Sower - Summer 2014/15 edition

The Bible at work

Bible brings new life to Rwanda’s genocide survivors CUBA: A million Bibles to meet church growth SINGAPORE: Making the Scriptures heard

AUSTRALIA: Bibles to sustain our brave

SUMMER 2014-15

Sower

Dear friends, “Life can only be understood backwards, but has to be lived forwards.” So the saying goes, and most of us would As we enter agree: there’s nothing 2015, we are like the wisdom of reflecting on hindsight. If we could a number of live life ‘backwards’, awful events we wouldn’t make so in history, many foolish mistakes, recent and commit so many sins, otherwise, and wrong so many and doing people. At least, we what we hope we wouldn’t. can to Christianity is a bring about religion focused on repentance, forgiveness, learning restoration from your mistakes, and hope leaning on God’s grace for a better and mercy, and getting future. a second chance. No wonder it attracts so many miserable sinners (like you and me!).

As we enter 2015, we are reflecting on a number of awful events in history, recent and otherwise, and doing what we can to bring about repentance, restoration and hope for a better future.

2015 will mark the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, that terrible venture that shaped the Australian sense of self, and lost us a generation of youth and our innocence as a nation. Bible Society is marking the occasion with a major exhibition about the Bible in times of war, as well as resources for churches and

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a television documentary. We aren’t glorifying war, but we are honouring the sacrifice of those who laid down their lives for their friends.

We are also involved in helping Rwandans to recover from their time of tragedy, using Bible-based literacy resources to teach reconciliation and skills for future flourishing. Biblebased literacy programmes are reshaping the nation as it learns how to move on from its difficult past.

Thank you for joining us in these important efforts to ‘live forwards’ as we move on from the tragedies of the past. Our God is making “all things new”, and we are his grateful and zealous servants in the task.

Dr Greg Clarke, CEO Bible Society Australia

Chinese grateful for every Bible you sent “It came like the spring rain”, is how 35-year old He Yueling described getting her pack of Bible materials.

Thank you for your awesome support of Get The Word Out to China throughout 2014. Get The Word Out (GTWO) is about fundraising as a group, and sharing in a great purpose: sending out the Scriptures.

On the next page are just some of the creative ways you did just that. Well done, everyone!

If you enjoyed group fundraising, or if you’d like to have a go at it in 2015, there’s a brand new GTWO project coming up for South East Asia. We’ll provide details soon, so keep an eye out!

Bible Society’s Phil Scrimgeour made an impassioned plea for China at the Perth Hymnfest, and a full house generously gave $4,000. After the great singing came the sweet sound of Bibles winging their way to China!

When Strathalbyn Catholic in SA turned restaurant for a night, the gospel was on the menu. The dinner attracted 100 people and turned a profit of $2,000.

A church group in The Don, TAS held a Harvest Festival. They sold grain, seeds, vegetables, fruit and flowers to raise funds for “God’s harvest in China.”

Praise the Lord for the good seed they’ve sown!

It’s a group effort with a twist, and involves fifty teddy bears!

Brenda Smith of Hobart has been knitting and selling teddy bears all year. Thanks to this happy group, Bibles have reached China.

The kids at St Mark’s Anglican, Bellerive held a Chinese market, selling lychee smoothies and craft items with a Chinese touch.

Sales from creative effort: $711.

Well done, young entrepreneurs!

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A new chapter after Rwanda’s painful past Vestine Nyirambarushimana (left) was just five years old at the time of her nation’s great tragedy. In 1994, Rwanda was torn apart by 100 days of race-based genocide that saw one million people killed. As Vestine was a child she escaped harm, but she wasn’t spared the conflict’s devastating flow-on effects. Education in Rwanda took a direct hit with the death of many teachers, and the absence of breadwinners plunged entire families into poverty. The instability, malnutrition and illiteracy that followed put Rwanda on the list of the world’s least developed nations.

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Bible-based literacy classes are helping 16,000 in 2014

Rwandans are learning to forgive and move forward

“I couldn’t complete my studies, and had to leave one young man is glad he decided to take the literacy secondary school because I had no money,” says course. “I used to make calculation mistakes when I Vestine. Her story is not uncommon. While school sold my potatoes in the market. I lost a lot of money. is compulsory for Rwandan children aged 15 But now I’m able to use my mobile phone and and under, many drop out because money calculate balances correctly,” he says happily. is short and transport is a problem. Only “I plan to ask my young relatives to take the RWANDA about 40 per cent go on to secondary course too.” This ripple effect is common. school. While Vestine has some reading Empowered by their new abilities, many skills, nearly half of Rwandans over 15 are encourage others to join the literacy class. illiterate. They remain trapped in a vicious They themselves go back to school or take cycle of poverty, unable to take advantage of further vocational training. They often take income-generating ventures. And while 85 per cent an active part in the community, helping to are Christians, many haven’t been able to get into the improve conditions for all. One village at a Bible simply because they cannot read it. time, change is sweeping through Rwanda.

Since 2007, however, Bible Society Rwanda has In 2013, the programme reached more than worked with other Christian agencies to help whole 23,000 people. This year, Bible Society Rwanda communities learn to read. Working with churches, has extended its literacy programme to six new and with full government backing, Bible-based literacy districts, training more than 800 people to become classes are offered to the local church community and trainers themselves. Through them, nearly 16,000 to anyone who’d like to join in. Churches make space for Rwandans—including those in prisons and refugee the classes, and leaders encourage their communities camps—will learn to read and write. to take hold of the opportunity. While reconciliation is Feedback from Rwanda tells us that the project has a key theme, the literacy course also teaches other life been well-received, and many adults are eager to take skills in numeracy, hygiene, income-generation, use part. As people learn to read, they take in what the Bible of a calculator and more. says about forgetting what’s behind, and pressing on to In Musanze, a district known for growing potatoes, what’s ahead. Literacy class participants take the first

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steps towards forgiving those who’ve wronged them.

Emmanuel Kayijuka, General Secretary of Bible Society Rwanda says, “For years after the genocide, people weren’t able to express their suffering. At the start they’d say things like: ‘I hate that person, and I think he hates me.’ But now we hear ‘I’ve realised that my neighbour is my friend, and is just like me.’ So through the literacy training we see change. It’s slow, but we can see progress.”

Kayijuka tells how a visitor from Bible Society Tanzania asked to see such change first-hand. “We took him to a village where he met two families who’d been enemies before. As they told him about their experiences in the genocide, he cried. But that soon turned to tears of joy as he heard how they’re now at peace with one another.”

It’s hard to understand how a nation plagued by civil strife just 20 years ago could possibly heal, but the Bible has been helping to make it happen. Rwanda is a nation on the mend, and the Bible is at the heart of it.

Will you help Bible Society extend the healing word of God to more Rwandans?

Please use the Donation Form on the back page, call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) or visit biblesociety.org.au/ rwandasower to make a donation.

All donations to this project are taxdeductible.

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L-R: Sarah (inset), husband James, sisters Emily and Hannah, father David and uncle Gordon

Family’s 130,000km for Bibles At a guess, it won’t be long before Sarah Cockrem’s 20-month old son Joshua is on a trike. School teacher Sarah and many in her family and extended family have been strong supporters of Bible Society’s Bike For Bibles (BFB). Sarah herself was roped in by her dad, David Chapple.

“There was always a ride in the September/October school holidays, and Dad decided to take me along when I was in Year 10. That year we rode from Tamworth to Sydney.”

“My dad, my three sisters and I, an uncle, five of my cousins, sisterin-law and brother-in-law have all ridden,” counts Sarah, “while our Papa (grandfather, Bill) and aunts have been roadies.”

David Chapple says it was “perfectly natural” to involve his three daughters in BFB. “While it started as simply a bit of a fun

challenge, it’s become a family tradition over the years,” he says.

“Our four girls, and their cousins, have each known that the September after their 15th birthday they’d be riding around 1,000km during their school holidays!

“As an extended family we love adventures and love sharing the good news about Jesus with others.

BFB has been a perfect way for us to combine these two loves.”

Sarah’s first ride in 2001 was also the start of an even bigger ‘combined family’. “I met my husband James and his dad on the ride.” No doubt that was a special bonus, but Sarah has drawn many other blessings from BFB. “It’s had a major impact on my immediate and extended family, creating a lot of memories and shaping the people we are today. It’s a massive achieve-

ment to ride 1,000km over nine days, and to do that with the people closest to you is such a blessing! I’m so thankful that my dad took me on that very first ride.”

The Chapple-Cockrem clan has been a fantastic part of BFB for more than 14 years, and we thank them for their family approach to sending Bibles to the world.

Bible Society is looking forward to little Joshua’s first BFB ride, soon as he turns fifteen!

There are plans to help more family, school and church groups organise their own fundraising events for any Bible Society activity.

If you’d like to organise your own BFB event in 2015, please call Steve (03 9877 9277) or Nicky (02 9888 6588). You can also email Nicky at events@biblesociety.org.au

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Mission: one million “There are so many places where new believers start going to church but cannot find a Bible,” Cuban Christian Ymilzis Piñeiro Romero laments.

“Many Christians repair their Bibles,” says pastor Carlos Macías López. “Bibles are scarce, so those privileged to own one preserve it at all costs.”

“Almost no one in my church has their own Bible,” says Father Athenagoras, a Greek Orthodox priest.

Cigars, classic cars, jazz. Cuba has these in abundance, but not the precious printed word of God. Communist rule under Castro—which at one stage forbade worship in public places—restricted the open practice of the Christian faith. But thanks to social, economic and political reforms, many Cubans are now more open about their spiritual beliefs. They’re free to attend church services once again and to seek God’s word, and so the demand for Bibles is incredible.

“We’re living through exceptional times in Cuba,” reports Alain Hernandez Montano, General Secretary of the Biblical Commission of Cuba (BCC). “The church is growing at a very accelerated pace. But we’re faced with a great challenge: a shortage of Bibles.”

Papal visits in 1998 and 2012 were another factor that helped stir the faith of many. When Pope John Paul II and then Pope Benedict XVI went to Cuba, it was an important signal at different levels, and spurred the unchurched to renew their commitment.

BCC estimates that there are now one million Catholics and 900,000 Protestants actively practising their faith in Cuba. Bible study groups (casas de mission) are sprouting throughout the island nation of 11 million people. Christians are ready and waiting to delve into God’s word. But the major issue in providing Bibles now isn’t political; it’s financial.

L-R: People keep their old, worn Bibles as new ones are few in Cuba // Frank Lopez Fernandez is one of many young people in Cuba eager to read God’s word // Children who’ve received new Bibles in their church talk about the stories they read

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Bibles for Cuba Poverty levels remain high in Cuba, preventing many people from buying a Bible. This, and the rapid growth of the church, has left a good number of the Cuban faithful with no Bibles of their own. It’s estimated that this number is as high as 40 percent of believers.

To meet this need, the Biblical Commission of Cuba hopes to provide one million free Bibles over a three-year period. These Bibles will be given to new believers and those who can’t afford one, distributed through a variety of projects which reach churches, prisons, schools, libraries and pastors in seminaries.

As the Cuba: Million Bible Mission progresses, it’ll support the growing Christian faith in the country and help generations of Cubans enjoy a closer walk with Jesus Christ. If you’d like to provide Cuban individuals, families and Bible groups with Bibles, please give towards this

opportunity to spread God’s word.

Please complete and submit the Donation Form on the back page, visit biblesociety.org.au/sowercuba or call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537).

Images: Dag Smemo

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BSA Update

Young people asked to test peer-to-peer app Many young Christians rarely engage deeply with God’s word, even with easy access to smart phones and Bible apps that send them Scripture verses. Qbla, a new Bible Society digital resource, tackles this by tapping into young people’s desire for online community dialogue.

Qbla has been developed together with chaplaincy providers and is described as a peer-to-peer app for questions about life. Young people ask questions and then see what their peers think. Bible Society invites young people to test the app out and provide feedback. Visit qbla.biblesociety.org.au

What’s new from Eternity and Bible Society Bibles a hit at school QLD religious instruction (RI) teacher Heather Crust writes to say: ‘Thank you so much for the Big Rescue Bibles. The children love them and look forward to using them. They’ve added a new dimension to the lesson. This week as we did the lesson the supply teacher sat at the back of the class, and started reading the Bible herself.” Heather says “thank you”, on behalf of all RI teachers.

Already, more than 11,400 of the colourful, new-look Bibles have been distributed to 297 public schools throughout Australia. Applications for the free Bibles keep rolling in from those in public school ministry, and teachers look forward to sharing them with kids in the new year.

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You would have noticed some changes in Eternity newspaper this past quarter. There are more opinion pieces from Christian thought leaders, as well as an additional four pages of books and Bibles available from the Bible Society online bookshop. We’re always looking to do things more efficiently, and incorporating the Bible Society book catalogue into the paper is one example. Sign your church up for free copies of Eternity at biblesociety.org.au/eternity or get it delivered to your doorstep for $52 a year (11 issues).

Overwhelming response to Middle East appeal Thank you for your quick and generous response to our Middle East appeal in the previous Sower.

Your generosity has provided more humanitarian aid packages (including Scriptures) to Christians in Iraq, and is helping Bible Society work to continue in the troubled Middle East. Together let us uphold our brothers and sisters in the Bible lands. “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

Diary - SUMMER DATE

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

VENUES

4 Dec 2014

Mary Jones Thank You lunch

Bible Society Macquarie Park office

24 Dec 14 - 2 Jan 15

Bible Society offices closed over Christmas/New Year break, reopening Monday 5th January 2015 Their Sacrifice touring exhibition and more (see pages 12 & 13)

All states

From Jan 2015

Details at theirsacrifice.com

Feb - Mar 2015

Launch events for Get The Word Out to South East Asia

Details soon

6 Mar 2015

World Day of Prayer events: See website (left) worlddayofprayeraustralia.org for details

For details call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) or visit biblesociety.org.au/events

In the footsteps of Mary Jones Every Bible Society supporter has the heart of a Mary Jones, loving the Bible. But some, like Barbara Griffiths of Launceston (left) have been happy to dress up like the 16-year old who inspired the Bible Society movement, and help us fundraise. Our recent Mary Jones events have given us a chance to say “thank you” to representative groups of supporters and volunteers.

As much as we’d love to, it’s just not possible to have you all over for tea, but we do say a huge “God bless you” for helping to send the Scriptures out in 2014.

Save, donate and help spread God’s Word.

The Bible Trust savings account conservatively invests and guarantees the capital. While your savings grow, a proportion of the interest earned is used to fund Bible work in Australia and throughout the world.

You choose how much.

Supporting

Call 1800 688 001 or visit biblesociety.org.au/winwin Minimum investment $1000.

The Trust is not required to be approved or regulated by ASIC or APRA.

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The Brave and their Bibles “I would try to get up (in hospital) and sit with men who had lost their limbs or eyes or their mind.

I read to them from the little Bible Society Bible when I could... I prayed for my horses all the time I was sick... They, like all of us, were in the hands of God.” Lance Corporal Allan Broadribb (WW1)

Nothing can compare to the comfort and strength experienced by Lance Corporal Allan Broadribb, while reading and sharing the word of God during the darkest times of WW1. Broadribb is just one example of countless others who’ve defended Australia and who’ve experienced the peace and hope of the Bible during the horrors of war.

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Now, in the year that we observe the centenary of Gallipoli, you can discover their remarkable stories of faith, through Bible Society Australia’s Their Sacrifice campaign. Running throughout 2015, Their Sacrifice remembers the brave men and women who risked it all to serve their country, and honours the Book that carried them through the worst of times.

National Touring Exhibition

Daily Bible Online

From January to December, come and see an historic display in major cities and smaller venues across the country. See the pages that have given strength to those fighting for our freedom—pages which still bear the scars of battle.

In April 2015, travel with us to Gallipoli as we look at some of the Bible verses that spurred our diggers on during battle.

Enjoy 30 days of Daily Bible readings around the theme of God’s sustaining presence through conflict.

Commemorative Books

Bible Society has produced a range of publications to observe the 100th Anniversary of Gallipoli. These include a Centenary Bible and a book of moving and inspiring stories about some of our brave soldiers and the Bibles they took to war.

National TV Documentary

Online Experience

Passing The Lesson On

Join Major Ian North of the Defence Force as he travels from Australia to Gallipoli and France to uncover the riveting story behind ‘the Bible with a bullet in it.’ Check for broadcast details closer to ANZAC Day.

Check out the website for featured resources, stories, testimonies, videos and further information about all of our exciting Their Sacrifice campaign events!

We’re producing a Sunday School and Scripture class resource to help the young learn how God’s word can help them stay strong in times of trouble—just like it has for many of Australia’s brave.

Find out more at

Images by Allan Dowthwaite / Mal Hamilton / Mark Hadley and Sophie Timothy

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ADF Bible a reminder One tense night in the Afghanistan desert, Chaplain Charles Vesely read to soldiers from his little camo Bible. When he finished the Psalm, their stunned faces reflected what he’d been thinking: it was as if the words had been written just for them, for that moment. “Even in the midst of a strange and hostile land, God was with us, assuring us, protecting us and speaking to us,” Vesely describes in Their Sacrifice, a book to be published for Bible Society’s campaign of the same name. “For some of those men, this was their first encounter with the power of the word of God, the word with the power to change their lives.”

That little camo Bible is the very one you help provide to serving members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Air Force Chaplain Dean Griffith says these little Bibles can be found in the backpack of ADF members in any part of the world, delivering support in trying circumstances. “You may never know the effect they may have, or in how many extraordinary situations they may appear. The ADF Bibles have travelled with me and ADF members to almost all parts of the world, from Afghanistan to Iraq, Malaysia to the USA, and from Israel to Hawaii.

“Thank you and your supporters for all you do for us.”

Your giving has made it possible for Bible Society to distribute more than 7,600 ADF Bibles in 2014. They’ve been sent to 23 locations around Australia, from the Kapooka training centre in NSW to the HMAS Stirling navy base in WA. It’s said that the Bibles go quickly, faster now than they used to several years ago.

Kapooka Army Chaplains Martin Johnson and Andrew Osborne, who oversee spiritual well-being during the 80-day training, say recruits treasure the ADF Bible with its camouflage cover. “Young recruits in their teens or early twenties are doing their best to deal with physical, intellectual and emotional demands,” says Osborne. “Many young recruits encounter the

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Major Ian North in a reflective moment, as he looks across Anzac Bay during filming of the “Bullet in the Bible” documentary (details on page 13).

of God and home sacred Scriptures for the first time. This provides important opportunities for chaplains to… explain how these ancient words… can resonate in their lives today, particularly in the stressful times.”

The Bibles are a great comfort when dealing with separation from friends and family, even for those training on the bases. On birthdays and special days like Christmas, the thoughts of many an ADF member turn to home, and at these times their Bible is a tangible link to all they hold dear. Chaplain Griffith tells of a young submariner who asked for an ADF Bible. “He’d carried his Bible on every submarine he was assigned to, and had worn out his previous one.” He’d always had his Bible among the personal effects by his limited bedspace, representing a little part of home. “It helped him to remain connected and secure.”

Of course, the Scriptures are a special strength for those serving overseas, at the coalface of conflict.

Like Chaplain Vesely and the group in Afghanistan, they find the Bible speaking to them with a reality and power that uplifts and restores. One ADF member

refers to God’s word as positive reinforcement. “In the force we re-supply our fuels and ammo… the word is also a good thing to have supplied!”

Many an ADF backpack is open and waiting for the supply of a Bible. The Kapooka base chaplains are reminded of the place the Scriptures have in ADF life, as they look out across hundreds of faces at Sunday chapel services. “Military service calls upon these young folk to consider the high ideals of sacrifice, respect, courage, teamwork, initiative, mateship and honour,” says Chaplain Johnson. “They’re virtues which are at the heart of Christian living and, when coupled with the great theological virtues of faith, hope and love, provide the grounding for their military careers.”

Please keep the little camo Bibles going to the ADF, by donating to Bible Society’s Scripture Grants programme. Submit the Donation Form on the back page, visit biblesociety.org.au/sowergrants or call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537). Donations for the ADF Scripture Grants are tax-deductible.

Chaplains sharing the Scriptures provide “spiritual supply” for Defence Force troops.

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Devotion: Trusting a just Father When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Matt hew 2:16-18 Voices crying. Women weeping.

An army sweeps through a small town in Israel, carrying out orders.

Bethlehem was small; the victims might not have numbered more than about a dozen. But surely every victim had a mother, and just as surely, every mother cried.

This scene has been replicated throughout history. In the 1970s and 1980s, dictatorships in Argentina

and Chile “disappeared” thousands of their citizens. In Chile, mothers of the disappeared protested by dancing alone, without partners, to symbolise their missing sons.

In Argentina, mothers of the missing marched around the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires wearing photographs of those who had gone.

From the massacre of a village to the murder of a nation, many

Bible Reading Guide January 1-13 Genesis 1:1–19 1:20–2:4a 2:4b–25 3:1–13 3:14–24 4:1–16 6:1–22 7:1–16 7:17–8:5 8:6–22 9:1–17 9:18–29 11:1–9 January 14-25 Mark 1:1–8

1:9–13 1:14–20 1:21–28 1:29–34 1:35–39 1:40–45 2:1–12 2:13–17 2:18–22 2:23–28 3:1–6 January 26February 1 Joshua 1:1–18 2:1–24 3:1–17 4:1–24

5:1–12 5:13–6:14 6:15–27 February 2-8 Jonah 1:1–17 2:1–10 3:1–10 4:1–11 Habakkuk 1:1–17 2:1–20 3:1–19 February 9-15 Ephesians 1:1–10 1:11–14 1:15–23

dictators have done the same. Each of their victims has someone who grieves. They have children who mourn and mothers who weep. And they have a Father in heaven who demands justice.

Deep grief will be assuaged.

Justice will be done. In the meantime, we need to speak up for the victims.

Shall we dance?

2:1–10 2:11–22 3:1–6 3:7–21 February 16-23 Psalms 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 February 24March 4 Joshua 7:1–26 8:1–17

8:18–35 10:1–15 14:6–15 20:1–9 23:1–16 24:1–15 24:16–33 March 5-13 Ephesians 4:1–6 4:7–16 4:17–28 4:29–5:7 5:8–20 5:21–33 6:1–9 6:10–18 6:19–24 March 14-23 Genesis

11:27–12:9 12:10–20 13:1–18 14:1–24 15:1–21 16:1–16 17:1–27 18:1–15 18:16–33 19:1–29 March 24-31 Psalms 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

How can I make the most of my Bible reading time?

“Enough!”

by Carlos Terribili, displayed in the Bicentennial Museum, Buenos Aires, Argentina Image: Museo del Bicentenario

Read the passage for the day, then ask yourself some questions:

This devotion is taken from: The Poverty and Justice Bible. For more visit: povertyandjusticebible.org

We’re starting a new Bible Reading Guide in the next Sower We’ll provide three months of Bible reading along a selected theme, so you can dwell on it based on what the Scriptures say.

Some examples might be: Spiritual Growth; Encouragement & Hospitality; or Miracles of Jesus. If you’d like to continue with the current “Daily Bread” readings we’ve been using, they’re available for purchase from Scripture Union:

www.sushop.com.au or Tel: 02 4337 0200

• What is it mainly about?

• What struck me as I read it? What are the intriguing words or phrases?

• Have I learned something about how I should live?

• Does it show me an example I should follow, or perhaps offer a warning?

• Have I learned something about what God promises?

• Have I learned something that adds to my understanding of the Bible?

• Does the passage show me something that I need to particularly pray about?

• Is there something here that I don’t understand, that I need to think about more, look for more information on, or talk to someone about?

• How does this passage fit in with what I read yesterday?

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A strong Christian voice for

New venture advocates for the Bible in Bible advocacy is an increasingly important task for Bible Societies around the world. It is simply not enough to translate, publish and distribute the Bible. In many countries around the world, we need to advocate strongly for its value, both to individual life and for our communities.

In an exciting new venture, the Bible Society of Singapore has partnered with the National Council of Churches and Trinity Theological College in Singapore to found the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity.

Ethos is also working in cooperation with the Theos Think Tank in the UK and the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) here in Australia.

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Greg Clarke, CEO of Bible Society Australia was in Singapore in August for the launch of Ethos. He said, “It is wonderful to see this new venture, taking the wisdom of the Bible into the public square in Singapore. I am sure God will use it to make the case that the Bible is an asset for community life, a public document as well as a document of the church.”

Ezekiel Tan, General Secretary of Bible Society Singapore, visited Australia in the lead-up to the launch of Ethos. He consulted with staff from the Centre for Public Christianity, with which Ethos has a good relationship. Speaking at the launch event in Singapore, he said, “Through this collaboration we hope

to equip the church and Christian public in Singapore to better engage in social issues that affect everyone”.

Dr Roland Chia is Ethos’s Theological and Research Advisor and he remarked that secularism is a growing challenge in Singapore, especially with its repeated rhetorical claims that religion is divisive for society. “The church must expose the myth of secular neutrality,” Chia said. “Singapore is the most religiously diverse nation in the world, and it’s simply wrong and unhelpful to assume it (religion) should be sidelined from public discourse”.

Greg Clarke expects that the work of Bible advocacy will involve growing

Singapore

the Lion City

Plaque from the launch

global partnerships such as this one between CPX and Ethos. “We need to pool our resources, especially our intellectual resources, to face the challenges ahead of us. Our societies will need strong understanding of the biblical worldview and what it has to offer, in order that they can compare and contrast it with other philosophies driving social policy at the moment.�

Ethos will run conferences and consultations on important issues facing Singaporean society, as well as equipping church leaders to understand these issues and speak publicly about them. In Australia, CPX continues to engage the public in a fruitful discussion of the value

of the Christian faith, by focusing on involvement in mainstream media, education and showcasing the best of Christian scholarship.

Bible Society Australia is keen to give Ethos the best start possible.

Please partner with us in this vital ministry to make the Christian voice stand out clear and strong in Singapore. Please use the Donation Form on the back page, visit biblesociety.org.au/sowerethos or call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537).

Read more about advocacy work: ethosinstitute.sg publicchristianity.org theosthinktank.co.uk

Image: chensiyuan (creative commons)

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UBS prayer points Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 1-6 December Malaysia: Praise God for 30 years of Bible translation, publication and distribution in the nation. Give thanks that at least 10 indigenous language Bibles have been translated since 1984. Pray that the Commemorative Edition of John’s Gospel in 13 languages will increase the Bible’s reach in Malaysia.

Cambodia: Give thanks for the good turnout at the recent praise concert in Phnom Penh, with its forgiveness and reconciliation theme. Pray that the thousands who attended will remember the powerful message proclaimed, and that they will apply it to their own lives.

7-13 December Taiwan: Give thanks for insights gained at a recent translation workshop, and for things learned on a visit to the Hong Kong Chinese Theological Seminary. Pray that the Bible Societies of Taiwan and Hong Kong will continue to draw much from working close together.

South Pacific: Pray for the Bible Society in this region as they look for a new Solomon Island branch manager.

Please pray for the Board as it continues to serve Christians in this part of the world.

14-20 December Philippines: Please remember Bible Society leadership, staff and supporters as they make the Bible known in the Philippines. Pray also for favour as Bible Society works on increasing its membership.

Nazareth: Thank God for the Arab Israeli Bible Society’s eighth magazine dedicated to helping young girls draw closer to God. Pray that he will touch their hearts as they read his word, and that they’ll dedicate their lives to him.

21-27 December New Zealand: This Christmas marks 200 years since the

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first proclamation of the gospel on New Zealand soil.

Rev Samuel Marsden preached from Luke 2:10: “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Pray that many more will know the gospel in 2015.

Laos: Give thanks for fruitful Bible distribution in southern Laos. Pray that God will provide more Bibles to the Sekong province in South-East Laos, and pray for safety of the Bible distribution teams as they travel.

28 December-3 January China: Give thanks for Amity Printing Company’s successful board meeting, and for decisions made with regards to Amity’s future growth. Ask the Lord to keep his hand on this facility that prints Bibles by the millions.

Middle East: Please pray for the Christian presence and witness in this region. While the news from there is all about turmoil and suffering, the churches, organisations and congregations that remain bear true witness of the sustaining love of Christ. Pray that they will continue to be salt and light where they are.

4-10 January USA: Please pray for wisdom and discernment as American Bible Society acts on two major goals: to engage people with the Scriptures in 100 per cent of the world’s languages, and to engage 100 million people in the USA with the Scriptures in the next ten years.

Gulf Region: Please pray for the Bible engagement programmes, storytelling workshops and the adult literacy programme for illiterate migrant workers in this region.

Pray also for effective distribution of Scriptures in 150 languages, that many will read and respond.

11-17 January Israel: Continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem, Israel and the Middle East as uncertainties and hostilities continue.

Pray for the Healing in its wings project, which is about responding to war and hostilities with the love of God. Pray for Bible Society’s new project, as they develop and launch an audio application enabling young people to listen to the word of God.

Finland: Please pray for the Finnish Bible Society which is involved in helping people to better understand the upcoming elections and how to vote responsibly.

18-24 January Honduras: Please pray for the Honduras Bible Society as they run an amazing project to reach the military and police. The project has the backing of high-ranking government officials as they see that only God’s word can make a change in Honduras, which some consider to be the most violent country in the world.

Cuba: Give thanks for the revival in churches across the country. Pray for more funding to help provide one million Bibles to Cuba. Pray that the doors will continue to stay open for Bibles to be imported into the country.

8-14 February Bangladesh: Please pray for the 500 or so participants of the Bible listening project. Pray for more opportunities to reach rural areas with the audio Bibles, so that many more people can listen to the Scriptures. Give thanks for the student programme that Bible Society runs together with churches at Dinajpur.

Fiji: Please pray for the Fijian government, that they’ll lead with integrity and love for the Fijian people. Pray that this government elected by the people will see change in the nation’s political climate, and that the gospel message will be spread far and wide.

25-31 January Brazil: Please pray for the Bible Society’s outreach programmes aimed at students, children, families, the elderly, prison inmates, those hospitalised and people with disabilities. Pray that God’s word will bring hope to those who so badly need a sense of his presence.

South Africa: Thank God for Bible Society South Africa’s new CEO, Rev Dirk Gevers. Ask God to grant him wisdom to lead Bible Society in an increasingly secular society.

Pray for the translation projects, the Bible-based literacy project and for efforts to make Bibles available to schools in the poorer areas of South Africa.

15-21 February Indonesia: Please pray for the safety of the Bible Society team heading to Jambi Province to distribute free Bibles. Give thanks for the One in Love programme which has successfully encouraged Christian communities in larger cities to help those in remote areas. Pray that people will grow deeper in their understanding and love of God. Romania: Please pray for a swift resolution to some difficulties involving the Cornilescu Bible.

Pray too for Bible Society to have more donors, and for provision to develop projects that help spread the word of God.

1-7 February Netherlands: Please give thanks for the launch of the Bible in Plain Dutch. Praise God that this was well received and that the first run sold out very quickly. Give thanks for the launch of a new website and for the positive response to it. Pray that people will continue to use the website to help them grow in Christ.

Pakistan: Give thanks for the latest printing of the Urdu Bibles in Korea. Pray that with the Lord’s help the consignment will be released from customs without any problem. Pray also as Bible Society staff prepare to deliver these Bibles to those who need them most.

22-28 February Rwanda: Please pray for peace in East Africa and for the millions of refugees in Rwanda. Pray that plans for the construction of a Bible Centre will be successful.

Pray also that God’s word will bring peace, healing and reconciliation to the people of Rwanda.

India: Praise God for the Pochury Naga Bible and the publication of the Liangmai Naga Bible. Please pray for quick and efficient typesetting of Gospel & Acts and for the publication of Bible Reading Cards for 2015. Please also pray for everyone involved in translation work.

21

New Season Bargains

C.S. LEWIS

t’s the summer of 1933, and Oxford don C. S. Lewis, better known to his friends as Jack, is on holiday with a walking his brother Warni e and young Tom Morris. friend When Jack’s wallet is accide destroyed, they ntally visit a bank to replenish their walk straight into funds—and the scene of an impossible murde r.

The victim is in the basement of the bank, alone, by brick and steel cut off from the rest of the world— has been stabbe and yet he d from behind and the murde has vanished. r weapon It’s a ‘locked room’ mystery that would have baffled cleverest sleuth the s of the Golde n Age of detect but it’s being ive stories— tackled by the brilliant mind than-life person and largerality of C. S. Lewis: belove Narnia and formid d creator of able defender of the Christian faith.

The first in a new series of C. S. Lewis Mysteries. . . .

Kel Richards is an author, journa list and broadc Kel presented aster.

Word Watch on ABC radio and is the bestse for 12 years lling author of The Case Corpse and The of the Vanishing Aussie Bible. He currently hosts Night Open Line The Sunday Show and Kel Richards’ Word Day on Radio of the 2CH-1170 in Sydney.

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NIV SUPER GIANT PRINT BIBLE

As the new year begins, it’s a wonderful time to start a new family tradition. Reading the Bible with your kids is made easier with these beautiful collections of Bible Stories and Family Devotions.

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UBS Update

Using his time well

Bible in the news

When “AF” of Austria was imprisoned, he decided to do something he’d always wanted to do: read through the Bible. His prison chaplain helped him get a Bible, and he started reading: sometimes for two hours, sometimes for twelve. With little else to distract him, he was able to really digest the Scriptures.

“I also let other prisoners borrow my Bibles when the prison library

was closed. A few people did ask.”

In three months he’d read through the whole Bible. With a lot still left of his sentence, he decided he’d study theology. When AF was released after five and a half years, he visited the Bible Centre to say “thank you” for the Bibles and encouraging letters he’d received.

AF is already planning to work in the area of human rights.

It’s uncommon for commercial media to work with the church, but Serbia may well be an exception.

Its second-largest daily newspaper, Alo, partnered with the local Bible Society to distribute almost one million Bible booklets. Alo offered its readers a free Bible booklet with each paper bought on Wednesdays. For the price of eight papers,

readers were able to get almost the whole Bible. The newspaper advertised the promotion widely, helping to publicise Bible Society. “We could never have afforded such effective advertising!” says Vera Mitic. The newspaper’s sales increased too, and response was so good that there are already plans for a full Bible giveaway next year.

Here’s a bit of family fun. Test your general knowledge in this Christmas quiz.

A quiz If you’d like more, visit this free quiz resource: kensquiz.co.uk/christmas as you 1. Where is the first decorated Christmas tree thought to have originated?

2 “Boas Festas”is the Christmas greeting in which language? tuck into 3. Which book in the Bible mentions the arrival of the Magi to see Jesus?

Christmas 4. In which modern country did Saint Nicholas spend most of his life?

5. According to Swedish folklore, which animals pull Santa’s sleigh? lunch

Answers: 1. Latvia 2. Portuguese 3. Matthew 2 4. Turkey 5. Mountain goats

GPO BOX 9874 In Your Capital City P: 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) ISSN 1839-7425 W: biblesociety.org.au E: sower@biblesociety.org.au ACN 148 058 306 Bible Society Australia is a not-for-profit interdenominational organisation. It’s a member of the United Bible Societies, a fellowship of 146 organisations working in more than 200 countries. Our mission is to achieve the widest possible, effective and meaningful distribution of the Bible; also, to help people interact with it, and to have their hearts lightened by the Bible’s message of unconditional love in Jesus Christ.

23

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