In a land where there are estimated to be a few thousand believers - many of whom are recent converts - there is an urgent need for people to understand and know the Word. The Turkish church has few reference books and few pastors to teach the Word.

In this context we identified the Study Bible as the best single source to train a new generation of Turkish leaders nationwide. As it is written:
"The unfolding of your word gives light; It gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130

The Study Bible is a convenient way to provide a range of study tools (historical background, basic commentary, short concordance, index, book introductions, maps and a comprehensive reference system) in a single volume. Even if reference books were available now, it would take years to distribute them systematically across the country. Distance, the small size of the church, weak networks for distribution, low levels of education and financial hardship all hinder the use of such materials.

By contrast a single volume Study Bible could be a major tool for the Turkish church nationwide to understand the Scriptures, as it pursues its vision of a "Church in Every Province & the Gospel to Every Home". Particularly it could be helpful to raise up a first generation of leaders across the country. Therefore we aim to produce a comprehensive tool for the growth of the Turkish church and see it distributed nationwide to contribute to the national vision of a "Church in Every Province & the Gospel to Every Home". This will be the primary goal for the Translation Trust over the coming years.

In Operation World Patrick Johnstone writes, "Turkey remains the largest unreached nation in the world". The Trust believes it must now press on to help distributors in Turkey. We are in close contact with almost all of them through the Forum for Distributors and Publishers, which we helped to bring into being. There are many opportunities.

We also want to help make available the next range of study aids required by the Turkish church. For instance, work on the Holman Bible Handbook, a three volume New Testament Commentary and the Lion History of Christianity is well advanced.