Coffee For Bibles Project Translates the Old Testament into the Karenni Language

Over 1 billion people in the world are still Bibleless, meaning they don’t have the complete Bible available in their heart language. In November 2014 Walnut Creek Church launched Coffee For Bibles to help bring God's Word to people who need it.

Coffee For Bibles is a project of Go Forth. Go Forth offers a variety of high-quality lifestyle products with a twist: 100 percent of the proceeds go to supporting specific local and international missions projects. Our current project is to complete the translation of the Old Testament into the Karenni language.

In November 2015 Walnut Creek Karenni held their first service at Walnut Creek Downtown, becoming a part of our church family. The Karenni comprise nine different people groups, who speak different languages and dialects, from their home state of Myanmar (Burma). Many of the Karenni have lived for years in refugee camps in Thailand before coming to Des Moines. This Coffee For Bibles project will directly help our Walnut Creek Karenni congregation have access to the Old Testament in their heart language.

We are partnering with The Seed Company on this project, which will take $185,774 to complete. For every two pounds of coffee, one verse is translated. The Seed Company, an affiliate of Wycliffe Bible Translators, launched in 1993 with a mandate to accelerate Bible translation and impact for people without God’s Word. Since 1993, The Seed Company has translated 1,194 languages across 116 countries on 6 continents.

We also partnered with Colectivo Coffee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to provide our premium Walnut Creek coffee. Colectivo began sourcing coffee from origin in 1993 and has 20 years of experience providing quality coffee.

Coffee can be purchased at the Welcome Center of our Downtown location during their weekend services. You can also place your order online and pick your coffee up from our main office.

Please join us in bringing God’s Word to people who need it. For more information, visit walnutcreekchurch.org/coffee.

Walnut Creek Extends Grand Welcome to Karenni Congregation

Walnut Creek Karenni held their first service at Walnut Creek Downtown on Sunday, November 1.
Photo by: Alex Michl

In 2013, Mike and Jenessa Lock of Walnut Creek Downtown realized that the Karenni refugees they had come to know did not have a church in Des Moines. Through a relationship with a Burmese woman named Pawdeenya, the Locks began to help her reach Karenni with the Gospel through apartment Bible studies. 

About a year and a half ago, the Karenni Christian Fellowship began meeting on Sunday afternoons at Freedom For Youth Ministries. The Locks, as well as Brandon and Ashley Johnson of Walnut Creek Downtown, helped to facilitate the Sunday service including worship, teaching, and children's ministry. About 80-90 Karenni regularly fellowship together each Sunday. 

Over the last year, Walnut Creek has partnered with the Karenni Fellowship in their ministry, and on November 1, Walnut Creek Karenni held their first service at Walnut Creek Downtown. The Grand Welcome Celebration marked the beginning of the Karenni service becoming part of Walnut Creek Church. 

The service included worship in both the Kayah language and English.
Photo by: Alex Michl

The Karenni comprise nine different people groups, who speak different languages and dialects, from their home state of Myanmar (Burma). Many of the Karenni have lived for years in refugee camps in Thailand before coming to Des Moines.

Fourteen Karenni adults were also baptized during the service, sharing their testimonies of lives changed by Christ. "It was beautiful to be a part of the celebration as many of the older believers began to sing out 'There is a Fountain' while those publicly declaring their faith were entering the baptismal waters," said Mike Lock.

After the Karenni service, a meal catered by HyVee was served.
Photo by: Alex Michl

After the service, adults and children fellowshipped together with a meal and kids' activities, including the popular bouncehouse. "It was a great atmosphere of celebration," said Mike Lock.

Pastor Tim Rude spoke at the service and gave praise to God for all that has been happening within the Karenni people. Tim says Walnut Creek is excited to join arms with the Karenni people as they join the church and begin to have their own service at the Downtown location.

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By Jackie Wallentin 

Walnut Creek Windsor Heights