those involved with the strategic leadership of Bible-based discipleship and outreach in their organisation.

 
We aim to promote collaboration across organisations where this is helpful, and to learn together and from each other about the many ways we are facilitating access to God's Word, promoting its use, and building capacity among individuals, communities and churches in the different ways of using Scripture for spiritual growth. 
 
We are hoping over the next few years to collectively develop guidelines on good practices around assessing the Scripture Engagement needs/preferences of a community, product and programme design, programme evaluation, and assessing use and impact. Much of this will be done in smaller project groups which meet outside of the Forum's Annual Meeting.

Translation

Chair: Bryan Harmelink, Wycliffe Global Alliance

The Translation Development Group members meet to learn from each other how to maximize the worldwide access and impact of God’s Word through the work of Bible translation. We strategize together on how to avoid duplicating efforts and how to promote cooperation. We share translation resources and discuss best practices. The group relies on the expertise of the Deaf Development Group for advancing the work of Bible translation in sign languages.

Media

Chair: Jo Clifford, SIL

The Media Development Group seeks to provide a venue for greater collaboration among the Bible Agencies that produce and distribute Biblical based visual and audio media products. The primary focus of the group will be products intended for distribution in multiple languages.

The group dedicates its time to the sharing of best practices, exploration of emerging technology, and networking as we face the challenge of ministering among both oral and media sophisticated cultures. We seek to address common issues and challenges, and to provide a greater voice to overcome them. Finally, we use our time to develop deeper relationships through prayer and encouragement of each other.

Deaf

Chair: Riho Kurg, European Deaf Christian Bible Translation

The goal of the Deaf Development Group is to help Deaf ministries reach out to Deaf people around the world and to share the Good News in their own sign language.

The mission of the Deaf Development Group is to facilitate and oversee sign language translation centers around the world through three existing, independent entities: Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association, Americas Development of Sign Language Association, Europe Deaf Christian Association and Africa Deaf Mission Alliance. One important outcome is combating the sense of isolation that local national Deaf agencies have felt in the past.

The strategy is to grow the global network of partnerships through the Forum of Bible Agencies International. Two member agencies, DOOR International and Deaf Bible Society, work exclusively in Deaf ministry. Other member agencies actively collaborating in Deaf ministry include Wycliffe, SIL, United Bible Societies, and Pioneer Bible Translators.

The Deaf Development Group comes together to discuss and share information on developments and best practice in sign language translation and Scripture engagement. This information is then cascaded through the wider network of agencies involved in Deaf ministry.