Joe Friberg

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Founder | President

Joe is one of the founders of Equip Disciples, and serves on the Board of Directors and as President. He also gets involved in many of the mission projects, and helps out with many assorted details such as maintaining the web site.

Joe has long had a passion for studying and teaching the Word of God. Beginning with his First Grade Bible, he began reading and valuing God's Word. At children's camp at age nine, he became a Christian, with a clear understanding from Scripture of God's grace and forgiveness that are available through faith in the work of Jesus.

He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
    or repaid us according to our offenses.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is His faithful love
    toward those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,
    so far has He removed
    our transgressions from us.
(Psalm 103:10-12, HCSB)

Even from those early days of faith, Joe felt a strong burden for reaching those who had never heard the gospel. Then, while attending a high school discipleship Bible study with his sweetheart (now wife) Tammie, the need for Bible translation for thousands of minority languages in the world became clear. Jack Clifford, the Bible study leader, taught from the Greek and Hebrew, challenging the students to grow and to persist in their faith. Out of these studies, many strong believers are continuing to serve the Lord in a multitude of ways.

Joe's undergraduate studies were in math and physics at the University of Texas at Austin. Yet more significant than the academics of those college years was the experience and challenge of sharing the name of Jesus in a secular world. Bible studies in the dorms, preaching on campus, sharing in the cafeteria, and consistent Quiet Times with God led to the decision to pursue Linguistics in graduate school.

After college, Tammie and Joe married and continued ministering alongside each other. They taught youth and young adults together, played violin duets and played in church orchestras, and went on mission trips together. Joe also led Bible studies with students when he taught high school, and in his office place when he became an actuary.

Joe continued his studies in linguistics at the University of Texas at Arlington, gaining much practical training from Wycliffe Bible translators on the faculty there and at the nearby Summer Institute of Linguistics campus. After earning a Master of Arts in Linguistics, he also earned a Masters of Arts in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After graduation, Joe served on the Holman Christian Standard Old Testament translation committee.

Joe serves as a deacon at First Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas, and also teaches adult Bible study along with Tammie. He has served in several mission ministries, taught children's classes, and enjoys being a counselor at children's camp each year. He is also a founding member of the Broken Cords band, where he sings and plays "fiddle".

Joe and Tammie have three children, ages seven to fifteen, who love the Lord and actively serve him in their own ways--with their own unique gifts and talents. Joe also runs a pension actuarial practice serving many small business clients.

In short-term missions, Joe has been to Brazil and Costa Rica. He is currently quite involved in assisting the Jones brothers (River of God ministries) in Costa Rica with support for their Bible translation work. See report from recent trip. He is also dedicated to the production of audio materials for Scripture distribution, such as the use of MegaVoice devices.