Dear Friends and Partners in the Gospel,
Wow, what a journey it’s been! As we step into 2025, my heart is bursting with gratitude for each of you. Your unwavering support has been a beacon of light, guiding and uplifting me through every twist and turn of this incredible mission. Reflecting on the past year, I’m reminded of Philippians 1:3-5:
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Harvest
In reflection, 2024 was nothing short of miraculous. Early in the year, I had the privilege of journeying to Malawi with my dear friends, Josi and Danielle. Together, we embarked on an Oral Mother Tongue (OMT) Bible Translation workshop, training 70 passionate mother tongue translators across seven languages. It was awe-inspiring to witness communities embracing Scripture in their heart languages, fostering unity among diverse church denominations.
Back in Potchefstroom, South Africa, our Discipleship Bible School (DBS) was in full swing. I had the joy of mentoring five incredible young men, guiding them through the grand narrative of God’s redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation. Their hunger for the Word and the transformation I witnessed in them was truly inspiring.
And who could forget our “Exalted” worship and outreach initiative? FLOOD WEEK was a tidal wave of God’s grace, reaching nearly 9,000 individuals, resulting in over 1,800 salvations, and countless healings. The Lord’s hand was evident as we witnessed a wave of souls entering the Kingdom.
End Bible Poverty Now Mission Vision for 2025
Looking ahead, 2025 is brimming with promise. This year, we’re laser-focused on key targets that will propel us toward our long-term vision of Ending Bible Poverty.
1. Launch 5 New Bible Translations
We’re gearing up to kickstart 5 new Oral Mother Tongue (OMT) Bible Translation projects this year, inching us closer to our ambitious goal of 120 translations by 2030. These translations will be recorded and shared in oral, digital, and audio formats, ensuring that even non-literate communities can experience the life-changing power of Scripture.
2. Distribute 5,400 Bibles
Our mission is to place 5,400 Bibles into the hands of believers across Africa in 2025. This includes:
• Printed Bibles for those who love the feel of the pages.
• Audio Bibles & SD Cards for our non-literate and remote brothers and sisters.
• Digital Bible formats to reach those with mobile access.
This effort is a stepping stone toward our broader vision of distributing 1,000,000 Bibles by 2035.
3. Establish Fire & Fragrance South Africa as an EBPN Hub and Training Center
We’re laying the groundwork to transform our base in Potchefstroom into a vibrant End Bible Poverty Now (EBPN) Hub. This center will be a haven for training and equipping missionaries and local leaders, focusing on:
• Training missionaries in Bible translation, distribution, and engagement, equipping them with the tools to bring Scripture to Bible-less communities.
• Hosting workshops for church leaders and mission workers, empowering them to effectively engage communities with the Bible.
• Providing resources and mentorship for those working in Oral Mother Tongue (OMT) Bible Translation and Scripture engagement.
4. Implement the 6 Pillars of EBPN at the Training Center
At our new EBPN Training Center, we’ll be embracing the 6 Pillars of End Bible Poverty Now (EBPN):
📖 Prayer – Mobilizing prayer movements focused on Bible-less people groups.
📖 Translation – Training and equipping local translators for OMT Bible projects.
📖 Distribution – Developing strategic partnerships to ensure the Bible reaches those in need.
📖 Engagement – Training leaders to teach and disciple new believers using the Bible.
📖 Publication – Producing audio, digital, and printed Bibles to reach all communities.
📖 Motivation – Raising up a new generation of Bible champions and advocates.
Vision for 2025 & Beyond
At Fire & Fragrance South Africa, we’re passionately committed to the vision of End Bible Poverty Now (EBPN): “Every nation transformed through engagement with God and His Word.”
Here’s how 2025 fits into the bigger picture:
✅ 5 new Bible translations → Moving toward 120 by 2030
✅ 5,400 Bibles distributed → Contributing to the 1,000,000 goal by 2035
✅ Establishing an EBPN Hub & Training Center to equip missionaries
✅ Implementing the 6 Pillars of EBPN to sustain long-term impact
By faithfully pursuing our 2025 targets, we’re building momentum toward these greater long-term milestones!
How You Can Partner
As we embark on this next season, your partnership is vital in seeing every tribe and tongue receive the Word of God. Here’s how you can be involved:
📖 Pray – Join us in prayer for open doors, divine provision, and the right people to be trained in Bible translation and distribution.
🎁 Give – Partner financially to support Bible translation, publication, and distribution efforts. Your giving directly helps to fund translation equipment, SD cards, and printed Bibles.
🌍 Engage – Join our next connect call on February 15th at 10 AM (PST) to chat with me and hear more about what God is doing through our partnership! I just want to share about our mission and share how you can engage with EBPN’s vision of ending Bible poverty.
Closing Thoughts
Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7:
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
As we plant and water in 2025, we trust God for the increase. Together, we are witnessing the fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:14:
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
Thank you for standing with me. Let’s continue to bring His Word to every nation, every tribe, and every tongue.
With gratitude and expectation,
Matthew Forrest Akre
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