The Izere Project
Literacy | Bible Translation | JESUS Film | Discipleship ««

Strengthening and establishing local churches in Nigeria by providing access to God's Word in the vernacular language

Izere is the language of the Afizere people of Nigeria. Since the year 2000 it has also become synonymous for projects in Africa which combine the creation of writing system for unwritten languages, the translation of the Bible into the vernacular, the production of the JESUS Film into the language, and the extensive work of training and equipping local churches for the ongoing work of discipleship, church planting, and the nurturing of resulting spiritual movements. This is accomplished through a working alliance between Nigerian church denominations; Nigerian ministries including Bitrus Dasar's CREI and Rural Frontier Mission; Cru's Great Commission Movement and JESUS Film Project; Wycliffe Bible Translators and The Seed Company; Faith Comes By Hearing, American churches including Cedar Mill Bible Church of Portland, Oregon; and the men and women of Nigeria.

The Afizere homeland is in the hills and valleys to the east of Jos, Nigeria. In 1991 a working partnership began between the Afizere church and Wycliffe Bible Translators. A team led by Richard Gardner of Wycliffe and Rev. Ishaku Afan, an Afizere Pastor from the COCIN church, created the writing system for the Izere language and translated the New Testament of the Bible into Izere.

Through the discipleship training, the creation of song books in Izere, and extensive training of men and women in the village churches, it was possible to show the JESUS Film in over 160 villages with Pastors of every denomination and more than 50 volunteer workers from Afizere churches providing ongoing training in literacy and the study of the Bible.

As a consequence the partners are now working together with Pastors and church members discipling thousands of villagers. Where no churches existed, more than a dozen new churches have been planted and are growing strong. A joyous celebration was held in Izereland in November 2006 when the Izere New Testament was published and delivered to the people in their own heart language as people exclaimed, "aYesu fe Izere!" -- "Jesus speaks Izere!"

Following this model the parallel work of Literacy - Bible translation - JESUS Film - Discipleship has been expanding into additional language groups throughout Nigeria in strong working alliances with the local churches. In 2010 this approach began to spread to other countries and regions in collaboration with other African ministries and the Kolo Group.