Recognizing the increasing use of media tools to touch peoples' lives with the Bible in their own heart language, JAARS is planning a major expansion in its vernacular media services (VMS) department.

The North Carolina-based technical arm of Wycliffe Bible Translators hopes to increase the number of staff in the department to 84 from the current 40. Begun in 1993, the department provides support, training and strategy consulting to Wycliffe translators, other agencies' missionaries and local Christians wanting to reach people groups with media.

"VMS provides audiotaped portions of Scripture for dubbing with commercially produced video so that people who speak minority languages can see and understand God's Word, even if they are never able to read it," explains JAARS Director Jim Akovenko.

"We feel the excitement of having another way to accelerate work among the Bibleless people groups in the world."

Vernacular media options range from audio and video-cassettes, filmstrips, radio and television, to live drama, puppets and flipcharts. VMS training is given in 14-week courses. Trained media specialists have already been placed in 18 of the more than 50 countries where Wycliffe translators work, but hundreds more will be needed in the future.

VMS staff promote the use of media tools to touch people with God's Word in their mother tongue.

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