Died: Bob Pierce’s and Billy Graham’s Bible Translator to India
Rochunga Pudaite went on from Wheaton College to found Bibles For The World.
In 1910, a missionary began working with a headhunting tribe in northern India. One convert prayed for his son to translate the Bible into their native Hmar language.
The son, Rochunga Pudaite, did much more. He ultimately founded Bibles For The World (BFTW), an organization that reports delivering millions of Bibles to more than 100 nations.
Pudaite died earlier this week, after a short illness. He was 87.
Born in 1927, Pudaite was the first in his village to go to school and graduate from college.
As a young man, he befriended eventual World Vision founder Bob Pierce on a visit to India. Pierce later used his newly formed development organization to sponsor Pudaite’s theological education in Glasglow, Scotland, where the Indian theologian met Billy Graham. The famous evangelist encouraged Pudaite to pursue his graduate work at Wheaton College and “personally saw to it” that he was admitted, BFTW vice president Jeff McLinden told CT.
“Dr. Pudaite maintained a close friendship with both Pierce and Graham throughout his life,” McLinden told CT. “George Beverly Shea and Pat Boone often sang at major rallies across the United States that Pudaite held to promote his quest to provide a billion Bibles to people around the world who had none.” Watch Pudaite surprise Pierce on “This Is Your Life” below:
After completing his coursework, Pudaite translated the Bible into his native Hmar. In 1968, he and his wife Mawii founded Partnership Mission in Wheaton, Illinois. The organization later changed its name to Bibles For The World and moved to Colorado Springs. An ECFA charter member, the ministry took in more than $3 million in revenue last year.
BFTW offers a memoriam …
70,000 Worshipers Dump TV for Church
Tech-savvy Oklahoma megachurch is now Life.Church.
One of the country’s largest evangelical churches is giving up on .tv.
Last year, LifeChurch.tv lost its $185,000 bid to distribute .church, one of the newest domain names on the market.
Th…
70,000 Worshipers Dump TV for Church
Tech-savvy Oklahoma megachurch is now Life.Church.
One of the country’s largest evangelical churches is giving up on .tv.
Last year, LifeChurch.tv lost its $185,000 bid to distribute .church, one of the newest domain names on the market.
Th…
Compassion International Sues Teen Mania over Acquire the Fire
Arrest warrant issued for Ron Luce, reports World magazine.
Last year, Compassion International paid Teen Mania Ministries to promote its child sponsorships during Acquire the Fire events. But after the longstanding youth ministry canceled the events, the Colorado Springs-based nonprofit said that it never received a refund.
In November 2014, Compassion sued Teen Mania for more than $160,000, according to court documents reviewed today by CT.
Teen Mania didn’t respond to the lawsuit, and a Colorado court awarded Compassion a default judgment of the full amount, plus court costs and attorneys’ fees. The judgment from February remains “unsatisfied,” according to court records.
After Teen Mania founder Ron Luce failed to appear at a hearing last month, the court issued a warrant for his arrest. World magazine broke the news today and reports more details.
Citing the ongoing litigation, both Compassion and Luce declined to comment to CT.
Compassion isn’t Teen Mania’s only creditor. On Acquire the Fire’s Facebook page, some would-be attendees have expressed frustration at the challenges of receiving refunds from canceled events.
Since 2012, Charity Navigator has named Teen Mania one of the nation’s most insolvent charities, with a working capital of -$5.2 million based on its latest tax filings. In 2014, the organization lost its accreditation with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and lost its headquarters to foreclosure.
Last summer, Luce and World engaged in a public debate over the cause of the financial troubles. “Since we started Teen Mania 28 years ago, every single month young people have come to Christ,” Luce wrote in his rebuttal. “And we have at times been challenged with the mandate …
Compassion International Sues Teen Mania over Acquire the Fire
Arrest warrant issued for Ron Luce, reports World magazine.
Last year, Compassion International paid Teen Mania Ministries to promote its child sponsorships during Acquire the Fire events. But after the longstanding youth ministry canceled the events, the Colorado Springs-based nonprofit said that it never received a refund.
In November 2014, Compassion sued Teen Mania for more than $160,000, according to court documents reviewed today by CT.
Teen Mania didn’t respond to the lawsuit, and a Colorado court awarded Compassion a default judgment of the full amount, plus court costs and attorneys’ fees. The judgment from February remains “unsatisfied,” according to court records.
After Teen Mania founder Ron Luce failed to appear at a hearing last month, the court issued a warrant for his arrest. World magazine broke the news today and reports more details.
Citing the ongoing litigation, both Compassion and Luce declined to comment to CT.
Compassion isn’t Teen Mania’s only creditor. On Acquire the Fire’s Facebook page, some would-be attendees have expressed frustration at the challenges of receiving refunds from canceled events.
Since 2012, Charity Navigator has named Teen Mania one of the nation’s most insolvent charities, with a working capital of -$5.2 million based on its latest tax filings. In 2014, the organization lost its accreditation with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and lost its headquarters to foreclosure.
Last summer, Luce and World engaged in a public debate over the cause of the financial troubles. “Since we started Teen Mania 28 years ago, every single month young people have come to Christ,” Luce wrote in his rebuttal. “And we have at times been challenged with the mandate …
Featured
