Sower - Winter 2015

The Bible at work

Send Bibles to help our SE Asian neighbours grow SOUTH AFRICA: A murderer transformed IRAQ: Your support sustains thousands

UBS: Record year for Bible translations

WINTER 2015

Sower

Dear friends, It’s a paradox that life can one day feel very long and arduous, and another day too fleeting and brief.

Our perception of time depends on our experience. When we are delighted, or pressured, the hours and days rush by and we beg them to slow down. But when we are bored, or ill, or engaged in a boring or difficult task, we keep watching the clock as the hands tick over agonisingly slowly.

This strange relationship with time extends to God himself, for whom Scripture teaches us that a day is like a thousand years and, just to make it stranger, a year is like a day (2 Pet 3:8). But whereas we seem to worry about time, God has no such concern. We fret over whether we have enough of it to get things done, or how we are going to endure the hours of work ahead before we can experience something enjoyable.

We are obsessed with using time more efficiently, or saving time, or making time, and not wasting time—all economic phrases that highlight our dissatisfactions.

God, in contrast with us, offers time as a gift. It is the gift of patience, while salvation is on offer. There is no risk that God will change his promises to us; the passing of time does not make them less likely to be kept.

Instead, it makes it more likely that

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everyone may come to repentance as he desires (2 Pet 3:9).

At Bible Society, we rest in the knowledge of God’s promises, while we work to ensure the salvation of as many as possible through the living word of God. As always, we seek your support in prayer, partnership and giving. We are currently working to serve the needs of South-East Asia, South Africa and China. Please help us to make the most of the Lord’s patience.

Dr Greg Clarke, CEO Bible Society Australia

Digger’s story on DVD as his Bible rejoins tour

Salvation came to Elvas Jenkins at Gallipoli

thanks to the Bible. A new documentary, Bullet in the Bible, tells the riveting story of how the young Lance Corporal was saved when shrapnel from an exploding shell hit the little Bible in his breast pocket, instead of ripping through his heart.

Filmed over ten months, this compelling documentary follows a serving member of the Defence Force, Major Ian North, as he retraces Elvas’ journey in Gallipoli and in France.

In April, Elvas’ Bible made a pilgrimage back to Gallipoli with the Australian Defence Force, as part of the Anzac centenary celebrations. In a moving ceremony in Canberra, Bible Society historian Dr John Harris - who initiated research into Elvas’ story - handed the shrapnel-holed Bible to Regimental Sergeant Major Paul Richardson. The Bible is now back in Australia, together with nine other wartime Bibles, in Bible Society’s Their Sacrifice touring exhibition.

At the Victorian launch of the exhibition in April, Defence Minister Kevin Andrews paid tribute to the role of the Bible in times of conflict. “We know from

the stories in Their Sacrifice that the Bible is central to the lives of so many soldiers, sailors and airmen, not just in the Great War, but in subsequent conflicts since then and indeed, not just in conflicts, but in humanitarian and disaster relief missions.”

Bible Society CEO Greg Clarke says Their Sacrifice is a reminder of the Bible’s legacy. “Our aim really is to alert the Australian public to the role the Bible has had … to show people how humanity draws on the strength and comfort of Scripture in their time of need.” He says it’s significant how many of the Bibles given to the Bible Society for safekeeping are from wartime. “It’s the thing that people hang on to,” he said. “It stands out as the thing they want to have in their hands, in their breast pockets, when they go onto the battlefields.”

You can buy the Bullet in the Bible DVD (see page 23) or email chris.melville@bibleociety.org.au for a free copy to show at your church or RSL. For other resources, details about the tour or to read all the stories about the power of God’s word in times of great conflict, please visit theirsacrifice.com

Dr John Harris with Elvas’ Bible (L) and the documentary crew on location (R)

Touring nationally

at Westfield Shopping Centres: 1 June - 14 June 22 June - 5 July 13 July - 26 July 17 Aug - 30 Aug 7 Sept - 13 Sept 21 Sept - 27 Sept 28 Sept - 11 Oct

Kotara, Newcastle Belconnen, Canberra Carindale, Brisbane Doncaster, Melbourne Geelong Vic Tea Tree, Adelaide Marion, Adelaide

8 Aug 1 Sept -6 Sept

KCC Men’s Convention Ballarat Church of Christ

And also:

For more tour details visit

theirsacrifice.com or call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537)3

The long trek to bring Bibles to Tomnup village in Cambodia

Bibles go hand to hand In February, two Bible Society Australia staff accompanied the delivery of Scripture materials in Cambodia. Kaley Payne reports.

Sitting in the gutter, a father reads a Bible story to his young daughter. Twenty metres down the road, a Bible Society staff member is sharing a Bible story with an older lady who can’t read. Both stories are from a children’s Bible storybook.

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The father is taking a break from selling his street cart snacks – a mounded pile of chilli crickets, fruits and nuts. The older lady has set her big garbage bag to one side – she’s been collecting rubbish from the side of the road. Now, they’re both absorbed in the Bible.

The Bible storybooks are two of hundreds being loaded onto a narrow blue wooden boat. These

two books, though, won’t get any further; they’ll be given instead to the young girl and older woman who have been curiously watching the loading work and appeared eager to get a book of their own.

We’re in Kampong Chhnang, in central Cambodia. We’ve travelled for four hours this morning in a van filled with boxes of Bibles and

across South East Asia Scripture resources, on our way from Bible Society’s northern Bible distribution outpost in Siem Reap.

Our destination (and that of the Bibles) is a small village on the other side of the Tonle Sap River called Tomnup, where Bible Society is running literacy classes and supplying growing local churches with the word of God. Tomnup is still two hours away – we’ll be travelling

by boat and then by tuk-tuk (a cart pulled by motorcycle) to get there.

Yet here on the roadside, with the Bibles only halfway to their new home, God’s word is already at work.

About 3 per cent of Cambodians are Christian, but Bonnie Lepelaar, an Australian missionary who has worked with her family in Cambodia for almost 20 years and now works with

Bible Society, says the church is growing fast. “Cambodians are the best evangelists,” she tells me, as we wait for the Bible boxes to be loaded onto the boat. “And starting with the creation story is a really effective way of getting people into the Bible stories. Not much is said in Cambodian culture about where they come from or how they got here. Starting from ‘God created the

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world’ is just not something they’ve ever heard before.” As we talk, the father on the road is reading his daughter the story of Adam and Eve. With the boxes now loaded, our small boat lies low in the water.

Leaving Kampong Chhnang behind, we cruise past a floating village. Men stand in the shallows carting nets and cages for the catch. The greens along the riverside are vivid, so different to much of the Cambodian countryside we’ve seen during our trip. It’s dry season when we visit

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in February – in most parts of the country, there’s no water to feed the fields and the ground is cracked red clay, turning to dust. But here, the giant river brings life.

When we arrive on the other side of the river, after a half hour boat journey, two tuk-tuks are waiting to take us the final stretch: one for all the boxes and one for us. Unloading the boxes and carting them up the steep riverbank is hard work – it’s the middle of the day and the sun is

beating down.

Harder still is getting the heavily laden Bible tuk-tuk to move. At one point, as it climbs up a red dirt slope, it grinds to a halt and rolls backwards. We jump out, running on either side to push it along while the motorcycle gets up enough speed to start the engine again.

Finally arriving in Tomnup, we have three stops to make at two church-based literacy classes and an orphanage. Our greeting is overwhelming. Beaming children

mill around us – they want to shake our hands.

Here, we meet Neeta. She’s five years old and the youngest in her literacy class. Her mother Vuth is the literacy facilitator – helping about 40 children and adults in her village learn to read, using the Bible as their main text. She’s a woman of faith, and is keen for her daughter to learn. Neeta has been learning to read in Khmer, with the help of a literacy class supported by Bible Society. She’s just finished the first

literacy level, and with some of her classmates is getting a certificate and children’s Bible today. These are awarded to all graduates from the three literacy class levels in the Bible Society programme. The Bibles come from one of the many boxes we’ve carted with us for close to six hours.

The excitement we see when the Bibles are given out is worth the journey ten times over. Neeta clutches hers. It’s clear this book will be her treasure.

Our neighbours in Cambo dia, os Vietnam an d La le. long for the Bib

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BSA Update NEW SOUTH WALES

TASMANIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

Masterclass Get ready for Masterclass 2015 Dr John Dickson (Centre for Public Christianity, CPX)

Karl Faase (Christian media presenter)

A doubters guide to the Bible

How the teaching of Jesus changed

Glen Gerreyn Patricia (Specialist Ministry) Weerakoon (Sexologist and Purpose Driven Writer)

Sex: What has God

Dave Miers (Pastor, Evangelist, Blogger) Cross-shaped Leadership

Jarrod McKenna (National Director of Common Grace) “Loving ‘them’

the world and how like God has got to do with it?

Every year, Bible Society’s Masterclass programme raises following Jesus will loved us?” change your life the bar for Year 10-11 Christian students who stand out as leaders among their peers. “The day has grown my faith with Christ and challenged me to not walk away biblesociety.org.au/masterclass from God regardless of my circumstances,” said one student at last year’s event. “One of the best things the school has taken me to,” said another. Bible Society has another great line up of speakers for this year, and now invites nominations for the 2015 events: July 29 (NSW), Sept 16 (QLD), 21 Oct (TAS) and 28 Oct (SA). Email gayle.baikie@biblesociety.org.au with student numbers or visit biblesociety.org.au/masterclass for details.

Mourning a faithful fundraiser Bible Society mourns the passing of Graeme Best, who for several years led the Illawarra Christian School Bike for Bibles three-day ride from Canberra to Wollongong in NSW. On May 2, during this year’s ride, Graeme was leading a group of cyclists on the Hume Highway between Gunning and Goulburn when he suffered a heart attack and fell to the road. CPR was administered, but Graeme was not able to be revived. Bible Society extends heartfelt condolences to his wife, family, colleagues and students at the school.

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Schoolies, but not as you know it If you know someone of Schoolies age, why not suggest a trip to Cambodia this November as a positive alternative to the normal onslaught? They’ll travel around with Bible Society helping with literacy classes, running kids programmes and being involved in Scripture distribution in poor villages. There’ll also be fun activities and sightseeing, such as visiting the world-famous Angkor Wat. There are still places available for this year’s trip, so please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) for details.

Church rivalry on the cricket field In March, three Christian denominations came together in friendly rivalry to raise funds for a women’s Biblebased literacy programme in Pakistan. The Cricket for Bibles tournament at the University of Sydney featured teams representing Catholics, Anglicans and C3 churches. The Catholic XI, featuring former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, took out the top trophy. The event was aimed at demonstrating how Bible Society supporters can get together to organise fundraising events. For more on the cricket match see eventsforbibles.com

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Main image: Maurice Little’s Braille Bible These are just some of the wartime Bibles on display at the Their Sacrifice touring exhibition: 1. Alan Broadribb’s Bible, Battle of the Somme 4. Chaplain Andrew Gillison’s World War I Bible 2. Maurice Little read a Braille Bible after Gallipoli 5. Rev Len Harris’ handwritten Bible translations 3. A Dutch Bible recovered during the Boer War 6. Charles Vesley’s Bible from the Afghanistan conflict

BSA Diary - WINTER 2015 EVENTS

DATE

VENUES

Their Sacrifice touring exhibition

June 1 - Oct 11

Westfields (see pg 3 or theirsacrifice.com/tours for details)

Visits and ministry events in Darwin

June 12 - 25

Darwin, NT

Pitjantjatjara OT Translation workshops

July 6 - 17

‘APY Lands’ in Central Australia (SA/NT)

Festival of Word & Song

June 21

Ulverstone Uniting Church, TAS

Masterclass 2015

July 29 - Oct 28

See list of dates at biblesociety.org.au/masterclass

Riverland Ministry Weekend

Aug 1

Riverland, SA

Hymnfest

Aug 2 and Aug 9

Riverland, SA (Aug 2) and Mildura, VIC (Aug 9)

Mildura Bible Society Week

Aug 3 - 9

Sunraysia Mildura

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

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South Africa

As a pastor preached to inmates in the quadrangle of a prison in Johannesburg, South Africa, little did he know that someone he couldn’t see was about to be transformed.

Watching unobserved through a gap in the brickwork was a young man called Jeffery Paraffin, in prison for a double murder.

With one of the highest crime rates in the world, South Africa’s prisons are full of young offenders, most illiterate and homeless, who had turned to violent crime and ended up disowned by their family.

Imagine Jeffery’s sense of isolation and despair as he heard Pastor Willie Dengler invite the inmates to receive Christ and be forgiven for their heinous sins.

Afterwards, Jeffery came up to the pastor to confess about his crime.

“I’ve never considered God. I didn’t want to know him,” he said. But when Jeffery went back to his cell, he decided to pray: “God, if this is real, I’ll let Jesus Christ save me today.”

Jeffery goes back jail for the gospel

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by: Anne Lim

The next time Pastor Willie saw Jeffery, the young man introduced himself as his brother, saying he had been saved in his cell two weeks earlier.

That was just the beginning of Jeffery’s spiritual journey. He took the 16-week discipleship course coordinated by Pastor Willie, president of Mayfair Baptist World Hope Ministry.

The course teaches inmates about the love of God by engaging them with the Scriptures. Last year 3408 South African prisoners enrolled in the course and 2008 completed it. When they graduate, they receive a copy of the Bible in their own language.

About six years after graduating from the course, Jeffery was given parole.

He went to see Pastor Willie to tell him that he was moving to another town to get married and start a church. Today he is running two churches, and is a full-time facilitator of the discipleship programme in a prison of nearly 3000 people.

What amazing fruit of the investment seeded by Bible Society supporters in partnering with Mayfair Baptist World Hope Ministry.

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LEFT: Jeffery Paraffin: from taking lives to saving souls

Together, you are providing God’s word to prisoners in South Africa and offering them a future free of guilt.

As well as giving prisoners the hope offered in the Bible, the course also aims to help with rehabilitation. It helps them to be disciples of the gospel to other prisoners, and to become valuable contributors to society after their release.

In the 12 years since this programme began, with the vision of giving every inmate the word of God, it has been extended from two prisons to 214 (out of a total of 252 prisons across the country). The 52 facilitators include prisoners, pastors and spiritual workers.

Pastor Willie continually receives invitations from heads of prisons to bring the discipleship programme into their prisons. It’s no surprise, given the change that’s seen among inmates.

“You don’t know who is there,” says Pastor Willie, referring to Jeffery’s amazing conversion experience.

To offer those behind bars a new start, call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), use the Donation Form on the back page or visit biblesociety.org.au/sowerHope

Some Bible Society supporters may remember an earlier article about Ayoob Toffie (above), and how he found faith while serving time in a South African prison. Ayoob’s faith has grown tremendously, and he’s had a powerful witness within prison walls.

Ayoob has described the Bible as “a mirror” helping him to see himself as God sees him.

In April this year, he wrote to World Hope Ministries, saying that he expects to be released from prison shortly. Let’s rejoice with him and also pray for him as he starts life afresh.

RIGHT: Pastor Willie Dengler conducts a baptism behind prison walls

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Annual Review 2014 2014 was a remarkable year for Bible Society Australia, thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the kindness of God in supplying our needs. It was a record year in fundraising, which meant we could address pressing needs in the Middle East and among Pakistani women.

We were active in Indigenous Scripture provision, Australian schools, prisons, hospitals, and in the media. We continue to bring people the word of life, thanks to your support.

The Bible Society has been operating continuously in Australia for 198 years.

Thank you for being part of God’s unfolding story through our work.

Dr Greg Clarke CEO Bible Society Australia

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Iraq and the Middle East

Pakistan

The increasing persecution of Christians in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria, has caused many Christians to flee, taking nothing with them but the clothes on their back. With your generous support and that of other Bible Societies, 5000 families in Iraqi Kurdistan received 4300 packages of food and hygiene items, 750 blankets and mattresses and 250 stoves to help them through winter, and 4977 Scriptures.

4410 women graduated from the ‘Beacon of Light’ project across 347 literacy centres. This project is continually empowering women to share the gospel with their familiesand communities by teaching them to read the Bible in a country with one of the lowest literacy rates for women.

Providing for the needs of displaced Christians

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INTERNATIONAL

PROGRAMMES International programmes Focus programmes

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Literacy programme for women

South Africa

Discipleship course & distribution of Bible resources By the end of 2014, 3000 inmates and prison officers were enrolled in World Hope Ministry's discipleship course. 2000 Bibles were distributed to participants. 5000 Memory Verse calendars were distributed to children across 11 schools. Over 500 children did the Memory Verse challenge, receiving a Bible for their participation.

Remote & Indigenous programmes

P RO G

S E M M A R all over

AL R T S U A

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2014 marked the 150th anniversary of the first Indigenous Scriptures published in Australia, in the Ngarrindjeri language. The Nyoongar people of south west Australia received Luke's Gospel as the first Scripture in their own language and the Bible Society has been working closely with the Pitjantjatjara people of central Australia to translate the Old Testament into their ancient language. Today, over 30 Aboriginal and Indigenous groups have at least some Scripture in their own language.

Children & Youth

Spreading the good news Eternity, Australia’s largest Christian newspaper In 2014, the 50th edition of Eternity was published.

The newspaper has been operating for five years now, three of those under BSA’s ownership. Bible Society Australia continues to seek to encourage Australian Christians through the newspaper by revealing what God is doing in this nation.

Financial Total donations & bequests: DONATIONS 14.0% Mission Expenditure: 38.7% 14.1% 13.5% 10.8% 10.1% Remote & Indigenous community 9.0% Scripture Grants 3.8% International Campaigns, advocacy & CPX Youth & Schools Publishing, digital & content Church & community relations

* The Qbla app was developed for young people and is being piloted. It's a peer-to-peer forum and resource sharing platform about a variety of topics, to engage a generation struggling to connect with the Bible. * Wild online is another interactive resource developed by Bible Society Australia to help Scripture teachers and churches reach primary-school aged children with the story of Jesus. * In 2014 the Alchemy Project continued to encourage youth ministry leaders to experiment with how best to engage young people with the Bible, and to then share their experiences of both successful and unsuccessful methods.

Changing lives through print Over 10,000 Bibles (including the new Big Rescue) were given away free to Scripture teachers in public schools Our publication The Great Bible Swindle by CEO Greg Clarke won the Australian Christian Book of the Year 2014 award Over 580,000 pieces of Scripture were distributed in Australia

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Matthew 7:24

Want to know more?

Visit: www.biblesociety.org.au/2014

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A winter prayer of rest There is a winter in all of our lives, a chill and darkness that makes us yearn for days that have gone or put our hope in days yet to be.

Father God, you created seasons for a purpose.

Spring is full of expectation buds breaking frosts abating and an awakening of creation before the first days of summer.

Now the sun gives warmth and comfort to our lives reviving aching joints bringing colour, new life and crops to fruiting.

Autumn gives nature space to lean back, relax and enjoy the fruits of its labour mellow colours in sky and landscape as the earth prepares to rest.

Then winter, cold and bare as nature takes stock rests, unwinds, sleeps until the time is right.

An endless cycle and yet a perfect model.

We need a winter in our lives a time of rest, a time to stand still a time to reacquaint ourselves with the faith in which we live.

It is only then that we can draw strength from the one in whom we are rooted take time to grow and rise through the darkness into the warm glow of your springtime to blossom and flourish bring colour and vitality into this world your garden.

Thank you Father for the seasons of our lives.

This prayer by John Birch is used with permission from faithandworship.com

Laughkin Elkind

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Half a year left to publish Bibles All five projects you supported through donations to Bible Society Australia made great progress last year in 100 Bibles in 1000 days, the project by United Bible Societies to publish 100 Bibles by the end of 2015. A report by United Bible Societies says translations in a total of 51 languages were completed last year, which is believed to be a record for the number of new Scripture editions published in one year. The 100 Bibles in 1000 days campaign accounted for 21 of those new Bibles published, of which 14 were first Bibles. Thanks to Australian

down six to go

contributions: • The first draft of the revised Baoule Bible in Cote d’Ivoire was completed by year’s end.

• The Tuvalu Revised Bible was completed and is under review, ready for printing next year.

• The Kiribati Old Testament was checked by consultants last December and the final text was typeset and printed in January.

• A review of the Gospel of John for the Maumi NT in Fiji is complete and ready for typesetting.

• The review of the Central Quechua Bible Revision was completed.

Keep this project in your prayers!

Still six months for your church or youth group to fundraise for South East Asia.

We trust you’ve had fun getting together with others and raising support for Bible work in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Please keep on praying and fundraising - there’s still another six months to go! Do visit biblesociety.org.au/gtwo2015 for ideas or to download or order more resources, like the GTWO booklet and posters.

You heard the cry from Iraq’s persecuted Australian donors provided relief for close to half of the 5023 Iraqi families supported by Bible Societies since the humanitarian crisis last June. Thousands of Christians were forced from their homes under threat of death by Islamic militants.

Bible Society Lebanon (which overseas the work in Syria and Iraq) says 4300 packages of food and hygiene items, 750 blankets and mattresses and 250 stoves were sent, along with 4977 Scripture portions given to those who

requested them.

Mike Bassous of Bible Society Lebanon says 150,000 Iraqi Christians fled to refugee camps in Kurdistan and the Kurdish region.

“In 2003 there were 1.5 million Christians in Iraq; that dropped to 600,000 in 2013-14 because of emigration. From (last)June to now, numbers have dropped by half, and the majority is displaced,” he says.

Provision for cold weather is no longer needed, but now the challenge is for fresh water and

to provide dwellings. Mr Bassous said relief work was ongoing, with Australia pledging half of the total funding needed for 2015.

“So whatever we report this year, you can count 50 per cent as coming from Australian donors.”

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Six months in a it’s her heart

Bed-bound for six months, Yan Cuiling read the Bible cover to cover Three years after being healed from cancer, Yan Cuiling found herself in a plaster cast after breaking her leg. Unable to move, Yan asked her son to attach a Bible to the ceiling so that it dangled in front of her. It took her six months to finish reading it, and by then she was healed and her heart was on fire for God. Motivated to put her love for the Lord into action, the young widow in China started a fellowship in her home, and led her four children and four grandchildren to

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Christ. Realising she had the gift of teaching, she started a Sunday school in 2004 which has since helped many children to know about a Jesus who loves them.

Yan, 70, has now passed the task of running the Sunday school to eight younger teachers. They teach about 40 children each week, but Yan still goes early every Sunday to get the classroom ready, sweep the floor and write out Bible verses for the classes. If any of the teachers is not available, she steps in.

“I teach the children to love the Lord and the church,” she says.

“My hope is that from these children will rise our future generation of church leaders and pastors.”

This year Bible Society Australia is seeking donations for a programme to reach thousands of young people in China with God’s life-changing word in a relevant format. At least 1,500 copies of Scripture materials tailored to the needs of young Chinese people will be distributed free. Because the under-25s in China are avid consumers of comic books, there’ll be Scriptures in comic format, pictorial story Bibles as well as bilingual Bibles

plaster cast, and that’s healed

Yan hopes her Sunday school children will be future church leaders to aid in learning English.

Importantly, this project includes the setting up of 165 Sunday School classes, with about 80 children in each class, which will run for three hours at a time over 12 weeks.

Sunday School teachers just like those working with Yan Cuiling will be trained and supplied with Scripture materials. 15,000 children and youth, and 150 adults are expected to

benefit from the programme.

Yang Yue Ming, who serves fulltime with Sunday School ministry at a church in Nanjing, points out that students in Chinese schools are exposed to

various philosophies and become sceptical about absolute truth and the idea of one true God. “The young nowadays are very much exposed to the influences of the world. So we hope to put God’s word in their hearts so that they can carry it with them as they grow up ... The world and people will eventually fail them, but God will never fail them.”

Will you help plant seeds of faith among China’s young? To donate please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), visit biblesociety.org.au/ sowerChina or use the Donation Form on the back page.

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Bible Reading Guide

JUNE 28-JULY 11

We are using the Daily Bible readings from Bible Society

JUNE 1-13

The Holy Spirit

By Guan Un, Eternity newspaper Book Review Editor and freelance writer These readings show that the Holy Spirit is working in God’s people for God’s good purposes throughout the Bible.

JUNE 14-27

Growing strong in the love of the Lord

By Christian blogger Laurel Moffatt Our strength is not our own.

God grows us that way when we’re held fast by his strong arm and rooted in his love.

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Gen 1:1 Exo 31:1-3 Judg 3:10 1 Sam 16:12-13 Psa 51:10-11 Isa 11:1-2 Eze 36:26-27 Mark 1:9-11 John 16:13-15 Acts 2:1-4 Acts 2:30-33 Rom 8:1-6 1 Cor 12:3-7

Josh 1:8-9 Psa 18: 1-2, Psa 27:14 Isa 35:3-4 Isa 41:10 Jer 9:23-24 Acts 9:31 1 Cor 1:25-27 2 Cor 12:9-10 Eph 3:16-19 Eph 6:10-13 Col 2:6-8 2 Thess 2:15-17 1 Peter 5:6-10 Heb 12:1-3

Becoming an apprentice of Jesus

By Brad Chilcott, National Director, Welcome to Australia We need to follow Jesus in such a way that every aspect of life, values, priorities and purpose are radically transformed. It’s time to apprentice yourself to Jesus.

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Luke 1:46-48a Luke 1:74 Luke 2:11-12 Luke 4:1 Psa 91:1 Luke 2:30-32 Luke 3:10-14 Luke 4:27 Luke 5:11 Luke 6:26 Luke 13:32-33 Psa 27:13 Luke 7:16 Luke 20-21

JULY 12-25

Who are you, really?

By Eternity writer Tess Holgate

“Am I really that which other men tell of?

Or am I only what I myself know of myself?

Who am I? This or the Other?

Am I one person today and tomorrow another?”

These words, penned by Dietrich Bonhoeffer while in a German concentration camp, speak to one of our inner narratives. Who am I, really? What are the things that make me, me? Is it OK to have unique passions, habits and tastes? The Bible sheds some light on this most important of inner questions. Join us, as we consider who we are, as distinct individuals from our friends, family and neighbours.

JULY 26 AUGUST 8

Showing the love of God

By Christian blogger Laurel Moffatt The love of God does things to people; it can’t help but shine out in surprising ways.

Psa 8:3-4 Psa 139:13-16 Gen 1:26-27 1 Cor 11:1 1 Cor 12:12-14 Rom 6:6-11 Rom 12:4-5 Gal 3:26-28 Eph 4:22-24 Phil 3:4-7 Col 3:3 Col 3:9-11 Luke 24:39 1 Cor 15:51-53

Matt 5:14-16 Phil 4:4-5 John 13:34-35 Deut 4:6-7 Mark 10:42-45 2 Cor 4: 7-9 1 Cor 9:19, 22-23 1 Thess 2:7-8, 11-12 1 Thess 4:13-14 1 Thess 5:5-6,8 1 John 4:7,9-11 1 Peter 2:11-12 Acts 2:42,44, 46-47 Acts 4:13

Bible reading guide to help you dwell on God’s word On these pages you have a list of readings based on a theme, allowing you time to dwell on the topic.

This guide is based on our online Daily Bible Readings delivered to inboxes each morning. If you would like to receive these, with a question and suggested further reading each day, please sign up online at: biblesociety.org.au/ dailybible

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AUGUST 9-22

Are there such things as human rights?

By Eternity writer Tess Holgate We live in a world where the term “human rights” is thrown about like a pawn in debates on education, health, freedom, equality and education. Do they exist? If they do, should Christians claim them? If they exist, should Christians defend the rights of others?

Can we learn anything from the concept of human rights for our life in the world?

AUGUST 23-29

Sharing God’s strength

By Christian blogger Laurel Moffatt

God’s strength is our own.

Christ’s life for ours. It is our something to say, our scandalous, marvellous secret to share.

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1 Cor 9:11-15 1 Cor 9:18-19 Dignity Isa 53:2-4 Heb 2:8-9 Phil 2:8-9 Freedom Psa 88:14-18 John 8:31-32 Rom 6:17-18 Rom 8:19-23 Equality Rom 3:9 Rom 3:22-24 Education Psa 78:2-8 Prov 9:10 Prov 2:9-12

Isa 52:7 Matt 28:18-20 Isa 12:4-5 Mark 8:38 Luke 24:46-48 Acts 8:4 Rom 10:14-15,17 Eph 6:18-20 Col 4:4-6

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Prayer points June - August 2015 1-6 June Nepal: Tej Jirel, General Secretary of Bible Society Nepal, asks for prayer for the country of Nepal in the wake of the devastating earthquake. Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance upon the Bible Society team and on the leaders of the country to bring things back to normal as soon as possible.

Australia-Campaigns & Programmes: Bible Society’s Their Sacrifice exhibition moves to Newcastle (Kotara) in NSW on June 1, then Canberra (Belconnen) on June 22 and Brisbane (Carindale) on July 13. Please pray the moves go smoothly. Pray that the display draws the attention of many people, inspiring them with stories of faith in wartime.

7-13 June USA: Pray for the American Bible Society’s forthcoming move to Philadelphia and for the New York staff at this time of change. Pray for their goal of engaging 100 per cent of the world’s languages with the Scriptures.

Malaysia: Pray for Acting General Secretary Rev Dr Daniel See as he takes up the new post. Pray for many opportunities for him to reach out to the churches in East and West Malaysia.

14-20 June Laos: The Lao Evangelical Church held a Gospel Music Festival in March, and the Bible Society was honoured to have partnered with them in this event. Please pray for many other events to spread the word. The need for the Gospel is great in Laos. Please pray for more partnerships with different churches.

Ecuador: Pray for the Bible work in this country and for the population to be reached by God’s word. Please ask God to help the Bible Society’s staff in engaging people of all ages with the Bible in relevant ways.

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21-27 June Vanuatu: Please pray for the people of Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu whose homes, communities and livelihoods were destroyed by Cyclone Pam. Chile: Thank God for the latest revision of the Old Testament translation into Romany and for the translation teams from Chile and UBS who collaborated on the project. Please also pray for the continued projects Profamilia (Pro-Family) and Mensajeras en Acción (Messengers in Action), which provide social assistance and offer biblical materials to households with children, hospitals, and poverty strickenareas.

28 June-4 July Philippines: Praise God for his faithfulness in the launch of the Tinggian-Inlaud translation of the Book of Mark. Pray that God will continue to provide materials and human resources to the Philippines Bible Society to continue with all the translation work.

Australia-Publishing & Digital: A big team in Bible Society Australia has been working on a major improvement to our bookselling system. Staff have had to take on extra tasks to get it done and people have worked hard in good spirits. Give thanks for how the Bible Society teams have worked well together.

5-11 July Cyprus: Pray for the Bible work in this country and for peoples’ lives to be transformed by the gospel message. Please ask God to guide the work of the Bible Society’s staff, so that God’s word can be delivered in the appropriate formats to engage people of all ages.

Kazakhstan: Please pray for the work of the Bible Society as they are in a very challenging religious situation. Many Christian churches have been closed.

12-18 July Australia-Fundraising & Community Relations: Praise God for the dedicated Church & Community Relations staff who preach and share Bible Society’s ministry and needs around Australia. Pray for wisdom, guidance, safe travel, warm welcomes and mutual encouragement as they meet schools, churches, clergy and other groups. Pray for family/work balance and refreshing times of leave.

Gulf: Pray for Bible engagement programmes, storytelling workshops for church leaders, effective distribution of Scriptures in 150 languages, and Biblebased adult literacy programmes for migrant workers.

19-25 July Myanmar: Please pray for the general elections later this year, and for peace and justice in Myanmar.

Pray for Christians to have liberty to practise their faith.

Vietnam: Thank God for the Vietnam Bible Society’s projects in two of the country’s minority languages.

Please pray for a smooth recording of the gospels and for protection and success on a field testing trip.

26 July-1 August India: Praise God for the history book of the Bible Society of India. Please pray for the early typesetting of the Chokri Naga NT and early printing of the Telugu New Font Bible. Praise God for the Vacation Bible School Ministries in India. Pray for the children and young people who will be participating this year.

Australia-Remote & Indigenous Ministry Support (RIMS): We give thanks for the many volunteer Indigenous translators across Australia who enable Bible Society to publish Bibles and Scripture resource materials in the heart languages of many Indigenous Australians. We pray for the translation of God’s Story for the Outback, which is being translated into the Flinders Ranges language of Adnyamathanha.

2-8 August Israel: Please pray for the continued development of the dialogue centre in Israel and for its outreach programmes. Pray also for God’s will to be done in Israel’s leadership, following the recent elections.

South Pacific: We thank God for MissionAssist UK for help in putting the Pacific Bibles in electronic forms.

Most of the Pacific Bibles were published in the 1800s and need to be revised. Please pray for MissionAssist as they work on the Tahitian Bibles.

9-15 August Australia-Children, Youth & Education (CYE): Pray for the new youth page on the Bible Society website, which features regular blogs and content to support youth leaders. Please pray that many young people and those working with them will make use of this site. For details visit: youth.biblesociety.org.au Hong Kong: May God grant wisdom to complete the New Testament Greek-Chinese Dictionary and Chinese Union/Revised Chinese Union diglot Bible.

16-22 August Pakistan: Please continue to pray for Pakistan’s Bible engagement programmes. Please pray for the preparation of the students and programme coordinators, so that the events will run smoothly.

Slovenia: Pray that the H+ course will give Christians in Slovenia new Bible reading skills, and that it will bring about changes to the lives of Slovenians.

23-31 August Singapore: Give thanks for the successful talks and seminars held by the ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity in its first year of operation. Thank God also for the ongoing Bible engagement programmes.

Slovakia: Please pray for the Slovakian Bible Society as it tries to promote the Bible and bring hope to the hearts of Slovaks. Praise God for the freedom of religion in Slovakia, and ask God to guide Bible Society’s work.

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This limited edition Gallipoli Centenary Bible is a beautiful presentation Bible. Large size, measures 22 x 31 cm. Included in the front of the Bible are several remarkable stories of courage, camaraderie, and faith. The Bible text is the Contemporary English Version, a modern translation in easy to read English. The brown leatherlook cover also features the southern cross design, with gold embossing. Limited hand-bound editions, available only while stocks last. 9780647519257

On May 7, as the Anzacs came under heavy fire from the Turkish army, Elvas Jenkins was struck directly over his heart by a shrapnel bullet from a 75mm field gun. It should have killed him, but his Bible acted as his shield. The bullet passed all the way through Revelation, the letters and Acts and stopped when it reached the gospels. This near-fatal experience did not discourage Jenkins, who was promoted to corporal and then sergeant, and when the Anzac evacuation was eventually ordered in December 1915, Jenkins was one of the last to leave. His story is now the subject of this incredible documentary.

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UBS Update

Reading the signs of domestic violence

have been trained in how to spot the signs of domestic violence and offer sensitive and effective counselling and advice, using two Bible-based booklets – Stop the Violence for adults and I Love my Body for kids.

Bible Societies in the Caribbean are using the Bible to tackle the increasing scourge of domestic violence, with encouraging results.

Hundreds of pastors, Sunday school teachers and community leaders

Healed by Scripture

Photo courtesy of Mark Ewell wycliffe.net

A Christian leaflet distributed after the murder of 21 young Egyptian Christians by ISIS in Libya in February has reached Egyptians from all walks of life and united Christians and Muslims. Two Rows by the Sea was aimed at comforting the grieving with Scripture passages and a poem about the faith of the young men who were slain. Bible Society Egypt reports that 1.65 million copies were distributed on streets, shops and public transport.

New app helps hearing-impaired in Japan

Work to make Japanese Sign Language (JSL) Scripture easily accessible to Japan’s estimated 320,00 deaf people has taken a giant leap forward with the launch of a free ViBi (Video Bible) app for phones and tablets. App developer Simon Cozens added a feature allowing deaf people to record their own video notes and attach them to specific verses. This feature has the potential to change deaf culture and bring benefits to other Sign Language Bible translation efforts.

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