“Bible translation is a big job that needs to get done.”

Todd Price is an International Bible Translation Consultant who is on a mission to bring the Gospel to the Roma people of Southeastern Europe. So far, he and his team have worked to translate fifty Bible stories and the Gospel of Luke. Todd and his team are currently halfway done with translating the New Testament and are looking forward to continuing this translation project in hopes of more Roma people being transformed through the power of God’s Word. Todd is an alumnus of Calvary, and has a BA and MA biblical languages, as well as a PhD in NT Greek and Corpus Linguistics. 

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Todd attended Southern Baptist Churches throughout his life and came to belief in Christ at fifteen years old. Right from the beginning of his faith journey, God put on his heart a burden for the lost. After graduating high school, Todd moved to Dallas, Texas where he worked for a missions agency. Two years later, he pursued a BA in biblical languages at Calvary University, where he met his wife, Pamala, and the couple married before their graduation in 1991. After a year of pastoral ministry, Todd began working for Pioneers, a missions organization focused on reaching the unreached with the Gospel of Christ. 

Todd chose the Roma people to reach out to with Bible translation because, he stated, “As I’ve lived in Eastern Europe, I’ve observed that the Roma people lead a difficult life. They are looked down upon by society, and they endure much prejudice, making them a marginalized group. Seeing this reminded me of the Lord’s burden for the poor and for the despised.” Todd’s passion to reach the Roma people has only grown stronger over the years, and the result of his and his team’s hard work has made a powerful impact on the Roma community. 

Seeing the transformative impact of the Bible in the Roma’s own language has been a source of great joy for Todd. Many Roma individuals had previously encountered the Bible in languages like Croatian or Serbian but not in their native tongue. There are many personal stories that Todd has encountered, as well. For instance, one man told him he always gets goosebumps when the Bible is read in his own language, while others have told Todd that they understand the Bible better simply because it is in the same language they speak in their home.

Todd told a story of a man who had been going to church for several years, but all the teachings he had heard were in Croatian. One day, Todd played the translated audio version of Luke’s Prodigal Son parable for this man, and he immediately sat up and listened. He later told Todd that he “understood every word” of the passage. Amazingly, he was more impacted from listening to one brief passage in his own language than all the years he had spent going to church and listening to sermons in Croatian.

Todd’s vision for the future among the Roma people is ambitious. He and his team would love to see the whole Bible translated so that Roma Churches would be planted as well as become strong in their faith. Ultimately, Todd and his team’s hope is that the Roma people would become strong disciples and learn how to feed themselves God’s Word.

When asked what he would say to someone who is considering pursuing a degree in biblical languages, Todd stated: “Statistics are absolutely gripping. There are 1.4 billion people in this world that speak 4,670 languages who still need some of all of the Bible translated in their own language. There is a mission to be fulfilled, and you can play a part in that mission.” He went on to say that pursuing a degree in biblical languages can open many career paths, from being a secretary for a missions agency to doing work such as himself.  Ultimately, “Bible Translation is a big job that still needs to be done” and Todd encourages anyone interested to take the leap of faith and consider impacting peoples’ lives with the power of God’s Word. 

“I specifically got my doctorate because I wanted to do more in my role at Calvary.”

Calvary University is honored to announce that missions professor, Joshua Paxton, recently earned his doctorate in Intercultural Studies from Western Seminary. As a professor, Joshua has enjoyed connecting with students and faithfully praying for them, as well as preparing students to thrive on the mission field after graduation. 

Dr. Joshua Paxton transferred to Calvary University in 2002, where he earned a BA in Biblical Counseling, and a Master’s of Divinity in 2009. While a student at Calvary, he said that he gained excellent pastoral training and preparation, as well as a profound hermeneutic, specifically when it came to understanding the purpose of missions. Most notably during his time as a student at Calvary, Joshua developed a passion for spreading the gospel to unreached people groups. 

Although Joshua pursued a full-time ministry in international missions, God had other plans. After enduring a series of hardships that prevented Joshua and his family from entering onto the mission field, he was given the opportunity to become a missions professor at Calvary.

Throughout his years of service at Calvary, Dr. Joshua Paxton’s passion for international outreach has only strengthened. Besides working on creating a Master’s level missions program in Intercultural Studies, Joshua recently published his book, Relational Partnerships for Missions Mobilization, which was inspired by Calvary’s Synergy Program that trains and prepares students for what they will encounter on the mission field. He is also the founder of Calvary’s Burnham Center, which exists to help churches strengthen their missions programs and take the initiative to endow missionaries from their own church. 

Joshua stated: “I specifically got my doctorate because I wanted to do more in my role at Calvary.” Indeed, Josh has already been used mightily by God in his role as a professor and mentor to students, as well as in his administrative roles in Calvary’s Synergy Program and Burnham Center. Calvary University looks forward to seeing how God will use Joshua and his heart for student connection and mission outreach in the future.