Sower - Spring 2018

Why Chinese pastors work 24/7

CLARE KENDALL

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SPRING 2018

SOWER

Mr Bible Society

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ack Giles (1924-2018) was known by some in Victoria as “Mr Bible Society.” At Jack’s retirement in 1990, Brian Good (Victorian state secretary) said he was a person who “epitomised the Bible Society.”

What does such a person look like? Jack’s youngest son Phil says, “A friend of mine said that Jack spoke Christian truths into his life when he was growing up. This, I think, was typical of Dad and the conversations he had with people, particularly younger people.”

Stephen, Jack’s middle son says Bible Society was a large part of their lives growing up. Jack and his wife June, together with sons Alan, Stephen and Phil ran Bible Society bookstalls at conventions, participated in Bike for Bibles – even though they weren’t really cyclists – and took family holidays across the state with friends from

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Jack Giles

Bible Society.

Phil says, “Dad loved meeting people and giving them the opportunity to share in the word of God and related materials. Dad and Mum always had an opendoor approach to life. We had people staying with us, people dropping in for a meal or even a cuppa. They visited people and friends and never missed the opportunity to share God’s love.”

Early in his adult life, Jack Giles volunteered with the youth council of Bible Society, and later joined staff in 1958 as the youth director in Victoria. He served in this role for 16 years, and in 1974, took on the role of deputationist for the society in the Melbourne and Gippsland areas – a post he occupied for three years. Then he was appointed field coordinator for Victoria and the southern part of NSW. Altogether, Jack worked for Bible Society full time for 32 years, retiring in 1990, although he continued in a voluntary capacity, visiting churches as a consultant.

In his work for Bible Society, Jack had a passion for work among young people. “Dad was the sort of person who was prepared to move with the times, rather than stay comfortable with ‘his little bit of Christianity’,” Stephen reflects. “When he was

older, I can remember Dad saying he was happy to let young people in the church move with the times.

He referred to youth work in the church and said ‘if I can’t cope with and accept what’s happening now, there won’t be a church’.”

At his retirement, Jack made special mention of how much he enjoyed taking the Scriptures to schools. One teacher had told him: “The Bibles don’t remain in the library week by week. Children borrow the Bibles to take home to read because they do not have one at home.” Jack knew that reaching young people with God’s word was the future of the church.

At his retirement, Jack said, “It has been a great joy to me to work for the society, and to travel around Victoria on its behalf, sharing the word of God.” At Jack’s request, the back of the service sheet of his funeral service read: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

In describing his father, Stephen says, “He was mission focused.

That’s the way he lived his life.”

Phil also says of Jack, “He was a fantastic, happy, dependable, loyal, faithful yet humble person who loved and served God in every aspect of his life.”

Dear friends,

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here is a rumour going around that the Christian church is dying. It’s not true.

The church is just changing its home address. Whereas the past 1000 years or so have seen Christianity make its nest in Europe, the United Kingdom and America, recently in these places many church buildings have been emptying and the mood has turned against the faith.

But God won’t let his Church fail. Jesus told Peter that the gates of hell will not prevail against it; the devil can’t crush it; and mere human beings certainly can’t topple God’s plans to build a people for himself.

However, God does seem pleased to move the heart of his church around, from country to country, as people turn their backs on him or call out to him in their time of need. And so the growth of Christianity in nonWestern nations is galloping along.

In China, there were fewer than 10 million Christians back in 1990. Now, there is a significant minority, churches of many kinds proliferate, and we are training Christian leaders for the China of

tomorrow. Bible Society Australia is honoured to be part of the China story.

In many African nations, Christianity thrives. In fact, over 60 per cent of the world’s Anglicans are African. But the resources to support the African church with the Bibles they need are not yet localised.

In other words, we Westerners have the cash.

Part of our work is encouraging Australian Christians to discern the times, keep in step with the Spirit, and transfer the Lord’s resources to where they will have the biggest impact.

So we continue to urge you to support the spread of the word around the world, that others might share in the precious knowledge of God that has been passed on to us, along with many material blessings. Thank you for partnering in this ministry.

Dr Greg Clarke, CEO Bible Society Australia

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CHINA

A Bible of their very own

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i Yumei is 64 years old. She was just a toddler when her mother taught her about Christianity. Now, she wants to teach her sons. But, as a farmer in a poor, rural area, Yumei simply can’t afford a Bible of her own.

The average income of a farmer in Henan Province is about RMB

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2000 a year. That’s about $A400.

Most farming families live off what they can grow – mostly potatoes and carrots – or depend on children sent to cities to work and bring money home.

The Bible Yumei had been using for most of her life was passed on from a friend of her

“Thanks to supporters of Bible Society Australia and other Bible Societies, 620,000 new Bibles were distributed in China in 2017.” mother’s. Hand-me-down Bibles are extremely important in this part of China. New Bibles are practically unheard of. But Yumei

“About 50 per cent of rural believers in China don’t have a Bible at all.”

4500 people. Across all of China, the ratio extends to one pastor for every 6700 believers.

In China’s eastern Jiangsu province, Rev. Liu Xiaofan (see below) is one of four pastors responsible for an area with more than 45,000 Christians. He has worked every day for 35 years.

He didn’t even take a day off for his daughter’s wedding. “I never get a day off. It’s the way here …

For me, it’s very natural. I believe in being on call 24 hours a day,” he says.

Rev. Liu travels to the 40 churches he is responsible for as often as he can. With so many churches, he might preach at each church only every two months.

The rest of the time, the churches are looked after by lay preachers, whom Rev. Liu has trained.

Rev. Liu is not the only pastor working like this in China. Across China, Rev. Liu’s experience is repeated over and over. There has been massive growth in the Chinese church – official figures stand at 40 million, while unofficial estimates place the number closer to 100 million.

Training pastors to service such an explosion has proven difficult for many churches, which still meet in

Ellyn Chan

is lucky. About 50 per cent of rural believers in China don’t have a Bible at all.

When Bible Society visited Tongzu County in September 2017, Yumei was given a new Bible. She cried when she received it. She was also able to get a Bible for her youngest son, whom she has been encouraging to depend on God. When he was three years old, Yumei’s son was badly injured by a farming tool. She believes it was God who healed him, and has been encouraging him with words from Isaiah 41:10: God is with him and will strengthen and help him. Now her son can read these words for himself in a Bible of his very own.

Thanks to supporters of Bible Society Australia and other Bible Societies, 620,000 new Bibles were distributed in China in 2017.

This year we are asking for your support to help distribute two million Bibles.

We are also seeking to support a desperate need for training of Chinese pastors. In Tongzu County there are about 30,000 Christians worshipping in 67 churches. Across the whole of Henan Province, there are about five million Christians and only 1100 pastors and elders, putting the average ratio of pastors to believers at one pastor for every

Li Yumei, from Henan Province, received her first new Bible.

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Clare Kendall

Rev. Liu (second left) prays for a pastor for each of his 40 churches.

“ I feel very thankful and grateful to God for how he’s moving here.” Rev. Liu

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house churches and can’t afford Bibles, let alone a pastor. Yet Rev. Liu has a dream – a pastor for each of the 40 churches he looks after. He says he is thankful for the 44 theological students in training from his district.

“They will all come back here. The district has produced the most seminary students within the province – they make up one whole class in the seminary in Nanjing! It’s quite an accomplishment. I feel very thankful and grateful to God for how he’s moving here.”

GIVE NOW

$40

buys the paper to print 20 Bibles for China.

$80

contributes to further training for China’s Bible teachers.

Please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), use the donation form on the back page or visit biblesociety. org.au/sowchina

Devotion

The peace that will never end

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he picture above shows my Great-Uncle Alan’s World War I medals. A country boy serving in France 100 years ago, he drove horses pulling guns to the front line. His medals are the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

The obverse of the Victory Medal declares it was “The Great War for Civilisation.” Uncle Alan believed he and his comrades fought and died for lasting peace.

On Armistice Day, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, he thought war had ended for

ever. No one knew this was the First World War until there was a second one. Just before World War II, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared “Peace in our time.” He was sadly wrong. In the years since, we have seen more wars than any other time in human history.

Jesus told us that “wars and rumours of wars” would mark the world’s years until he returned (Mark 13:7). The prophet’s announcement that “swords would be beaten into ploughshares” (Isaiah 2:4, Micah

4:3) had a telling counterpoint: that horizon is still a long way in the future. In the meantime, “ploughshares would be beaten into swords” (Joel 3:10).

Yes, we have in our hearts “the peace which passes all understanding” (Phil 4:7). We serve the Prince of Peace. We are to be peacemakers. But we will not know the peace which has no end until that future life when “the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our God and of his Christ” (Rev 11:15).

Rev. Dr John Harris

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AUSTRALIA

The best book to read is the Bible ...

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ach year, Bible Society is inundated by requests from a very special group of people – volunteer Scripture teachers in Australia’s public schools. “I want the children in my Scripture class to [be able to] read the word of God for themselves straight from the Bible,” says one teacher. “They can also learn how to find things in the Bible and begin to understand how to read it for themselves in their own time.”

Alex, SRE co-ordinator at Killara Public School in Sydney, says “We are desperate for Bibles to use with our students in SRE lessons.”

These amazing volunteers are committed to teaching God’s word in public schools, and Bible

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Society is equally committed to supporting them by providing them with free class sets of Bibles.

“Educating Australians about the Bible, and with the Bible, has always been one of our goals,” says Greg Clarke, Bible Society Australia’s CEO. “In the first committee meeting of Bible Society, presided over by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, it was determined that public schools should be founded, specifically to teach all children to read the Bible and enjoy its ‘festival of information’.”

Many children in public schools have never read a Bible, and in many Scripture classes there are not enough Bibles. This means that not all the children can see and learn first-hand how to read

the Bible for themselves.

Seeing this need, Bible Society is committed to helping these dedicated teachers bring God’s story in the Bible to the children of Australian – by providing them with free class sets of Bibles.

Over the past seven years, Bible Society has provided 367,000 Scriptures to public schools.

Laraine from the Caringbah Area Primary Schools in NSW reports, “It has been such a privilege to ensure all our senior classes across five primary schools have enough copies of The Big Rescue Bible for each child to use their own copy.”

Alex from Killara says: “We were thrilled when the Bible Society were able to donate 120 Bibles, enough for each of our

SRE students from Year 1 to Year 6. Our SRE teachers now use these Bibles every lesson and the students love to open God’s word and read the different passages.”

Not only are the teachers thrilled, the children are surprisingly excited to get their hands on a physical Bible too.

Laraine relates, “I have noticed a real delight and respect as the children handle and reference their own Bible, and enthusiastically volunteer to read aloud.”

Alex says, “The students are also excited that they are becoming skilful in navigating around the Bible. My class love to have Bible races, where they try to be the first person to put their finger on the start of the chapter we are looking at that week.”

The supply of these Bibles also means it is easier for the teachers to deliver engaging and effective SRE lessons, according to Alex.

Would you be willing to help meet the unmet need for Bibles in schools so that SRE teachers can clearly tell children about God’s rescue plan from Old Testament times to the gospel message in the New Testament?

WILL YOU HELP?

Joel and Zoe

Teddy

Benjamin

Madeline

Evie

Ashleigh and Walter

Charlotte

Bibles for Bubs

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eading aloud to children is one of the most rewarding and beneficial activities an adult can choose to do. According to a survey by Australian publisher Scholastic, the top reason children say they enjoy being read aloud to is because it’s a special time with their parents.

And what better book to read to the children in our lives than the Bible? During our bicentenary year, Bible Society launched the Bibles for Bubs project, aiming to reach 1000 babies. We were swamped with applicants, and 2500 babies born in 2017 have received a Toddler’s Bible, and

will receive a birthday card each year with suggestions to encourage their faith and family Bible reading. When they turn five they will receive a CEV Big Rescue Bible.

Kathryn from South Australia wrote to say her family have a Bible time every night with their two children and have already made it through the Toddler’s Bible once. “It has quickly become our daughter’s favourite book to flick through during the day, with the gorgeous illustrations and high-quality pages, that haven’t even been ripped yet in enthusiasm!”

Please call 1300 Bibles (1300 242 537) or visit biblesociety.org.au/sowschools 9

A safe forum for deep questions

Dan Paterson speaks at a Masterclass in Sydney last year.

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tudents who attend Masterclass enjoy being able to ask questions “in an environment where they are not only welcome, but also taken seriously, and responded to with helpful commentary,” says one of the speakers, Dan Paterson.

Bible Society’s Masterclass is a series of one-day events for students in years 9-12 of high school. The goal is to inspire, stretch and encourage the next generation of believers.

Dan, who is a speaker for evangelistic group RZIM in Australia, says students have been challenged by his talk entitled: “Has science buried God?” His message is that the popular story of science and God being at war is a myth, and that, far from hindering science, the God of the Bible inspires science with his command in Genesis for us to be fruitful and rule over the world he has made.

“I hope the students will be encouraged that they need not see the study of nature as a stumbling block for faith, but as an act of worship,” he comments.

“Whether we look through a telescope or a microscope, God’s fingerprints are all over his creation, with the intent to lead us to worship.” Dan says most students are “deeply unaware”

of how the history, philosophy, discoveries and limits of science relate to God and the Christian faith. “There is so much more to get excited about as to how science and God come together than just the age-old question of creation OR evolution, which is for many Christians an unhelpful misnomer.”

Every year, one of the most popular speakers at Masterclass is Christian sexologist Patricia Weerakoon, who always speaks candidly about sexual matters.

She says students respond “with an amazed excitement that a 71-year-old 45-years-married Sri Lankan can say these things.”

Patricia, who is well known for her biblical treatment of sex in books such as Teen Sex by the Book, believes young people want to be informed, stimulated and challenged and this is what all the speakers aim to do.

“I believe Masterclass is a call to a counter-cultural lifestyle In my case, I want them to understand the science behind the crazy emotion-packed swings their brain is going through and how this affects their sexual desires, feeling and decisions of love and sex – their very sense of identity,” she says.

“I want to give them a view of the grand cosmic narrative

that the Bible has for sex and relationships and enable them to use this to examine and critique the world’s paltry story of sex.”

Edwina Soh, a chaplain at Presbyterian Ladies College in Sydney, sees lasting benefits for her students from attending Masterclass.

“My students have walked away every year wanting more, wanting to hear more. That’s lasting already – kids who want to sit under God’s word, kids who want to continue to be challenged in their lives to keep following Jesus.”

This year, Masterclass has introduced a number of new elements.

• MasterQ – short video answers by our speakers to questions students raised at the Masterclass 2017 – this is a free resource and we will continue to expand this library of answers.

• Satellite Masterclass – Taking Masterclass to regional areas. The first satellite event was held at Esperance in Western Australia.

• Livestreaming Masterclass out of Canberra – the last event of the year, Visit on September 6, masterclass. reaching schools org.au across Australia that are unable to attend their local event.

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PAKISTAN

When Razia learnt to read About 30,000 women in Pakistan have learned to read and write through Pakistan Bible Society’s Beacon of Light project.

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azia lives at Fathers Colony, a Catholic compound in the city of Peshawar in northern Pakistan. Here, on the border with Afghanistan, life for women is strictly controlled – they are not allowed to go out without a male’s permission.

Razia

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is surrounded by Islamic fundamentalists and there is no education for girls and women.

“The fundamentalists are around our colony and we don’t send our daughters to school,” says Razia, who is 45 and the mother of eight grown-up children.

“I wished that all my children should read and write, but my sons got opportunity to go to school while my three daughters did not go to school,” she says.

“The sons have completed their studies and are working.

The daughters did not become educated and married low-income

people in the same colony.”

Razia had always wanted to be able to read the Bible for herself, so when her pastor announced that literacy classes for women were starting at their church, she and her daughters joined the classes with great excitement.

“Now we are able to read the Bible!” she exclaimed.

“Now we have Bible reading in our home in which five ladies are reading the Bible regularly. I also read the Bible from the pulpit.”

Razia’s experience reflects the true meaning of the Latin root of the word, education – leading out of darkness. Now as she reads

and understands the Bible better, she can shine a light over her household and community as her spiritual growth blesses not just herself but her whole family.

The literacy rate for women in Pakistan is one of the lowest in the world, reflecting unequal access to education and social prejudices. Pakistan Bible Society launched its Beacon of Light women’s literacy project in 2014.

The name of the project reflects the reality that when a woman is taught to read and write, she will share her wisdom and instruction with others in her life. As the project is Bible based, she also can become a beacon illuminating her family and community with the word of God. While women’s literacy rates vary from a modest 60-plus per cent in the capital city of Islamabad, Christian women mostly live in rural areas, where literacy rates can be as low as 20 per cent.

Since the project started, about 30,000 women have graduated from Bible Society’s literacy programme, which is run through classes held in churches and parachurch organisations.

Bible Society Australia has been privileged to visit a few of these beautiful women at graduation ceremonies held in slum areas

and villages in Punjab province. It was wonderful to see the joy that radiated from their faces as they were recognised for attaining this transformative skill.

For them literacy was like being freed from slavery. It opened the gate to a better life, not only for them but also for their children and other family members. Not only could they master everyday matters such as calculating wages owed to them and reading important documents, but, most important of all, they could read the Bible for themselves, leading to development of their faith, encouraging their family in their faith and developing their Christian leadership.

One of the places Bible Society Australia has visited was a brick kiln factory, where working conditions have been likened to slavery. Female workers in the brick kilns have virtually no rights, with most not even possessing a national identity card (a basic government document).

Last year, Pakistan Bible Society focused its literacy efforts particularly on brick kiln workers and some of these women are now learning to read and write. This year classes are being extended to a fourth province – Baluchistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.

A young literacy teacher in a rural village enjoys reading her Urdu Bible.

GIVE NOW Please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), use the donation form on the back page or visit biblesociety.org.au/ sowpakistan

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Lifting the

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From top: Martin Luther King Jr in Washington in 1963; the CPX crew at the film premiere; Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem.

At right: Taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, Emile Signol (detail)

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ere’s a list of inconvenient truths about the history of Christianity. Most German Christians didn’t resist the genocidal madness of Adolf Hitler.

Western Christians slaughtered men, women and children in the name of God during the Medieval Crusades. Many Australian Christians supported land grabs and massacres that led to the annihilation of entire Aboriginal communities in the 19th century.

Yet there’s another side to the story. The early Christians took seriously Christ’s mandate for non-violence, preferring to be martyred than to take up arms against their enemies. Martin Luther King Jr’s philosophy of non-violence was directly inspired by the example of Christ.

And the biblical view that every person is created in the image of God led to treasured Western values such as

lid on hidden history human rights, charity and humility.

The Centre for Public Christianity has created a cleareyed assessment of the good, the bad and the unexpected impact of Christianity in a new documentary: For the Love of God: How the church is better and worse than you ever imagined.

Since its May release, the 90-minute documentary has sold more than 15,000 tickets and been screened in more than 100 cinemas, largely to positive reviews from the secular as well as Christian media.

The documentary aims to respond to the common objections CPX has faced that religion has caused so much suffering in the world.

“We wanted to have a candid conversation about the history of

Christianity. It’s important to be honest because people should understand that it’s not possible to have a conversation about all the good stuff that Christianity has brought unless we own up to all the terrible things people have done in its name,” comments CPX research fellow Natasha Moore.

“So we admit to the bad and present the good stories that people don’t often know about or have forgotten. We’re not weighing up the good against the bad – they don’t cancel each other out – but we’re pointing people back to Jesus and offering him as a model for judging what the church has done and as a way of gauging how authentic it has been in practising Christianity.”

CPX director Simon Smart said the cinema cut contained only a third of the material that had been gathered from 56 interviews with experts in Europe, the US, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. So CPX has now launched a wealth of extra content on its website.

There are four one-hour episodes expanding on the topics covered in the film, available for rent or

purchase; for each episode there is a free guided tour that leads viewers through the material.

In addition, there are 34 short video segments available for free, on topics such as the Crusades, slavery in “Christian” America, Christianity and women, and leper priest Father Damien of Molokai.

As well, there are classroom resources based on the short video segments with suggested activities, which have been created in consultation with teachers. These aim to encourage high school students to see the difference between the failures of the church in history and the teachings of Jesus.

There is also a course – four 90-minute videos with accompanying questions – aimed primarily at non-believers in the style of the Alpha Course, which could be held in churches, in homes or Bible study groups.

“One of the things about this whole project that I’m most excited about is the way this is going to be able to be used in so many different places,” says Simon Smart.

For more information: betterandworse.film

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Jubilation at first Bibles

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Benjamin Mordi

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he speakers of the Kalabari language in Rivers State, South Nigeria came out in their hundreds, dancing and singing as they received their Bible, Fiafia Baibulu, when it was dedicated at the Ecumenical Centre, Port Harcourt, earlier this year.

They were led by their king, T.J. Princewill, who came in a wheelchair, along with his wife and his chiefs, to receive their copies of the Bible, which they had longed to see for 53 years. The king was excited that the Bible was dedicated during his reign. He directed

that a copy be given to each of the churches in Kalabari, at his own expense, to encourage the speaking of the language and to preserve it.

The guest speaker, Bishop Emmanuel Bobmanuel (left image), urged the jubilant crowd to embrace the Lord and his word to have peace, adding that only the Bible has the power to save a nation, an individual and a family. He encouraged all parents to teach their children how to speak the Kalabari language, which has been endangered by a massive relocation from the area as a result of the development of Nigeria’s oil industry.

Archbishop of the African Church in Rivers Province, D.B. Kaladokubo, who served on the translation committee for about 10 years, described himself as the happiest Kalabari person.

“The whole Kalabari people are happy now that the Bible is out. It is easier for me now to use the Bible to teach and preach.

Everybody is happy because we have the Bible in our mother tongue,” he added.

drinking and taking drugs. Soon, I got involved in crime, breaking into people’s houses and stealing.

In the year 2003, I was involved in a robbery and hijacking, which led to my arrest. In Mangaung prison, I joined a gang and quickly rose through its ranks. We were organising stabbings of prison officials, taking them hostage, and in strikes.

“I was transferred to Ebongweni where I contracted tuberculosis and had to be hospitalised. It was in hospital that I started doing your course and reading a Bible for the first time and every day.

One day, as I was reading my Bible that I received from you, I recognised things I never saw or knew before.

“It was in my hospital bed that I gave my life to the Lord, and when I went back to the housing section, I was a changed man.

I started serving God. Below is my prayer to God: ‘Oh, Heavenly Father, I take you at your word. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that you raised him from the dead. Thank you for coming into my heart, for giving me your Holy Spirit as you promised.’”

Will you help us work towards the day when everyone can access the full Bible in the language of their heart?

Benjamin Mordi

Efforts to translate the Bible into Kalabari started in 1965. The New Testament with Psalms was dedicated in 2003, so it took 15 more years to complete the Bible.

Could you imagine not having a full Bible to turn to? This is a reality for speakers of 6423 languages around the world. A total of 209 million people remain without even a single Scripture verse translated into their heart language. For others, barriers of price or access keep them from getting a Bible even if there is one in their preferred language.

The Kalabari “first Bible” is not a project that Bible Society Australia currently supports, but we do support many projects in the South Pacific and Africa where people are still waiting to have God’s word translated into their mother tongues. Bible Society is running a special appeal to get the Bible into more people’s hands for the first time.

Here’s how discovering the Bible during a prison discipleship course changed Conrad Solomon while he was in Ebongweni Correctional Centre in South Africa.

“I grew up in a small town in Uitenhage, where poverty and gangsterism are rife. I started missing school at a young age and joined a local gang. I was also

Bible Society of Nigeria Dr Aaron Nuhu presents the first Kalabari Bible to King T.J. Princewill in March 2018.

WILL YOU HELP?

Please call 1300 Bibles (1300 242 537) or visit biblesociety.org.au/ sowbibles 17

NICARAGUA

The gift of hope in crisis Adolfo y Mac Fuentes, right, with his family

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he diagnosis of cancer in your child might be the most devastating news anyone could receive.

In Nicaragua, this is made even harder by the fact that the hospital system is underresourced and unable to provide a complete level of care. Many families lack the personal resources to fill gaps left by the hospital, which compromises their child’s chance of recovery.

Adolfo y Mac Fuentes says, “It is indescribable, the pain and incapacity lived with the diagnosis of cancer in my two only children.

As a family we have been through ... the strongest love test: to feel the blessing of being a parent and then feeling that we were losing

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our children to cancer. “ Tatiana’s son Alejandro was born with a brain tumour. She says, “I remember when the doctors told me that at any time my child could die ... In those moments, I wanted to be the one who lived that situation; my heart did not accept that reality”.

In answer to the desperate need of these people, Bible Society is working at La Mascota children’s hospital to offer comprehensive support services to many families who struggle financially. Bible Society Nicaragua project staff, trained pastors and volunteers also offer spiritual and emotional support.

“With the support of the Bible Society and the group of pastors

and volunteers we were able to seek more of God,” Adolfo says, “to learn how to put our faith into practice. It kept us until we achieved the miracle of life in my children.

With our Bible that we received for free, we learned to wait on God, to know that his promises are alive in our lives.”

Doctors at the hospital depend on the project to offer pastoral support to families.

Tatiana remembers, “The doctors asked the brothers of the Bible Society to pray for me; it was then that God began to give me new strength because, humanly, I did not think I could resist. They gave precious Bibles to me and my child; I think it has

been the best gift because every day our faith is strengthened.”

In 2018, BSN aims to train more than 300 pastors and volunteers from local churches in topics such as child psychology, ageappropriate pastoral care and evangelism.

Eight thousand free Bibles will be offered to families, and 30,000 Scripture portions to hospital outpatients and their families.

The project will also offer support in many practical areas: access to nutritious food, transport and pharmacy medications.

Adolfo testifies, “Arriving at the hospital and receiving spiritual support in line with the Bible strengthens the faith of each child and parent against the diagnosis of their child.”

Tatiana adds, “The Bible in the hospital has been the pillar that reminds us that for God the impossible does not exist.”

Father of nine-year-old cancer survivor Yader, Don Marcial says, “I thank the Bible Society, who daily share the word of God in the hospital and motivate us to trust God in times when everything feels lost.

“Thanks to their support, to their prayers, now we are witnesses that God works in a special way in those who deposit their trust in him.”

Cards and gifts from Aussie kids This year, people around Australia have been raising support for the children in Nicaragua through the Get The Word Out project.

Kalgoorlie Church of Christ in Western Australia sent 50

beautiful, handmade cards from their kids’ ministry, as well as clipon koalas and little Lego sets.

These and other cards and gifts went into two suitcases that were delivered to the children in June.

GIVE NOW

Please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), use the donation form on the back page or visit biblesociety.org.au/sowhealing 19

BSA updates

Perth Hymnfest a huge success The fifth annual Hymnfest in support of Bible Society work, held in Western Australia in June, was a huge success. The event brought in guest orchestra musicians, choristers and support crew from a variety of organisations and Christian churches. Numerous volunteers generously gave their time and talents, in the service of more than 800 who attended from Perth and across WA. Those attending on the day raised about $10,000 and the WA Conference added more than $12,000 for the work of Bible Society, providing literacy education and Bibles to youth in Egypt.

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The Invisible Book has a winner Eleanor Kaw has won the Invisible Book Competition for young filmmakers, telling the story of “the book behind the book” studied at school – Shakespeare.

Eleanor rose to the challenge by making a snappy, hand-animated video showing how the Bible’s stories of sin and jealousy are behind Shakespeare’s twisted tragedy, Othello. Eleanor won a trip for herself and three others on a Land of the Bible tour, with all flights included, provided by Christian Fellowship Tours. You can check the full leaderboard at theinvisiblebook.com.au.

Congratulations Eleanor!

Bible Society expands publishing Bible Society Australia CEO Greg Clarke has welcomed Morning Star Publishing into the group.

“Acquiring Morning Star is another step for Bible Society as it continues to build a sustainable publishing arm that serves the Australian church and all interested in the Christian faith,” he said. Two Bible Society books – Mr Eternity by Roy Williams (Acorn Press) and Luther by Mark Worthing (Morning Star Publishing) – made the shortlist of the Australian Christian Book of the Year awards, as did The Bible in Australia by Meredith Lake, which is a great book about the Bible that deserves a big readership.

International Literacy Day With International Literacy Day falling on September 8, it’s a chance to celebrate a cause dear to our hearts as Christians. Bible Society supports many literacy projects to ensure that all people are able to access God’s word for themselves. The ability to read with a certain degree of fluency is essential to meaningful engagement with the translated word of God. Literacy lies at the root of our core activities of Scripture translation and Scripture engagement.

To find out more or support Bible Society’s literacy projects give us a call or visit biblesociety.org.au/ literacyday

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Prayer points Sep – Nov 2018 September 9-15

Australia: Please pray for youth Masterclasses and the Good Book Talks, which conclude this month. Pray that the young people who attended Masterclass would be challenged to live out their faith with a new confidence. Pray that those who attend the Good Book Talks would come away challenged by the ongoing relevance of the Bible in the areas of truth-telling, ethics and culture.

South Pacific: Please pray for the 16 countries where Bible Society works in the South Pacific.

Thank God for the support from churches and other Christian organisations working with Bible Society in Bible translation, printing and distribution.

September 16-22

Palestinian Territories: Please pray that lots of Palestinians are reached every year with the word of God. Pray for the different special programmes for children and young people. Many seeds have been sown that are already sprouting, but we want more. Pray also for the political, economic and spiritual situation. May hope prevail.

Australia – Community Relations and Fundraising: Please pray for the upcoming Bibbulmun Track Hike for Bibles, which will run next week (September 23-25). Pray that those taking part would have a challenging and enjoyable experience as they hike in God’s creation, and that they would be well supported as they fundraise for Bible Society’s work to support chaplains in hospitals, schools and the Australian Defence Force.

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September 23-29

Australia – Auslan Bible Translation: September 23 is the International Day of Sign Languages. Please pray for the Auslan Bible Translation project, that it may keep pace with new technology and be made available as an app and for download.

Pakistan: Please pray for the Beacon of Light women’s literacy project. Thank God the project is running smoothly and benefited more than 5600 women in 2017, boosting the number of graduates to about 30,000; all can now read the Bible.

September 30-October 6

Worldwide Bible translation: On International Translation Day (September 30), let us pray for the millions of people who don’t have a Bible in their heart language, and are yet to hear that God loves them and wants a relationship with them. Please pray for all the Bible Society translation projects in Australia, and around the world, that they would be well funded and God would give wisdom, strength and endurance to the translators.

Australia – Publishing: Praise God for the recent acquisition of Morning Star Publishing into Bible Society Australia Group. Pray that we would be able to build a sustainable publishing arm that serves the church and all interested in the Christian faith.

October 7-13

Portugal: Please pray as Bible Society Portugal seeks to reach one million children aged between 4 and 14. Thank God for the 200,000 Bible comic brochures produced last year, and for the 540 teachers who were trained to engage children with the Bible and in The Action Bible Kids’ Games.

Australia – Donor Care: Please pray for BSA’s Donor Care Team as they start to implement the plans to better communicate with and serve our

donors. Please also pray that all those who support Bible Society with their donations would continue to be inspired and moved to support the mission.

October 14-20

Australia - Remote and Indigenous Ministries: Praise God for the dedication of the Kunwinjku Shorter Bible in August at the Gunbalanya Emmanuel Church in West Arnhem Land with Bishop Greg Anderson and Reverend Lois Nadjamerrek. Thank God for the efforts of so many Indigenous translators and the support of CMS to finish the translation, and that Bible Society was able to support the project from 1942! Pray that the Bible would be a blessing to all Kunwinjku speakers.

Czech Republic: Please pray that God would empower Christians in the Czech Republic to share his word with the rest of the nation. Please pray for the youth, that they are not led astray living in an agnostic society. Thank the Lord for the Bible for Teenagers resource, which was published and began to be distributed two years ago.

October 21-27

Rwanda: Please pray for the local fundraising strategy based on using telecommunication companies operating in Rwanda, for the commitment of every church member to contributing financially to the Bible cause, and for more funds for advocacy projects.

Australia – Centre for Public Christianity (CPX): Praise God for the ongoing impact of the documentary, For the Love of God: How the church is better and worse than you ever imagined. Please pray for the distribution of the documentary in cinemas overseas (in the UK and the US in particular). Please pray for a real impact on people’s perceptions of the church and of Jesus himself.

October 28-November 3

Syria: Pray for this country that continues to face enormous challenges. Pray that God will guide Bible Society staff as they continue to distribute the holy word to people, take part in book fairs, and hold trauma healing training for more and more people.

Australia – Koorong: Pray for Koorong’s new general manager, David Foster, as he settles into the role. Please pray too for the store managers nationwide, and other staff, as they resource the body of Christ in Australia.

November 4-10

Sudan: Please pray that the local Bible Society is able to teach Bible principles to different generations, especially young people and children.

Pray also that publishing projects may attract more and more people to the Bible message.

Australia – Mission: Please pray for the Really Good News of Christmas campaign this year, that many churches, Christian organisations and individuals would sign up to receive the free book to distribute among their family, friends and communities and that it would have an enormous impact.

November 11-17

Australia – Defence Force Chaplains: As we remember the centenary of Armistice Day, please pray for the chaplains who work with the Australian Defence Force. Praise God for their faithful service, sharing God’s love and his word with those who serve our country.

South Sudan: Please continue to pray for Bible Society’s work in South Sudan. Praise God that the literacy project is helping Shilluk Christians to read the Bible in their own language, and will help Shilluk churches to reach out to the non-literate communities around them.

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Joy

By Bec Oates

The worshipping life

By Craig Hindman

Week One

SEPT 9 – SEPT 15 SUN 9 Prov 17:22

SUN 23

MON 10 Psalm 94:19

MON 24

TUE 11 Luke 15:20

TUE 25

Psalm 32:3-5

WED 26

1 Thes 5:16-18

WED 12 Matt 10:38-39 THUR 13 John 15:9-11 FRI 14 John 6:35 SAT 15 Matt 5:8

Week Two

SEPT 16 – SEPT 22 SUN 16 Phil 2:3

When we pursue joy, we can find ourselves distracted and discontented, yet when we pursue Jesus we find joy that is both sustaining and complete.

SUN 7

Psalm 121:1-2

MON 8 Heb 6:19 TUE 9

2 Cor 4:7-9 MSG Matt 28:19-20 Deut 31:6

FRI 28 Phil 4:8

FRI 12

John 13:3

SAT 29 Matt 5:16

SAT 13

Week Four

SEPT 30 – OCT 6 SUN 30 TUE 2 WED 3 THUR 4

SAT 22 Psalm 47:1

Week Five

OCT 7 – OCT 13

WED 10

TUE 18 Rom 15:13

FRI 21 Gal 5:22-23

Isaiah 58:13-14a

By Yvette Cherry

THUR 11

MON 1

THUR 20 2 Cor 9:7

Isaiah 30:15

THUR 27 Rom 12:1-2 MSG

MON 17 Prov 3:5-6 WED 19 Rom 5:1-5

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Week Three

SEPT 23 – SEPT 29

He is with you in the struggles

Week Six

OCT 14 – OCT 20

Heb 10:24-25

SUN 14

Psalm 33:1-5

MON 15 1 Pet 5:6-7 MSG

Col 3:16 Isaiah 29:13 1 Pet 2:9

TUE 16

1 Cor 10:13

WED 17

Gen 16:13

FRI 5 Acts 2:42 SAT 6

Gal 6:9

Heb 13:20-21

Archbishop William Temple said, “worship is the submission of all of our nature to God.” It’s an all-of-life posture and our all-of-life response to a revelation of Jesus.

Our worship of God is expressed both individually and in community.

This series will provide prompts to inspire deeper exploration of both.

Prov 27:9 NLT

THUR 18 Isaiah 41:10 FRI 19 Psalm 147:3 NLT SAT 20 2 Cor 12:9

Sometimes the challenges of life can overwhelm us and leave us feeling lonely and defeated. God’s word has so much wisdom and encouragement to endure challenging seasons and lift our eyes to focus on him.

Bec Oates is a writer whose blogs reflect her deep commitment to discovering God and her passion for the poor.

Craig Hindman is the Worship & Creative Arts Pastor at Newlife Uniting Church on the Gold Coast.

Yvette Cherry is the Women’s Leadership Pastor at Baptist Churches Western Australia. You can find more of her writing at yvettecherry.com.

Melissa Lipsett is Bible Society Australia’s Group Chief Operating Officer.

Defence chaplains the Defence chaplains who have contributed to this series come from the RAAF, the Army and the Navy.

Seasons of the Spirit

By Melissa Lipsett

Peace

Peace

By Melissa Lipsett

By Defence Chaplains

Week Seven OCT 21 – OCT 27

SUN 21 Eccl 3:1-8 MON 22 Eccl 3:9-14 TUE 23 Ps 104:19, 145:15, Dan 2:21, Jer 5:24 WED 24 Eccl 12:1-5 THUR 25 Ps 88:1-9, 13 FRI 26 Mal 3:1-7 SAT 27 2 Cor 4:16-18

Week Eight

OCT 28 – NOV 3 SUN 28 Isaiah 35:1-6,10 MON 29 Prov 24:30-34 TUE 30 Phil 4:1-7

Week Nine

NOV 4 – NOV 10 SUN 4 Mic 4:3-5 MON 5 Gen 3:14-15 TUE 6 Isaiah 9:6-7 WED 7 Matt 5:7-10 THUR 8 James 2:14-16 FRI 9 Matt 5:9, Prov 15:1 SAT 10 Isaiah 2:2-4

Week Ten

NOV 11 – NOV 17 SUN 11 Josh 24:15 MON 12 Luke 14:31-32 TUE 13 Psalm 107:23-30 NLT

WED 31 1 Kings 11:4-6

WED 14 Wisdom* 3:1-8 NRSV

THUR 1 Gen 12:1-5

THUR 15 Matt 14:25-27

FRI 2 John 3:1-8

FRI 16 Luke 15:2-4

SAT 3 Rev 21:1-5

SAT 17 Mark 4:39-41

The beautiful and mysterious words of Ecclesiastes 3 are among the most personal and timeless messages in the Bible.

The moving words reassure us that life is full of highs and lows, and ebbs and flows. They speak of seasons that each one of us will encounter and teach us that how we approach each season is important.

“The desire for peace is a longing we all share, but as this ancient song reinforces our desires are not always met. No matter how much we may want peace, in a broken world hostility continues to disrupt individuals, families, communities and countries,” says chaplain Dan Bigg, RAAF Base Amberley. In these devotions Defence chaplains share thoughts on peace they’ve gained from the Bible.

* The Wisdom of Solomon forms part of the Apocrypha and can be found in some NRSV Bibles.

“I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!” Psalm 120:7

Week Eleven NOV 18 – NOV 24

SUN 18

John 1:1-5

MON 19

Luke 2:8-12

TUE 20

Luke 2:29-32

WED 21

1 Cor 14:33, 2 Thes 3:16

THUR 22 Isaiah 9:6 FRI 23 Rom 8:1, 38-39 SAT 24

John 14:27

Week Twelve NOV 25 – DEC 1

SUN 25 Phil 4:6-7 MON 26 Col 3:15, Gal 5:22 TUE 27

Isaiah 54:10

WED 28

John 16:33

THUR 29 Isaiah 55:12 FRI 30 SAT 1

John 14:27 Rom 15:13, 2 Thes 3:16

As we explored with the Defence chaplains, peace is much sought after in our broken world. In this series, Melissa Lipsett explores the most important aspect of peace – the peace that we have with God.

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2019 Calendar: God’s Creative Power

Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.

1 Peter 2:24

Enjoy monthly reminders of God’s awesome power in creation, through amazing landscape photography paired with inspiring verses from the Bible.

Code: 512545

Price: $2.99

FEBRUARY Sunday

Monday

2019 Kids’ Calendar: My Friend Jesus This kids’ memory verse calendar encourages children to memorise monthly and weekly verses from God’s word.

Code 512544

Price: $2.99

Available in-store and online at koorong.com or call (02) 9857 4477

Wednesday

6

MEMORY VERSES

Thursday

Friday

1

2

8

9

4

5

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

22

23

24

25

26

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MY FRIEND JESUS HEALS OUR BROKEN HEARTS Sometimes we get really sad or hurt, and it may feel like our hearts are broken. The Bible tells us that God will heal our broken hearts.

God gives us hope when we are discouraged, strength when we feel weak, protection when we are frightened and peace when we are worried. Because Jesus died on the cross, God has forgiven us our sin (all the bad things we have done) so that we can start living for him.

Jesus has healed our heart’s biggest problem our sin. He heals our hearts, which are broken by sin, and he can heal all the other hurt parts of our lives too, if we trust in him.

7

Saturday

N 4 US G-I E! N IN ID BO UR INS LO S O E C AG P

3

Tuesday

21

28

HEART NECKLACES

WEEK 1 The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope.

Psalm 34 verse 18

WEEK 2 Once I was bitter and brokenhearted...

But I never really left you, and you hold my right hand...In heaven I have only you, and on this earth you are all I want. My body and mind may fail, but you are my strength and my choice for ever.

Psalm 73 verses 21, 23, 25, 26

WEEK 3 I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn't like the peace this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid.

John 14 verse 27

WEEK 4 We depend on you, LORD, to help and protect us. You make our hearts glad because we trust you, the only God. Psalm 33 verses 20-21

Make red heart necklaces with verses on both sides (look on the back page of calendar for templates to use)

You will need: Red Cardboard (could be shiny/metallic!), a heart shape template, glue, Bible verse templates, wool or string What to do: 1. Cut out the heart shape template and trace on your red cardboard.

2. Cut the heart shape out and use a hole punch to put a hole in the top (where marked). 3. Cut out the Bible verses and stick onto the heart shape.

4. Cut a piece of wool or string (so it is a good length around your neck).

5.Tie the necklace around your neck and remember how much God loves you!

Bible Societies around the world

Kids celebrate The first in a round of Celebration Days was held recently for the Kids at Risk project in Suriname.

These children live in difficult circumstances with most suffering neglect and abuse. As a part of the project, the children receive school supplies, food and Bibles. Some have never had a Bible before and are delighted to have one of their very own. Pray that all of these precious children come to love Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

Bible app turns ten The YouVersion Bible app recently celebrated its tenth anniversary.

“These last ten years have been more than we could ask, think, or imagine, and we believe this is only the beginning,” said Bobby Gruenewald, a pastor at Life church and YouVersion founder.

“As we look ahead, we’re excited about the new ways God is using technology to help people make even more connections between the Bible and their daily lives.”

Launch at last In August, the Revised Havakinau New Testament was finally launched on the island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. Plans to launch the New Testament in 2017 were tragically disrupted when the Manaro volcano erupted on Ambae and the islanders were evacuated to neighbouring islands. Pictured above are retired Bible Society translator Dorothy Dewar, who reviewed the text, with Havakinau Christians.

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 154 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.

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YES! I want the Bible to be available

For those who do not like to cut up their Sower we have provided a copy of this form with your address slip for mailed copies.

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China – Bibles for Millions

China – Training Chinese Bible teachers

Pakistan – Literacy

Provide First Bibles

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Nicaragua – Scripture for kids with cancer

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Where needed most

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Please return to Bible Society, Reply Paid 88900, Sydney, NSW 2001 (No stamp needed).

You can also donate online at www.biblesociety.org.au or by phone on 1300 BIBLES or (1300 242 537).

If these appeals are oversubscribed or a project changes due to unforeseen reasons, we will reallocate remaining funds to similar projects. *Receipts for tax-deductible donations of $2 or more will be issued by the trustee for Bible Society Foundation. ABN 41 725 839 724

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