issue 13 - 2011 - proclaiming the good newsworldwide

InDepthTransforming lives through God’s Word

Issue 13 • 2011 Biblica.com

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How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:6-8 NIV

Proclaiming the good news worldwide

BiBle & ChurCh EngagEmEnt

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Children & youth ministry

SpeCialized ministry

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ministryKeith Danby International CEO, Biblica

Doug Lockhart CEO, BiblicaEvelyn Lemly President

Global Resource Development and Communication President Biblica Foundation

Scott Bolinder President Global PublishingBob Dinolfo Global CFO

Benedict Omollo Area Executive Director AfricaSomporn Sirikolkarn Area Executive Director Asia Pacific

Stephen Cave Area Executive Director EuropeEsteban Fernandez Area Executive Director Latin America

Middle East kept confidential for security purposes

MISSIONTransforming lives through God’s Word

VISIONThe work of Biblica will be complete when

every person in the world is given the opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ

through God’s Word and be transformed.

CORE STRATEGIESBible Translation • Bible Publishing

Bible Engagement

WORLDWIDE MINISTRYAfrica

East Asia Pacific Europe

Latin America Middle East

North AmericaSouth Asia

MINISTRY FOCUSBible and Church Engagement

Children and Youth Ministry Scripture Outreach

Specialized Ministry Outreach Translation

The world’s leading contemporary English translation. The New International Version® Bible is easier

to understand, engaging you with the rich meaning of the original text. Most read. Most trusted.

Celebrating more than 200 years in ministry, Biblica provides God’s Word to people through translation, publishing and Bible engagement so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Biblica1820 Jet Stream Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80921-3696719.488.9200

Biblica.com facebook.com/Biblica • twitter.com/BiblicaMinistry

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BRINGING THE BIBLE TO PEOPLE SINCE 1809

CELEBRATING

200YEARS200CELEBRATING

YEARS

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12137

FIVE AREAS of


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Strengthening the Body of Christ

Providing God’s Word worldwide

Reaching youth with God’s Word

Reaching people in times of critical need

Providing God’s Word in major languages

ministryUnderstanding that people’s needs

are so diverse, our programs are adapted to age, culture, location, and

religious background.

asked the elderly Chinese woman as she approached the Chinese Tourist Outreach program booth for the sixth time to get another Chinese Contemporary Bible.

“What will you do with all these Bibles?” we asked.

“My small church has no Bibles,” she said. “I want enough Bibles to share so we all can have God’s Word close to us.”

Can you imagine a church or home without a Bible? Can you imagine your home without a Bible? Around the world many churches and people have no Bible. No matter where you go, you can find great need and reasons why people lack access to Bibles.

For instance, in India the poor live off $.50 per day or less. They struggle to manage one meager meal per day. How can they possibly afford a Bible?

In Africa, many rural church pastors live on $2 a month or less. They have limited access to Bibles or even basic Bible training. Many glean their Bible knowledge from TV evangelists, and few can discern between truth and dangerous doctrines.

What a great privilege—and responsibility—we have to support our brothers and sisters in Christ globally. With your prayers and gifts, Biblica brings Bibles, biblical resources, and outreach programs to meet the spiritual needs of people in their local language.

Our core ministry strategies are Bible Translation, Bible Publishing, and Bible Engagement. We apply these strategies to the five ministry areas you will read about in this issue.

We appreciate your prayers and faithful support. Together we share in the privilege of taking God’s Word to the world.

Sincerely in Christ,

Doug LockhartCEO, Biblica

“MAY I PLEASE HAVE ANOTHER?”

3Bible Translation • Bible Publishing • Bible Engagement

Bible engagement is at an all-time low in America.

TV comedians poke fun at people’s ignorance of the Ten Commandments. Bible literacy surveys indicate fewer than half of American Christians know basic Bible facts. And even though most Americans own more than one Bible, few of us spend daily time in God’s Word.

Community Bible Experience is a revolutionary way to bring people into deeper Bible reading and engagement. The program is built around the 3 Cs of Bible Engagement: The complete Bible understood in context and experienced in community. Biblica’s text is The Books of the Bible, a Bible stripped of chapter and verse numbers so individuals can read without artificial distractions.

Last year, Biblica tested Community Bible Experience in 30 churches in the U.S., Canada, Kenya, and Uganda. Participants read The Books of the Bible New Testament five days a week and

met in small groups once a week for eight weeks to share their insights. Daily emails and links gave them free access to online audio and print versions of the New Testament.

Participants discovered a new or renewed love for God’s Word. Many expressed an eagerness to continue the program with other books of the Bible. One church reported a 200 percent growth in their small group ministry!

This year, we plan to reach 47,000 people in churches throughout the U.S. with Community Bible Experience. Christian groups working with military families are also very interested in the program, which is particularly helpful in introducing new Christians to God’s Word.

The need for a strong, faithful Church committed to God’s Word is universal. Thank you for your partnership in the privilege of helping to strengthen, encourage, and equip the global Church in its mission to glorify God.


Strengthening

Biblica InDepth • Issue 13 • 2011 4

the Body of ChristCOMMUNITY BIBLE EXPERIENCE


EQUIPPING LEADERSPlace a glass of water in front of your TV and you will be healed of barrenness. Pay a pastor/healer to burn the witch out of the unwanted child who has cursed you with economic suffering.

Unorthodox beliefs infused with folk religion are wildly popular throughout the Church in the developing world. Some beliefs are harmless—but others are dangerous and heretical. Vulnerable, untrained church leaders often adopt and spread a false gospel of prosperity and witchcraft.

Impoverished pastors need training and Scripture resources to keep them faithful in proclaiming God’s Word. “People cannot know the Lord unless they hear His Word being correctly preached and taught,” said a Ugandan bishop. “You being here is not by mistake but for a purpose to fulfill the Great Commission.”

Biblica’s Equipping Leaders workshops provide church leaders with basic pastoral training and study Bibles. They learn how to discern biblical truth from false doctrine, equipping them to better serve and guide their congregations.

A Philippine church leader said, “The message shared with us has inspired me to continue to preach the Word of God with courage.”

NEED: Deeper engagement in the BibleACTION: Equip church leaders with training and biblical resourcesIMPACT: People mature in their faith



ReaCh 4 LIfe Since 2004, Reach 4 Life (R4L) has rescued over 1 million teens in Africa, Asia, and Europe from HIV infection through its message of sexual purity and spiritual transformation. Youth gather in schools and churches for R4L’s 40 Bible studies.

We launched Reach 4 Life in a large slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Korogocho, Swahili for “crowded shoulder to shoulder,” has a

200,000-plus population living in a half square mile area—half the size of New York City’s Central Park.

Korogocho’s youth engage in risky sexual behavior and are exposed to violence and drug abuse. The hopelessness of slum life affects their attitudes and choices. Reach 4 Life brings them new life options through God’s Word. Thank you for making Reach 4 Life possible in 12 countries.

ChILDREN FOR ChRISTChildren for Christ (C4C) helps isolated churches reach children with the gospel. Children love the Bible stories, songs, and skits in this VBS-type program. Over 1 million children worldwide have heard the gospel through C4C.

Reaching

God’sYouthWITH

NEED: Children are lost without their SaviorACTION: Invite kids to receive Jesus through children’s programsIMPACT: Children’s lives changed forever

Children, like 12-year-old Joy of the Philippines.

Joy’s parents provided no spiritual input—and it showed. “I stole, told lies, and disobeyed my parents,” she said. “I went to the Children for Christ program and learned Jesus died for all of us. I prayed to Jesus and accepted Him as my Savior. Thank you for reaching children for Jesus in remote places like ours.”

BIBLE ADVENTURESBiblica’s Bible Adventures children’s magazine introduces children to Christ and helps them grow in faith. The four-year series is published in many languages worldwide.

Reaching

God’sYouth

Bible Translation • Bible Publishing • Bible Engagement 7

WordIn Romania, Bible Adventures draws not only children, but entire families to Christ. Anca and Tiby were curious about the kid’s club where their son Sorin read Bible Adventures. They joined his Bible lessons and began attending church. In less than a year they both accepted Jesus as their Savior!

Each year, thousands of children receive new life in Christ through Reach 4 Life, Children for Christ, and Bible Adventures. Please join us in bringing the message of God’s great love and mercy to more children worldwide.


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Did you know you serve as Christ’s ambassador of Christ to people around the world through your partnership with Biblica?

Since 1809, Biblica has provided Bibles to sailors, soldiers, pioneers, housewives, teachers, missionaries, pastors, and many others who served as ambassadors of the gospel—ordinary people sharing an extraordinary God with people in their sphere of influence. This is the heart of Scripture Outreach. Whether it’s a Sunday school teacher purchasing children’s Bibles for her class or a brave believer finding ways to get Scripture past enemies of the gospel, Christians serve as God’s emissaries when they take the Bible and the gospel message to people who lack the good news of God’s love and offer of salvation.

You are one of these ambassadors through your prayers and gifts for Scripture Outreach. Together, we are providing God’s Word through creative channels and in as many formats as possible, so that no barriers—cultural, political, religious, economic, or physical—stand in the way of individuals receiving Christ as their Lord and Savior.

In Macau and other parts of East Asia, ordinary ambassadors of the gospel

bring free Bibles to tourist sites so they can give them to Asian tourists. Many of these tourists live in countries that restrict or completely forbid a Christian witness. But when on vacation in other countries, they experience more freedom and opportunities to hear and receive God’s Word.

Recently, an Asian business man got out of a taxi at a tourist site and looked at our Bible display. When he realized what we had, he

came over to look and was very interested in receiving a Bible. The volunteer very patiently shared the gospel with him. The businessman said his mother had been a Christian but he never believed. After talking with the volunteer, the man bowed his head on the busy street corner and prayed to receive Christ. The volunteer shook his hand, congratulated him, and gave him more information.

The businessman turned the corner to leave, then turned back around to face

Providing God’s Word

worldwideDO YOU FEEL ORDINARY?

“Now, Jesus is in my

heart, too.”

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the volunteer, pointed to his chest, and said, “Now, Jesus is in my heart, too.” Through your prayers and support and our partnerships with local churches and global ministries, we are reaching millions of people with the gospel message and Scripture resources, just as we have for 202 years.

Through Scripture Outreach, we are placing Bibles in more than 100 languages in print, audio, and online to make the gospel accessible for people anywhere, in any life circumstance. Right now millions of people are hungry for the transformational message of Scripture; yet more than two-thirds of the world has never encountered Jesus Christ. Thank you for serving as an ambassador

Providing God’s Word

worldwide

Bible Translation • Bible Publishing • Bible Engagement

NEED: Many people do not have a BibleACTION: Give generously to provide BiblesIMPACT: Many receive Christ and are transformed

of Christ as you partner with Biblica in bringing God’s Word to the world.

Turn to the back cover to see how Fred serves as God’s ambassador.

People in times of

Critical need



NEED: People in crisis are hurtingACTION: Give Scripture resources that speak to critical needsIMPACT: Hope and comfort to those in crisis

Reaching

Biblica’s customized Bibles and biblical resources provide hope and guidance to people in difficult circumstances.

CRISIS AND DISASTERIn a moment, a cloud dropped from the sky, turning everything in its path inside out and upside down.

People in Joplin know the minute and hour a whirlwind killed 162 loved ones, demolished neighborhoods, and made the city unrecognizable in mere moments.

When disaster strikes, people need comfort and hope. Biblica provides children’s and adult devotionals, partnering with local churches and global ministries to provide resources as needed and as funding allows. With the support of friends like you, we reached out to survivors of the 9/11 bombings, Hurricanes Katrina, Ivan, and Ike; the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2011 Japan tsunami and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

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PRISON MINISTRYSince 1815, Biblica has provided Bibles to inmates worldwide, encouraging them to find spiritual freedom through a relationship with Jesus. Our Free on the Inside Bible, developed in partnership with Prison Fellowship, is widely requested in U.S. correctional facilities and has been translated for use in other countries.

“I am a former Muslim now three years in jail because of murder. I had hatred toward those who accused me. But a pastor shared the Word of God. I asked God for forgiveness and accepted Jesus as my Savior. The pain and hatred are gone,” wrote Jun, a Philippine convict.

MILITARY OUTREAChBiblica began giving soldiers Bibles during the War of 1812. Today we work with the U.S. Military Chaplaincy to ensure military troops facing deployment have opportunities to receive God’s Word. Our customized digi-camouflage NIV Bibles contain prayers, hymns, a guide to salvation, and other helps.

Since military operations began in Afghanistan in 2002, Biblica has provided more than 1 million camouflage NIV Bibles to all branches of the U.S. military. More Bibles are needed, as 8,000-10,000 new military personnel rotate into Iraq and Afghanistan monthly.

You can stand in the gap for our military troops by praying for their safety and providing them with God’s timeless Word.

“Over and over again we have soldiers … committing their lives to Christ as new believers, or dedicating themselves to the Lord after years of indifference. We give these Bibles away en masse. We were glad to

find all of the helps included in this Bible.” –Ron and Pam, South Carolina

Bible Translation • Bible Publishing • Bible Engagement


NEED: Many lack God’s Word in their languageACTION: Support translation work under wayIMPACT: Open the life-transforming gospel to all

tranSlation Providing God’s Word in major languages

an African woman clutched a Bible close to her heart. She wept so hard, our staff asked, is everything OK? She laughed and replied in broken English, “Oh, yes! I am so happy! I have never had my own Bible, and look—God speaks my language!”

What a wonderful reminder of how crucial it is to provide the Bible to people in their own language! So many people may never encounter Jesus Christ because they lack God’s Word in their language.

Biblica translates the full Bible for language groups of 1 million-plus speakers. If we could provide translations in all 389 languages with 1 million-plus speakers, 94 percent of the world

would have access to God’s Word in their languages. But we have a long way to go, with only 100 languages complete.

This year, we have 37 translation projects under way in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. We consider each translation complete when the full Bible is translated. We also strive to render each translation in digital and audio format to extend Bible reach to millions of people who cannot read or who access the Bible more easily through mobile phones or Internet.

WITH TeARS STREAMING,


Providing God’s Word in major languages

EXCITING WORkIn India, a seven-member translation team is working on the Hindi Study Bible Old Testament. While many people might find the slow, exacting work of Bible translation tedious, not this team.

“Now I am in Ezekiel,” reported translator Vijay Lazarus. “It is beautiful! It is picturesque! I look forward to getting into it every day.

“I wait for the day when people will read it. I always have the target readership

in mind as I translate. They motivate me.”

Vijay’s target readership is the half billion Hindi speakers around the world. Biblica’s Hindi NIV Study Bible is the first in India to be translated from the Greek and Hebrew. All other translations have been from English. Because of the quality of this translation, it is a source text for translations in other Indian languages.

We deeply appreciate your prayers and your gifts to keep momentum strong for the 37 translation projects in 32 languages.


By Keith Danby, International CeO

and Christian resources are vital for whole-life discipleship. So many people do not have a Bible in their language, or cannot read, or do not have access to a Bible. I enjoy the privilege of having these resources in my own language and often think of the Chinese woman who was a third-generation Christian and the first in her family to receive a Bible of her own.

Each of us can do our bit toward fulfilling the Great Commission. Here are some ways you are helping Biblica to bring the gospel to people around the world:

AFRICA A couple weeks ago I was in Ethiopia and saw church leaders graduate from an Equipping Leaders program and receive a new Amharic Bible. When I consider how Ethiopia was part of the early Church, it thrills me to be part of the long

history of proclaiming the gospel in this ancient country.

ASIA In Thailand at a church leaders congress of 5,000 church leaders, I witnessed them making a covenant to have 100,000 people reach 1 million new converts in the next five years. The potential impact is great—and we are a part of it!

EUROPE Most people in the UK are biblically illiterate. It used to be there were churches in the center of town, with the spire reminding people to look upward toward God. Now, sadly, the churches are closing down. However, the Church is not dead!

Recently, I met with the Bishop of Cambria to present Community Bible Experience, and he committed to 400 churches in his parish to join. Please pray for this endeavor.

GLOBAL MINISTRY UPDATES

I belIEVE THE BIBLE


MIDDLE EAST/ NORTh AFRICA I spoke with our leader in the Middle East recently.

He talked about the great openness to change, how different things are now, and how national

situations can change so quickly. There is a spiritual awareness taking place. People are searching for new ideas and a new way to live. We are finding inroads for ministry in places where we were blocked for over 25 years. Please pray this trend continues. Pray also for safety for all our staff—they daily face the risk

of arrest and persecution.

LATIN AMERICA In Latin America, we are seeing many people becoming more engaged in Scripture, especially young people. Many want to download the Bible on their mobile phones so they can read anywhere—on a train or in a park. While it may seem odd to us, throughout the developing world it is common for people of all income levels to have mobile phones they use for communication, commerce, reading, videos, and more.

In a meeting the other day, a young man held up his iPhone. He called it his life—his calendar, phone, Bible, contracts, music…. Biblica is moving quickly to digitize our Bible translations to meet the demands of this digital age. Digital Bibles can reach across physical and other barriers, enabling people anywhere to have access to God’s Word.

As we celebrate our 202th anniversary of Biblica ministry December 4, I consider what unprecedented times we live in, with extraordinary ministry opportunities. Biblica is at the heart of what’s going on around the world. Please pray for our ministry and prayerfully consider your part in it.

Have a very blessed Christmas,

Keith DanbyInternational CEO Biblica

1820 Jet Stream Dr • Colorado Springs CO 80921 • 1-800-987-3595 • Biblica.com

I retired from the workforce after about 45 years and now work as a lay pastor. We have a food pantry in connection with our local church and are able to help supply folks who are in need. Several of us purchase NIV Witness Bibles and have them on hand at the pantry. A lot of people that come in here are at a really tough place in their lives. They’re looking for answers and assurances and want the truth. It’s amazing how many Bibles have been given away. They look good and are attractive, so that helps, but people know they’re craving a spiritual touch. They really look forward to getting those Bibles. We like to say that we furnish food for the body, but also nourishment for the soul.

—Fred Powers, IN

It’s amazing how many Bibles have been given away.

Share God’s Word in Your Community

Go to for low-cost Bibles for your personal outreach ministry.

Biblica brings God’s Word to people around the world through Bible translation, Bible publishing and Bible engagement so they can come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. Biblica works in Africa, East Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East/North Africa, North America, and South Asia, is the translation sponsor and publisher of the NIV®, and has translated the Bible into over 100 languages.

issue 13 - 2011 - proclaiming the good newsworldwide

Documents

chinese contemporary

gods wordreaching people

gods wordissue

small church

church engagement children

rural church pastors

jesus christ

indepthtransforming