My wife Margaret (originally from Vancouver) and I (from Medicine Hat) have served with Wycliffe Bible Translators for more than a quarter century! We joined Wycliffe in 1986, after an extensive search into how God could use our skills and experience to advance His kingdom.
WHAT I DO
Before Wycliffe, I worked in journalism for eight years, as a reporter at the Lethbridge Herald. Researching and writing stories has always been in my blood. Here at Wycliffe Canada, I am editorial services manager. I write and edit text for a variety of media that informs and challenges Christians across Canada about the crucial work of Bible translation worldwide. My main task is serving as editor of Word Alive magazine, Wycliffe Canada’s award-winning periodical. It goes to about 22,000 addresses across Canada— individuals, couples and churches involved in Bible translation through prayer and financial giving. I am so pleased to work with such a great team of folks to produce Word Alive four times a year.
REPORTING IS BIBLICAL!
Why bother with media communications in organization like Wycliffe? It’s biblical, that’s why! Reporting back to God’s people has been an important part of missions since the first enterprising Christian missionaries, Paul and Barnabas, began to spread the gospel cross-culturally 2,000 years ago. Consider two references in the New Testament, regarding incidents (in 49 AD) after Paul and Barnabas’s first missionary journey to Cyprus and Asia Minor (46-48 AD).
1. On arriving at Antioch, the two men “gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27).
2. Then they went to Jerusalem, where “they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them” (Acts 15:4).
THE BENEFITS OF REPORTING
These verses model an important part of missions work—being sure to tell God’s people (especially those in the Church connected to the effort) what is happening on the field because of ministry.
Reporting back: is modeled in God’s Word; it shows accountability to those supporting the ministry; it’s encouraging to our spiritual lives to hear that God’s kingdom is spreading; it’s educational to those praying for the work; it’s inspiring, because it helps mobilize people to start praying, giving financially or begin serving—and stay involved.
Word Alive plays a key role in this reporting back to Canadians, along with our website, videos, social media, displays and literature.
MY WIFE'S ROLE
My wife Margaret served as a recreational manager in a Southern Alberta county before Wycliffe. She is currently taking a break from serving with Wycliffe. But for most of the past 25 years, she worked in several finance department-related roles. She made sure the Wycliffe Canadian bills were paid in accounts payable. She helped process receipting for millions of dollars in donations. And, more recently, she administered the insurance plans for our staff worldwide. She is the finance person in our family. I stay away from numbers—and stick to words!
OUR FAMILY
We have two sons, Michael and Nicholas. Michael is a videographer with a Calgary company. Nicholas—our family’s athlete—is still in high school.
By the way, Michael created a video for Wycliffe (called "Andrea's Story") after traveling to Cameroon, Africa, in 2011, He went with a group of young people to to experience the Bible translation work there.