After more than two decades of partnership, AG World Missions is postponing its final decision concerning its working relationship with Wycliffe Bible Translators until recommendations from a review panel appointed by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) are made known.

Earlier this year, the Assemblies of God World Missions Executive Committee set a May 15 deadline to determine whether to continue its partnership with Wycliffe after the organization announced that, in some instances, other terms would be used for "Father," "Son" and "Son of God" in an effort to make Scripture more easily understood by Muslims. AGWM openly disagreed with Wycliffe's stated and publicized decision and met twice with Wycliffe representatives in hopes of resolving the issue. With the creation of the WEA review panel, AGWM has postponed its final decision.

Mundis

"If, after the WEA panel review is complete, Wycliffe's position concerning familial language is compatible with AGWM's," states AGWM Executive Director Greg Mundis, "we will gratefully continue what has been a long-standing and effective partnership." However, Mundis emphasizes that AGWM's position on using the terms "Father," "Son" and "Son of God" will not change.

Currently, 34 AG missionaries work with Wycliffe. AGWM states that those missionaries' status will remain unchanged for the time being; however, no new missionaries will be assigned to Wycliffe unless and until its position concerning Biblical terminology is finally believed to be compatible with that of AGWM.

The AGWM executive committee states, "AGWM is steadfastly committed to the divinely chosen terms of Father and Son and their clearly intended meanings as revealed pervasively in the inspired text of the Old and New Testaments."  

"We have given much thought and prayer in this process, and we continue to trust the Lord for a mutually acceptable resolution with Wycliffe," says Mundis.

To read a position paper concerning familial language written by AG scholars and missiologists, click here.