Essentially Translatable

For the final throwback episode of Essentially Translatable , we highlight the ministry of Dr. Jim and Susan Kaiser. Recorded in 2020, Jim and Susan were preparing to return to Ethiopia during the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss their background in mission work and how it has shaped their lives up to now.  Serving since the early 1980s, Jim and Susan recount experiences i...

In this throwback episode of Essentially Translatable, host Rich Rudowske interviews Jim Laesch, a longtime member of the Lutheran Bible Translators community. This episode originally aired back in 2020 and focuses on Jim’s more than 45 years of missionary service. Throughout the years, Jim has served in a variety of roles, both in missionary service and administration, from 1973 until his retirem...

For this episode of Essentially Translatable, the celebration of 60 years of Lutheran Bible Translators ministry continues with this insightful throwback from 2020. Rewind to the first episode of the podcast and listen as current CEO Rich Rudowske interviews Dr. Mike Rodewald, the former Executive Director of Lutheran Bible Translators.   Spanning over 33 years of service, Dr. Rodewald d...

In this episode of Essentially Translatable, dive into the concept of setting a financial finish line to start a journey of mission-minded generosity. Brothers Kealan and Cody Hobelmann, one a surgeon and the other a financial advisor, are founders of the Finish Line ministry and hosts of the Finish Line Podcast. During this episode they share their experience of life defined by generosity. &...

In the past 60 years, missionaries with Lutheran Bible Translators have seen war and destruction effect the growth of ministry—but the faithfulness of God has never been disrupted. On this episode of Essentially Translatable, host Rich Rudowske celebrates the organization's 60th anniversary and explores a significant pivot in the history of Lutheran Bible Translators during the 1980s and early 199...

In this episode of Essentially Translatable, Rev. Rich Rudowske shares a sermon given at Concordia Seminary, St Louis on overcoming jealousy and the significance of maintaining a good reputation.   This sermon draws from Daniel chapter 6 and the Eighth Commandment with explanation from Luther’s Small Catechism. Rich reflects on personal anecdotes to illustrate the detrimental effects of...

In this episode of the Essentially Translatable Podcast, Rich Rudowske engages in discussion with Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt on the importance of cultural and contextual nuances when communicating the Gospel. Dr. Rutt has an impressive 40-year career serving in ministry. Most notably he has served as missionary to Guatemala, Director for International Ministries at Lutheran Hour Ministries, and Provost...

How can a church congregation best provide care for a missionary abroad? On this episode of Essentially Translatable Rich Rudowske discusses the congregational care model with Shonna Ingram of Pioneer Bible Translators. Shonna serves as a Trauma Care Specialist, as well as a Career Transition Specialist with Pioneer Bible Translators. She has dedicated over 15 years to missionary care both on and...

For this episode of the Essentially Translatable podcast, Rich sits down with Matt Kistler, the newest staff member to join the team at Lutheran Bible Translators. Matt serves as the Senior Measurement & Evaluation Analyst. He comes to Lutheran Bible Translators with education from Eastern University and experience working with Mission Mutual, the backbone organization for the illumiNations Co...

Out of the 9 million visually impaired people in the United States, it is estimated that 95% of that population is unchurched. Daniel Jenkins, President for Lutheran Braille Workers is working to decrease that number by increasing access to Scripture through braille and large print bibles. For this episode of the Essentially Translatable podcast, Dr. Rich Rudowske and Daniel discuss the enduring h...

On this episode, Rich and Emily bring you to Papua New Guinea to hear a first-hand account of the energy behind the Bible translation movement. Join us for an insightful conversation with Ministry Entrepreneur Duncan Kasokason.  Duncan is a Bible translation consultant through the Bible Translation Association of Papua New Guinea. Starting in 1986, Duncan started to translate the Bible into h...

This week, we celebrate 100 episodes of Essentially Translatable! For this episode, co-hosts Dr. Rich Rudowske and Emily Wilson reminisce about some of their favorite moments from the past four years on the podcast.   The Essentially Translatable podcast has brought countless stories from the field, interviews with Ministry Entrepreneurs, and conversations with international partners. Jo...

On this episode of the Essentially Translatable podcast, Rich and Emily are joined by John Ndemba and Rev. Mike Kuhn, who serve in the Bible translation movement in Cameroon and have recently become involved with the SURAM project. Rev. Kuhn fills the role of Data Analyst for SURAM, he also has served as a Missionary with Lutheran Bible Translators Canada in Cameroon since 2013. John Ndemba serves...

Does God have one specific purpose in mind for you? Have you ever paused to examine the various roles God has assigned for you in life? In this episode of the Essentially Translatable podcast, Dr. Jeff Leininger and Dr. Rich Rudowske discuss our callings (plural) and how we can recognize them.   Dr. Leininger is the author of Callings for Life: God’s Plan, Your Purpose . He currently ser...

For this special holiday episode, join us for a reflective study on the power and promise given to us through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Cozy up and dive into an in-depth conversation of how the complexities of Jesus’s incarnation are represented throughout different languages and translations. Grab your favorite Bible translation and follow along as co-hosts Dr. Rich Rudowske and Emily Wils...

In this episode, Rich and Emily are joined by Dr. James Maxey, Director of Strategic Partnerships for The Seed Company, and Dr. Nathan Esala, formerly Translations Coordinator for Lutheran Bible Translators—who has joined Seed Company as part of the strategic alliance between the two organizations. They discuss the power of partnerships across the Bible translation community.    We...

In this episode of Essentially Translatable , co-host Emily Wilson is interviewed by Rev. Rich Rudowske to discuss prayer as the strategy for the Bible translation movement. Emily works in the prayer working group for Lutheran Bible Translators and acts as the prayer point person for the illumiNations collective impact alliance. She shares valuable insight into why prayer is transformative to our...

Join us for a “fireside chat” approach in this episode, where Rich Rudowske, Executive Director + CEO, is joined by Paul Federwitz, Director for Fields Programs, for a vital conversation about the intersection of cutting-edge technology and the enduring practice of Bible translation.  The heart of our discussion lies in the relationship between human wisdom and AI's capabilities. While acknow...

In this episode, we are joined by two staff members of Lutheran Bible Translators - David Federwitz, Regional Director for West Africa, and Calvin Inman, IT coordinator, who recently returned from Liberia. They discuss the importance of being physically present in their work and how technology is a tool for spreading God's truth.  The focus of the trip was to work with our partner, the Liberi...

In this episode, we sit down with Rev. Chuck and Karen Tessaro, missionaries who have been serving in Nigeria since 1985. The Tessaros share their experiences working on translation projects and their transition to a role of consulting and equipping the church. They discuss the importance of putting God's word in people's hands (having served with Lutheran Bible Translators since 2003) and how it...

Did you know? The number one reason missionaries leave the field is the lack of quality education for their children.   In this episode of Essentially Translatable , we welcome Deanne Gochanour, Lutheran Bible Translators missionary to Ethiopia. She teaches Bible and assists in the athletics department at Bingham Academy in Addis Ababa. Bingham serves missionary, local, and other expatri...

In this episode of Essentially Translatable , Ali Federwitz, Member Care Coordinator for Lutheran Bible Translators, joins the hosts to discuss the subject of trauma. We often refer to traumatic events that occur, but trauma is what we experience as a result of the event. There are “big T” traumas that are easier to recognize, but for many of us, especially missionaries and their families, there a...

In this episode of the Essentially Translatable podcast, CEO Rich Rudowske and Emily Wilson interview Dr. John Chesnut, the President and CEO of Wycliffe USA. They discuss the partnership between Lutheran Bible Translators and Wycliffe Bible Translators, which has spanned over several decades. They also touch on illumiNations, a collective impact alliance, that bands together the efforts of 11 org...

In this episode of the Essentially Translatable Podcast, Rich Rudowske and Emily Wilson interview Amy Formella, a Lutheran Bible Transators' missionary to Sierra Leone. Amy shares about her background, and current work with the Mende and Themne language communities and the importance of Bible translation in their lives. Translators face a unique set of challenges that go beyond the scope of their...

In this episode of the Essentially Translatable Podcast, Emily Wilson interviews Sarah Esala, Lutheran Bible Translators’ regional director for Southern & East Africa + Pacific. Sarah shares her experiences and insights from her recent visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), discussing the exponential effect of partnerships and excitement for Bible translation ministry within the PNG language communi...