Author Brian W. Simmons – Renewing People’s Faith through Bible Translations and other Books

Faith and religion shape people’s behavior, lifestyle, attitudes, and social interactions by influencing their beliefs and values. Faith is important because it serves as a support system and guides people to differentiate right from wrong. Faith and religion go hand in hand because God’s word and message are essential for shaping and influencing faith. However, many people stop practicing Christianity due to their detachment from religious services and practices. A primary issue influencing most people to distance themselves from religion is their lack of understanding and guidance. Religious and spiritual leaders try to persuade people to return to religion and reconnect with God through their sermons and preaching of God’s word. God’s word in the form of the Bible is the foundation of the Christian religion because it guides people’s beliefs and behavior.

The Bible is the primary Scripture of Christianity because it guides Christians on how to live, interact with others, and follow God’s commandments and advice. The Scripture is Christianity’s primary law and guides believers, offering text for worship and ceremonies. Although the Bible plays a primary role in Christianity, many people cannot understand the Bible due to the archaic language and lack of guidance in understanding the old-fashioned language. The Bible is the complete Scripture for knowing and connecting with God, but most people rely on pastors and ministers to understand the verses and passages. Many pastors and ministers help and guide people in reading and understanding the Bible, but most still face comprehension challenges. Some preachers like Brian Simmons go the extra mile to help people understand the Bible by writing a translation in modern and simple language.

Brian W. Simmons is a prominent preacher, linguist, author, Bible translator, and Passion and Fire Ministries founder. After serving several years as a missionary, he realized that people needed a translation of the Bible in easy-to-understand language to connect with God and reinforce their faith. Although the English Standard Version (ESV) offers a contemporary translation of the Bible, many people still cannot understand the difficult verses. Simmons took it upon himself to write a Bible translation from its original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic roots in easy and comprehensible language. He compiled the Passion Translation comprising contemporary translations of the New Testament, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Proverbs, Genesis, and Psalms. Simmons previously contributed to the Paya-Kuna New Testament Project, offering advice and support in linguistics and translation related to the Bible. The project inspired him to work on his project and develop a translation in simple English that would help people understand the Bible easily without excessive guidance.

Simmons was not always an ardent Christian and dramatically converted to Christianity in his twenties after suffering from alcoholism. After converting, he found his true calling and took on the mission to spread God’s word in remote locations where people typically remain in the dark. He took his wife and three children, moved to a jungle in Central America, and started preaching to the locals. Simmons and his family spent several decades in Panama, establishing several local churches to help the natives connect with God. He also attended the New Tribes Bible and Language/Linguistic Institutes in Wisconsin and Missouri from 1973 to 1978 to prepare for the Paya/Kuna translation project. Simmons attended the Wagner Leadership Institute in Connecticut from 2003 to 2007 for a doctorate in practical ministry. He also established the Gateway Christian Fellowship Church with his wife in Connecticut. The couple also founded the Passion and Fire Ministries in 2009 to teach the Bible to people.

During his career, Brian Simmons also published numerous books apart from the Pasion Translation, focusing on religion, linguistics, theology, and history. Some of his prominent publications include Wisdom from Above, the Book of Isaiah, the Divine Romance, Prayers on Fire, Prayers from the Throne Room, Wrapped in Christ, and the Vision. Simmons also wrote Courage to Conquer, Ever Present Love, Grace & Hope, I Hear His Whisper, I Hear His Whispers for Women, Song of Songs, the Life of Jesus, and Come and Behold Him. Brian Simmons also coauthored several books with his wife, Candice Simmons, on various topics related to religion and theology. Some of the couple’s books include the Joshua Generation, Not Guilty, the Sacred Journey, the Wilderness, the Blessing, the Dreamer, Throne Room Prayer, and the Image Maker. Simmons published several other books, but the Passion Translation is one of his most popular publications. Author Brian W. Simmons helps people improve their faith through the easy-to-understand Bible translation.