One of the surprises since launching Clear and Simple Media is seeing how our materials get to the places where they end up. We sometimes say that our first little book “escaped.” We began the ministry as a project for Vietnam and a few tribal languages. Soon, we started hearing from missionaries who asked if we could help them translate the little book into their language. Today, we now offer material in more than forty-five languages.

Some of those translation projects have been quite challenging. In one instance, the best translator for a language used in India and Nepal lived in a remote village. He had no access to the internet and limited electricity. The translator would do the text by hand. Then, after a long drive in challenging terrain, a motorbike driver would retrieve the document. He would deliver it to the typist. After the work was typeset, he would return the text to the translator for final approval. After multiple trips, the books were given to church-planters in India. Other projects do not face those obstacles. But no project is without its challenges.

In June of 2017, a pastor/church worker in Sweden contacted us . This man was the primary translator for The New City Catechism. The New City Catechism is a work produced by the leadership of the Gospel Coalition. He had was near completion of that book, but found that the book was a bit too ‘advanced’ for his target audience. It seemed out of reach for some of the students that he worked with. Somewhere, he had come across the book, Simple Truths for the New Believer. He liked it and asked if he could begin translating the text into Swedish. We agreed, and the process began.

But, the work was not without its challenges. The translator was much in demand. He had to balance time for this work amid his many other responsibilities. And this was not his only translation project. He is a sought after translator with a reputation as one of the most reliable translators in Sweden.

We soon discovered that one of the things that makes him so good is his commitment to excellence. He does not arrive at “good enough” until the work satisfies his stringent standards. (We have had experiences with translators that reached “good enough” much too soon. That is why we have developed a set of Field Testing guidelines that we follow.

For this particular work, our guidelines seemed like child’s play. We watched as this Swedish translation made its way through many edits. It passed through multiple readings by pastors, elders, and teachers. And on March 16, after nearly three years, we received the final edition.

We are pleased to announce that “Simple Truth for the New Believer” is now available in Swedish. You may download in the book from our A Simple Word website [HERE]. Our gratitude goes out to our translator, Jonas Vestland. He has made sure that this book will be a reliable tool for Swedish speakers/readers for years to come.