The First Stone

Etienne, a Community Bible Study Country Coordinator, had been asked to speak at a large gathering. After he shared about CBS and the importance of studying God’s Word, something unexpected happened.

The president of the gathering stood up and addressed the congregation. He said, “We need to translate this material for our people.”

There was no plan in place. No budget. Just a clear conviction that people needed access to God’s Word in their own language, Gurmantchema.

So they acted.

During worship, an offering was collected. People came forward and gave what they could. By the end, the total was $130.

It was not a large amount by most standards. But the president described it with deep significance. He called it “the first stone” in building a ministry for the Gurmantchema people.

That small step of obedience became the beginning of something much bigger.

With those initial funds, CBS training materials were translated. But there was still a need for the study lessons themselves. Etienne and his leadership team began to pray, asking God to provide what was needed to continue the work.

In time, provision came. Support arrived through CBS partners and ambassadors. Funding was secured to begin translating the book of Luke. The work continued as local contributors gave what they could.

Today, studies in Luke, Daniel, and Revelation are available in the Gurmantchema language.

What began with $130 has become a growing movement of people encountering God’s Word in a way they can understand.

The need, however, is still great. The Gurmantchema-speaking region is large, and many more people are waiting for access to these resources. More studies need to be translated. More materials need to be printed and shared.

But the story offers a clear reminder.

God often begins with what is already in His people’s hands.

A small offering. A step of faith. A willingness to act before everything is figured out.

And then He builds.

The invitation remains open. There is an opportunity to come alongside what God is already doing. To play a part in helping more people explore His Word in their own language.

Every movement has a beginning.

Sometimes, it looks like a simple offering and a single step forward.

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You can find out more about CBS’s efforts to translate studies into more languages to help more people explore the Bible together here. You can also help fund this important work by donating to the CBS Global Translation Fund.