Wycliffe Bible Translators Announces New Board Member
Cheryl Martin, Former BET News Anchor, Moderator Joins Organization's Board of Directors
Wycliffe Bible Translators USA has added Cheryl Martin, a former news anchor, to its board of directors, tasked with helping the Scripture translation organization maintain accountability among its leadership and stay on course with its goal of sharing the Bible with people around the world.
Martin, who is an author, speaker and radio host, was recently welcomed to Wycliffe USA's board for a three-year tenure.
"Cheryl is a true prayer warrior and is passionate about the power of God's Word to change lives," Brady Anderson, chairman of the board, said in a press release. "She also has a heart for young people, who will play a key role in meeting Wycliffe's ambitious goals. I have known Cheryl since we served together on the board of World Vision. She is a woman of deep faith and an unparalleled communicator. I am thankful she has been called to serve alongside thousands who are involved in Bible translation today."
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Martin currently hosts a weekly radio program called "Excellent Living," which hopes to "empower and educate" those who tune in "with practical and relevant principles for making wise choices and living with purpose."
Asked what she admires about Wycliffe's work, Martin told The Christian Post via email that it's the organization's mission to place a copy of the Bible in everyone's hands.
"What makes me passionate about Bible translation is the difference the Word of God has made in my life. It is active. It is living. It is life transforming. I can't imagine there are more than 250 million people who still don't have a translation of the Bible in their native language," said Martin. "I'm dedicated to play the role God would want me to play, to make sure that the mission and vision of Wycliffe continues. It's a joy to see what has already transpired and how God will continue to meet the needs and provide the funding as well as the staff to complete the work that Christ commanded us to do."
She added, "It's an absolute honor and privilege to serve in this way. I deeply respect Wycliffe's God-given mandate and I look forward to bringing my God-given gifts and abilities to complement what Wycliffe is doing."
Martin shared with CP that she accepted Christ as her Savior as a child, and has since come to "know the power of the written Word in the 21st century and its infallibility" – which also contributed to her decision to get behind Wycliffe's mission.
One of the primary ways Martin believes Wycliffe will continue to grow is by prayer.
"I see prayer as vital to the success of Wycliffe, or any ministry, because it's in prayer that we hear the mind of God, that we know that He is intimately involved in every aspect," she said previously in a press release. "It's also in prayer that we empty ourselves of ourselves and always acknowledge an utter dependency on God for His wisdom, knowledge, the needed funds, and for creativity. We are to pray about everything, and I don't think we can ever get away from that."
According to its website, Wycliffe USA's board of directors is comprised of in-house personnel, pastors, business leaders, educators and others involved in Bible translation.
The organization, founded in 1942 and working with partners in 99 countries, was accused earlier this year of removing the phrase "Son of God" from Bibles for readers living in Muslim-majority countries. Wycliffe denied those accusations, affirming that it "remains unashamedly committed to the integrity of Scripture and the doctrine of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit."
Assuring supporters that it had no intention of removing the terms "God the Father" and "Son of God" from its Bibles, the organization has submitted to an independent review of its practices by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). The WEA is expected to share its findings by the end of this year.
Wycliffe notes on its website that it has been involved in completing more than 700 Scripture translations, and is currently involved in nearly 1,500 programs.
