Unceasing Prayer for Bible Translation (UP) is a global collaboration among churches, missions agencies, prayer ministries, and Bible translation agencies to lead praying believers in a 24/7/365 online prayer space. It is the official prayer room of the worldwide Pray for Zero movement.

Those who have come together to form Unceasing Prayer for Bible Translation (UP) recognize each other as brothers and sisters because of our shared love of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit we see in each other. As we talk and pray together, we recognize that we have much in common: an abiding faith and trust in Jesus Christ, a belief that the Bible is the Word of God, and a zeal to follow Jesus’s command to go and make disciples of all nations. We are convinced that an integral part of discipling believers in all nations is for every people group to have God’s Word in their own language.

We have not formally tested each other’s doctrine but are convinced that we have enough in common to work together in unity and harmony, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to achieve common goals.

So, what do we need to agree on for us to pray together 24/7/365 for Bible translation and those without God’s Word? The list of statements that follow is an attempt to answer this question. This list includes statements of faith that can easily be established in Scripture along with conclusions reached through Bible study and prayer that provide the impetus for UP. This list does not include everything we believe in common, only those that we feel are essential for working together in unity and harmony in UP.

• There is one God, who is identified in the Bible as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Father of Jesus Christ.

• The Bible identifies Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, God, and one with the Father.

• The Bible identifies the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God, the Spirit, and the Spirit of the LORD. He indwells, fills, and empowers believers. He inspired the Scriptures and intercedes for us in prayer.

• Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ because of his sacrificial death and resurrection.

• The body of Christ is composed of many differing parts and includes people from many countries, ethnic groups, languages, cultural backgrounds, faith traditions, and worship styles. Christ has called us all to be one.

• We are all sinners and should extend grace and forgiveness to one another as God extends grace and forgiveness to us.

• The Bible is the Word of God. We acknowledge that there are passages that are difficult to understand and as a result, we have differences of opinion on many non-essential points. We choose to respect these differences and those who hold them.

• Jesus commanded his disciples to make disciples of all the nations.

• Part of making disciples of the nations is to provide every people group with a translation of the Bible in a language they understand well.

• God answers prayers. He promises to answer persistent, unified prayers for things that are according to His will.

• There are many obstacles to translating the Bible that require the power of God to overcome and should be addressed through unified, persistent prayer in the name of Jesus.