From Designer to Sender
Who knew that the seed planted by a Sunday school teacher over 30 years ago would impact the course of global missions? God did.
Michael Currier, in cultivating that small seed into a God-sized vision, would eventually grow into several roles within the larger Wycliffe family.
“When God called me into missions with Wycliffe,” Michael explained, “I was a successful graphic designer and hobby cartoonist, doodling and minding my own business. God invited [my family and I] into something bigger and better, more focused on significance than success.”
God spoke to Michael through a Sunday school teacher whose son was serving as a Bible translator in Africa. This guy challenged Michael to ponder the importance of Bible translation for those who have never heard the gospel.
Michael prayed about the calling and sought other godly counsel. What drove him and his wife, Marie, toward Bible translation was the conviction that the Bible is so strategic in any healthy church and so foundational for any international, or even local, outreach.
When the Curriers visited Wycliffe staff about their needs and his communications skills, a match was made. They’ve been involved in global missions, serving stateside, ever since.
“We were open to an overseas assignment,” Michael adds, “but it was more strategic for us to remain stateside. We’ve served in four different Wycliffe member organizations, including JAARS, and are now joining our fifth. We first served five years in Calgary, Canada, then served with Wycliffe USA, holding down their California office for two years, until moving with them to Orlando.”
In Orlando, Michael helped develop the Discovery Center, an interactive experience to help people explore the joy and beauty of Bible translation. He also got the Guest Services program up and running.
After three years, his family joined the Seed Company in Dallas, Texas. The Seed Company focuses on training, mentoring, and resourcing translation teams who serve locally within their own countries. Michael’s job, for the next 12 years, was to report quarterly to local partners who had invested in those translation projects happening all over the world.
Most recently, Michael served as director of Communications at JAARS. When asked what led him to join JAARS, Michael said, “The strategic value of all their technical and logistical support for translation teams in the field where it all comes together.”
As director of Communications, Michael conveyed the public face of JAARS in its messaging and communication strategy, both visual and editorial. He benefited from a large pool of staff when he first arrived—a real positive for him—but a third of that team has since retired or moved on, much as he is doing. He will be missed!
Michael reflects on his tenure at JAARS: “My role had mutated since I arrived, requiring more attention to detail, to track and juggle multiple projects. But my strength is more in focusing on one project and drilling deep into that.”
After an honest evaluation, Michael saw himself serving alongside folks called to Bible translation. He will stay within the larger Wycliffe family of organizations as a partnership development coach—working one on one with recruits, helping each raise funds and build capacity. Michael knows a thing or two about raising support, not only for mission projects but for mission workers. He has raised support from the beginning of his tenure with Wycliffe that would carry him—now three decades and counting. “I get to provide guidance, encouragement, and resourcing where needed. That fits my spiritual gifting and personality profile at this later stage of my life.”
Michael hopes to launch several more mission workers into Bible translation, much as that Sunday school teacher did with him some 30 years ago—and much like we can do within our circles of influence. May God raise up many more to fill Michael’s shoes and follow in his footsteps to send still others.
If you’d like to take one such step to help remote people have access to God’s word, click here.
