WELS Multi-Language Publications assists in the production of confessional Christian literature and other mass-media in the languages of countries where WELS is working and in other areas or language groups where the synod does not have an official presence.

Around 45,000 people have been reached through distance learning programs in Latin America and South Asia. The Bible Teachings Series, which now numbers 25 volumes, is the core material used in the distance learning programs. More than 600,000 copies of the books have been printed in nine languages. The series began in WELS Prison Ministries, which has used its version and some books of the Bible Teachings Series edition to reach more than 80,000 prisoners in the United States.

Recently, Special Ministries Administrator, Carl Ziemer received a request from a pastor for material to provide instruction for a prisoner that could lead to confirmation. A good question! In world missions it’s also one we’ve had to grapple with. For example, by the end of 2010 the distance learning program in Nepal resulted in 88 Bible study groups that included 55 worship groups; and more than 4,000 souls were counted as part of the worship groups. How could that many people scattered in remote locations receive adult information classes that could lead to confirmation?

The challenge is even greater because many of the people have little or no reading ability. The first attempt to provide confirmation classes by the use of a typical instruction book failed because the book was too large and abstract. It presumed too much prior information about the Bible. The students were not able to handle the material without the presence of a pastor who could walk them through the book, even if the students had attained sufficient literacy to read the material.

We turned to the Bible Teachings Series. Written to teach the gospel and basic Christian doctrine, the books presume little in terms of prior knowledge of the Bible. The English edition -which serves as the basis for translation into other languages – is written at the fourth grade reading level because many of the people reached in the distance learning programs have a low level of literacy. The Bible quotes, for example, are Using the Bible Teachings Series for Adult Information Cexample, we have encouraged translators to aim for a similar reading level—the Spanish edition uses the Spanish equivalent of Today’s English Version of the United Bible Society. Simple fact questions are interspersed throughout the books to enable the students to review the information presented to them. A test at the end of each book enables the student to review the contents and the program administrator to know if the student has mastered the material. In Nepal, where much of the population is functionally illiterate, a significant portion can be reached at a lower reading level, nonetheless.

Through a series of workshops, leaders of the study groups have learned to teach more than 100 Bible stories. Many of these stories were used to teach Luther’s Catechism, and many of the same stories are referenced through pictures in the Bible Teachings Series. Therefore, these Bible stories can be used by group leaders to teach the lessons contained in the Bible Teachings Series. While all students benefit by learning Bible history from which doctrinal truths are drawn, Bible stories are particularly helpful when teaching people who have little or even no literacy. Indeed, we have encouraged Bible study leaders to teach about 100 Bible stories in chronological order before beginning the Bible Teachings Series.

Twelve of the books address the six chief parts of Luther’s Small Catechism sufficiently to prepare a person for confirmation. Some topics are repeated. Under the circumstances the repetition may prove advantageous since the books are not necessarily followed in one sequence and significant periods of time may intervene before another book is studied.

By the end of last year there were 83 confirmed members in Nepal, and nearly 300 studying to be confirmed. While still small, the number was notably higher than the previous year before the distance learning program began to use the Series for confirmation instruction. The use of selected volumes of the Bible Teachings Series is a way to prepare teenagers and adults for confirmation when instruction needs to be offered at a distance through literature and group leaders who themselves have limited training.

For more information or to order the series, visit the Multi-Language Publications page on Northwestern Publishing’s Web site.