To all people. By all means possible.

TO ALL PEOPLE.

BY ALL MEANS POSSIBLE.

FOR “EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” BUT HOW CAN THEY CALL ON HIM TO SAVE THEM UNLESS THEY BELIEVE IN HIM? AND HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE IN HIM IF THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT HIM? AND HOW CAN THEY HEAR ABOUT HIM UNLESS SOMEONE TELLS THEM? Romans 10:13-14 (NLT)

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A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

As I reflect on what has been an unprecedented year my prayer is that you have been able to see the goodness and faithfulness of God through this season.

Your impact doubled for China! $20

provides the paper to print c China as your gift is doubled

$80

teaches up to eight believer word, because your donatio

In 1 Corinthians 9:22 the apostle Paul said ‘that by all possible means I might save some’, which resonates with what we feel God has put in our heart as the mission at Bible Society to impact and influence Australia and the world

by Opening The Bible to all people everywhere by all means possible.

You will change lives, as people encounter J love and comfort in these uncertain times. A Christians in China.

We exist to see the day where every language in every nation, every age group from every background will have access to the Bible, so that all people might experience the love of Jesus.

Wishing you God’s protection and deep abid

The message doesn’t change, but the methods must adapt to the times and the context of the culture we live in. We’re committed to embrace new ways to distribute the Bible and share its message by all means possible.

Thank you so much. Your partnership, supp we can bring the hope of Jesus and the me

Grant Thomson Chief Executive Officer Bible Society Australia

Grant Thomson CEO, Bible Society Australia

We do this through our local and international mission projects, through our PS. Don’t love these words in Hebrews resources from Koorong, by getting the message to doubters and you seekers through CPX, as well as raising faith voices through Acorn Press through forand the soul.”Eternity Right with now, we all need hope. P journalistic excellence in the Christian sphere. everywhere? And in China, your gift is worth We would not be able to do what we do if it wasn’t for you. We are so grateful for your ongoing support. We appreciate you and we’re believing that even though 2020 has been a challenging year, that 2021 is going to be full of God’s purpose and His sovereign hand is going to be over it all in Jesus name. Amen.

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There are currently around 1.5 billion people still waiting for Bible translations in their heart language, and there are 400 translation projects under way right now. When you support the translation work currently underway, you are passing on that language blessing to others in Australia and around the world. Your commitment will help in seeing God’s word translated into the heart language of as many people as possible, so all may have a chance to Open The Bible in the most meaningful, understandable and heartfelt way possible. Together, we can end Bible poverty around the world!

Support our translation work at: 4

BIBLESOCIETY.ORG.AU/TRANSLATION

TRANSLATION

Many of us have been enormously blessed to hear the words of God throughout our lives in the language of our hearts. The language which we heard in our earliest memories, which was used in our homes growing up. The language we think in, the language we understand best – the language that speaks to our heart.

PITJANTJATJARA VIETNAM

Old Testament translation work.

Translating the Bible into 3 minority languages.

AUSLAN

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Developing an Australian Sign Language translation of the Bible.

Revising the Tok Pisin Translation.

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With your support we can help all people engage with the words of Scripture. Our goal is to not just hand people a Bible – it is to help them engage with God’s life-giving words, so they can connect God’s love to their lives.

Engagement with God’s word happens in many ways around our country, including digital engagement. Our Daily Bible program delivers short portions of Scripture and a reflection to subscribers each day via bible.com.au. Also, parents are engaging their children with God’s word from their very first moments, through Bible Society’s Bible for Bubs project. Lives are being changed around the world with your support, as literacy skills are developed, and the Bible is opened with men, women and children, and they are equipped with the message of God’s love and tools to face whatever life brings them.

Support our engagement work at: 6

BIBLESOCIETY.ORG.AU/ENGAGEMENT

ENGAGEMENT

Have you ever been reading something and reached the end of a page to realise that although you’d read the words, the meaning of them had escaped you? Often, it doesn’t even matter whether you know what you’re reading is important, or even if your heartfelt desire is to absorb the words – we can still fail to engage with the text.

RWANDA

Improving literacy through education in reconciliation and forgiveness.

BIBLE BASED LITERACY IN MOZAMBIQUE

Teaching basic literacy, numeracy and life skills.

BIBLE BASED LITERACY IN CAMBODIA

Empowering Cambodians through the gift of literacy.

LITERACY FOR YOUNG REFUGEES IN LEBANON

Running Bible based literacy courses.

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You make it possible for us to champion the Bible in countries around the world who desperately need the truth of God’s word, the revelation of his unconditional love and care. You make it possible for us to champion the Bible in our own changing culture, in the media, at universities and schools, as well as through our digital and publishing channels, to point to the relevance of Christianity today and always.

SHARE THE BIBLE WITH YOUTH IN AUSTRALIA

Running events such as Masterclass to explore contemporary issues around faith.

ARAB/ISRAEL CAPACITY BUILDING

Supporting the work of the Arab-Israeli Bible Society to reach the community.

LIBRARY IN VIETNAM

Establishing the first Christian library in Vietnam.

Support our advocacy work at: 8

BIBLESOCIETY.ORG.AU/ADVOCACY

ADVOCACY

What could be more worth championing than God’s word? There are many voices and sources of information clamouring for dominance in our world. Many appeals for trust, many sources of authority, many claims for respect, many causes to champion. Yet, what is more worthy to be elevated than the Bible, God’s word of revelation to mankind? In partnership with you, Bible Society is speaking and acting, in Australia and around the world, to recommend, defend, and champion the truth, beauty and goodness of the Bible.

ETERNITY NEWS

In an increasingly secularised society, Opening The Bible to Australians is becoming more difficult. Christians can be disconnected from each other and find it hard to know what God is doing outside their local church. They also find it hard to know how to champion the Bible in their context.

Eternity seeks to highlight “seriously Good News”, the work God is doing in Australia, from stories of people coming to faith, stories that tell of the resilience of churches, and new ways in which Christians are salt and light in our nation and overseas. These stories can be told in print, through the internet, and in the booming area of podcasts – easy listening but with in-depth stories.

CENTRE FOR PUBLIC CHRISTIANITY

Part of Bible Society Australia, the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) works diligently to advocate for the Bible in our country. CPX exists to make the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christianity clear to secular Australians.

Launched in 2007, CPX seeks to engage the public with a clear, measured, and respectful picture of the Christian faith and the way it can impact all of life for the good. The CPX team aims to ‘drop the drawbridge’ and walk into the public square confident that Christianity still has something vital to say about life’s biggest questions.

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Our country, and our world, has changed a lot in the intervening years, but the need to distribute copies of God’s word in whatever format is accessible to people has not. With your support, Bible Society provides Bibles and other Bible products to people both overseas and in Australia, many of whom have never owned their own Bible. This includes physical Bible distribution as well as distribution through digital avenues such as social channels, online devotionals, Bible apps and emerging technologies.

PROVIDE THE SCRIPTURES IN AUSTRALIA

DISTRIBUTION

Distributing the Bible to those who were without one was the primary motivating factor in forming Bible Society in Australia in 1817 and has been our central concern in the centuries which have followed. It was the scarcity of Scriptures in the new colony which led Lady Elizabeth Macquarie to influence her husband, Governor Lachlan Macquarie, to form the first Bible Society here. It caused her great concern to discover that “more than one-third of the dwellings, and nearly three-fifths of the inhabitants who can read, are without a Bible”. In the first two years of Bible Society’s operation, nearly 3000 Scriptures were distributed.

BIBLES IN PRISONS SOUTH AFRICA

Distributing the Bible and scripture resources around Australia.

Distribute Bibles to graduates of a Biblical Discipleship course.

BIBLES IN SCHOOLS AUSTRALIA

CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN KENYA

Equipping scripture teachers with Bibles.

Distributing Bible resources to the marginalised.

Support our distribution work at: 10

BIBLESOCIETY.ORG.AU/DISTRIBUTION

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WAYS TO GIVE 1. ONCE-OFF

Donate to help Open The Bible through translation, engagement, advocacy and distribution.

Securely Online

biblesociety.org.au/allpeople

Phone 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537)

2. MONTHLY GIVING

Join a community of passionate Christians united in a vision to Open The Bible around the world.

SUPPORT THROUGH PRAYER

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Pray and ask Him to continue accelerating the work of translating His Word into every language.

Pray and ask Him to prepare the hearts of those who will be hearing about Him for the first time.

Mail

Please complete and return the donation form in this pack.

BPAY

To get a BPAY Reference Number for your donation, please call 1300 242 537.

BIBLE SOCIETY AU EXISTS TO IMPAC INFLUENCE AUSTR WORLD BY OPENIN TO ALL PEOPLE EV ALL MEANS POSS 14

USTRALIA CT AND RALIA AND THE NG THE BIBLE VERYWHERE BY SIBLE. 15

Donate today at biblesociety.org.au/allpeople 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) bibles@biblesociety.org.au Delivery address: GPO Box 4161 SYDNEY NSW 2001 ABN 85 214 424 729 Charity Licence 19 000 528