This summer, one of Corban University’s key partners, Whole Word Institute, an organization based in Jerusalem with a unique approach to training Bible translators, celebrated another graduating class. This year’s 24 graduates represent 15 different nations and 13 language translation projects, with the potential to give access to the Scriptures to more than 5 million people. 

The school year was marked by difficulty and turmoil for Whole Word Institute students, as conflict within Israel permeated daily life for the Jerusalem-based institute, its students, and staff. At this year’s ceremony, one of these graduates, Alik—a student from Micronesia—addressed the challenges of this year, speaking to his fellow graduates in fluent Hebrew.  

“Our year began without electricity and a month later, war broke out. We flew to Greece, and then we came back in December,” he said. “But by the grace of God, we are here. This is greater than me or than you. This work is not only for our generation, but it is also for the next generation and generations to come after us.” 

Whole Word Institute’s primary goal is to provide biblical language training and resources to support the growing global demand for localized, Church-led Bible translation. Their unique strategy is to train mother-tongue consultants, teachers, and translators. Traditional translation work has required translators to learn both a biblical language and a target language. Whole Word Institute provides biblical Hebrew training to nationals who already know the language and culture of the target translation. 

Indigenous leaders are already using this new and effective training method to help local churches translate Scripture on their own. By learning the original biblical language, culture, and context, they can quickly and accurately share the whole Bible with their communities. 

“This partnership is a privilege for Corban,” says Corban University Dean of the School of Ministry, Dr. Greg Trull. “We are blessed to work with brilliant Christian linguists with whom we have built a cutting-edge immersive program to train Bible translators.” 

Corban University partners with Whole Word Institute to oversee elements of its academic program and ensure accreditation approval. Currently, of the more than 7,000 languages in the world, over 6,000 do not have access to the full Bible (Old and New Testaments). In addition, of the 400+ sign languages in the world, only one has a full translation of the Bible. These areas are where the partnership between Corban University and Whole Word Institute aims to equip its graduates to make a difference, and already Whole Word Institute graduates are working in 29 nations, with 64 distinct languages, serving over 111 million speakers.  

For Corban University, partnerships like this one with Whole Word Institute are integral to fulfilling the University’s mission to educate Christians who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. “Whole Word Institute embodies our mission,” said Dr. Trull. “They make the first difference in many coming to Christ, providing the Word for millions who have never heard it.” 

To learn more about Corban University’s global partnerships, visit: https://www.corban.edu/cge/global-partnerships/