Delegates had an opportunity to ask questions on Bible translations at a special open forum at the convention.

Prior to the convention, the Translation Evaluation Committee (TEC) conducted a review of the recently released NIV 2011. WELS President Mark Schroeder appointed the TEC in 2010 because the NIV 1984, the translation currently used in WELS publications, will not be available for use in the near future.

After a preliminary report, the committee expanded the review, asking for reactions from professors and others on the entire translation.

Following that larger review and other additional study, the committee published a supplemental report with its recommendation. All delegates had access to the report online before the convention.

The committee's supplemental report stated that "the new NIV could serve us adequately as a translation for our synodical publications." The TEC came to that conclusion because it believes that

• the revision is a faithful and accurate translation, for the most part, and that it is the best of all the versions for public reading in our churches;
• no other current translation—one that addresses all the NIV's weaknesses without adding its own new ones to the mix—would be a significant improvement over the NIV; and
• the use of the new NIV in its revised form would provide the greatest continuity and cause the fewest disruptions among our schools and congregations who are already using the older NIV.