Multi-Language Publications: Ten Years of Bringing the Written Word to the World

Abstract

Jeremy Belter’s paper chronicles the first decade of Multi-Language Publications (MLP), a WELS initiative founded in 1996 by Pastor Harold Essmann to coordinate and produce confessional Lutheran literature for global mission work. The essay traces MLP’s origins, its development of the World Mission Collection, and its publication of widely distributed resources such as The Promise and What the Bible and Lutherans Teach. Belter highlights MLP’s translation efforts, catalog and newsletter outreach, and its expansion into ESL curriculum and Spanish-language materials. The paper also details MLP’s partnerships with mission fields in Nepal and Pakistan, where Bible correspondence programs have reached thousands. Through interviews, meeting minutes, and distribution data, Belter illustrates how MLP has become a vital tool for evangelism and education, impacting both WELS and broader Christian communities. —Generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)