After
years of service in the Congo, we were convinced that the usual books
about the Bible were too hard for most Africans to understand. Gertrud
was instrumental in translating about 75% of the Old Testament into
Swahili; also a dozen Emmaus correspondence courses. I agreed to write
a simple commentary in English, which she would translate. That was in
1964.
My
idea of 'simple English' was of course purely subjective. Dr. Wm.
Wonderly, a Bible Society linguist, gathered the scientific findings of
many experts, which was published in book form. I felt this should be
the basis of what we now call Everyday English. The two main areas are
vocabulary and sentence structure. We have made a list of about 2,000
words which writers are free to use. As to sentences, the aim is to
avoid using subordinate clauses at the beginning of a sentence, or
within another subordinate clause. We have prepared a correspondence
course on writing in Everyday English, provided without charge to all
who are intrerested.
Other
writers became involved, and by now over 125 titles on this level have
been published. Over half of these have been translated and published
in one or more of four languages: French; Swahili; Spanish; Portuguese.
Linguists
say that this level of language is easier to translate than standard
English. Dr. Wonderly also suggests an objective method of testing
understandability of a piece of literature. Our list includes
commentaries on every book of the Bible. Some are no more than a
sixty-four page booklet, but the average is over a hundred pages. Test
booklets have been prepared for about twenty titles, making the book
into a correspondence course. These are used in three continents.
Besides
the Bible commentaries in Everyday English, others books were on
doctrine, still others on practical Christian living. The need for
clarity in the gospel is getting greater. Most of the teaching in
nominal Christianity is salvation by works, or at least, a great
mixture. Yet the Spirit pronounces the curse of God on any other
'gospel'.
Last
fiscal year 27,203 books in Everyday English were sent out. Those in
standard English and other languages brought the total to 53,704. From
the beginning Everyday Publications has distributed over three million
books, more than half in Everyday English.
THE BOTTOM LINE?
From
the beginning we supplied books to missionaries at our cost price for
printing. All needs were supplied by the dear Lord through His people.
Most of the staff were commended or one-time missionaries, and served
without salary. Still we realized that countless Africans could not
afford to purchase books. So we offered assembly missionaries in
developing countries any reasonable supply of our titles, no charge and
postage free. We have proved again that the cattle on a thousand hills
belong to the Lord. His stewards have, without solicita-tion,
ministered to this literature program and every fiscal year ends in the
black, with all bills paid. 
Hundreds of books have been
sent freely to Bible school libraries. We believe that many have
received a clearer understanding of the deity of our Lord Jesus, and
the simplicity of the gospel of grace without works.
We were given a substantial
piece of property and we incorporated as a not-for-profit organization,
Everyday Publica-tions. For twenty years we occupied this disused
Gospel Hall, then bought an industrial property in Scarborough,
Ontario, with the proceeds of its sale. Now this has proved too small,
so we have moved to Port Colborne, Ontario. We had acquired over the
years quite a list of presses and other printing equipment, but now we
have modern digital duplicators, which are much more economical for
small runs.
WHY EVERYDAY ENGLISH?
Speak, to be understood: ‘So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?’, 1 Cor. 14. 9.
Write, to be understood: ‘Understandest thou what thou readest?’, Acts 8. 30. ‘Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand’, Eph. 3. 4. ‘For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read and recognize’, 2 Cor. 1. 13 JND.
Our initial offer of free
literature to commended missionaries is still valid, so we ask for
prayer that God will continue to bless this Christ exalting material.