Giving in Community: An Opportunity to Engage in Bible Translation Together
![Saenz and Wolverton families](/Photos/Story Photos/Blog/img--saenz-family-and-wolverton-family-crop-top.jpg)
Nick and Rachel Wolverton have been passionate about Bible translation for a long time.
The couples do a lot of life together. As they considered ways to live in an intentional community with each other, they felt called to give as a community too.
They found a project that they wanted to fund, pooling resources so they could do more together than they could on their own.
“We’re linking arms together and bringing our daily lives into more alignment — not only in the places that we worship and serve in, but also the strategic ways that we can give,” Josh shared.
It’s their desire to raise their kids — the next generation — to feel comfortable in a space of shared generosity where they are helping advance the Great Commission.
“To instill generosity and a love for the Bible for all people in our kids at a young age meant a lot to us,” Kaitlin shared. “[We want] our boys to get to know that the Bible is not something that we want to take for granted, but something … to cherish — not only for ourselves, but for people around the world who don’t have that access.”
Teaching kids about living generous lives is important, but the Wolvertons and Saenzes want their children to see the value of being in community with others. As Hebrews 12:24 reminds us: “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT).
“Because of the individual nature of American culture, generosity and money in general are topics that aren’t on the table. And we don’t want that to be the case,” Nick shared. He and Rachel want to model a different way of life for their children. He continued: “[Generosity] is, in fact, another part of the Christian life that gets discipled through community and through relationships.”
Both couples would encourage everyone else to do the same in order to forge deeper community with one another.
“For people who are thinking, ‘How do I find this community that expands beyond one portion of my life?’ It’s taking risks in conversation and putting out an ask and asking people to pray and join you,” shared Kaitlin.
Both the Wolvertons and the Saenzes agree that the blessings of giving in community are incredible. God has entrusted them with resources — their time, talents and treasures — that they have the opportunity to steward. And they’re seeking to steward them all well, for God’s glory and the good of His people around the world.
He continued: “We can actually blow the ceiling off if we are inviting others into [giving]. That’s been one of the strategic ways that we’ve been thinking of how we can continue to be generous: by inviting others into [it] with us. And that’s been a huge joy because God’s already got the plan for how He’s going to accomplish His purposes.”
“Our joys gets to grow because we’re with one another,” Kaitlin said. “We can celebrate [what God is doing] individually, but when we come together, the celebration feels larger.”
God is doing amazing things around the world, and you can be a part of seeing people encounter Him through Scripture in a language and format they clearly understand. Join the work by praying with us!