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Index:
To read the whole magazine, click on the cover image to download a PDF version
To read previous issues of Bibles@Work - CLICK here |
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Dear friends,
As I write, I am conscious of the new financial year and the usual last minute scramble by all charities to conduct their end of year appeals to balance their budgets. We constantly give thanks to God for you and for your generosity. It never ceases to amaze me. It has meant we have increased our support of overseas projects, we have grown our activities in Australia, and in the midst of all that, we have moved to newer premises.
Our growth and renewal is a direct result of peoples continual obedience to the Lord Jesus as He is revealed in His Word. Our God is truly awesome. Please pray that we will constantly be faithful to Him and His leading of this Society.
This edition of Bibles@work takes another historic step. You may not notice any change. However, the people of Western Australia and Tasmania will receive this magazine for the first time. Our partnership with these two states in particular has meant that the operational changes we have made are now being picked up and implemented there as well. The website, bookshop, direct mail, Zing-zine and Bibles@work are all part of this partnership, reducing duplication and increasing economies of scale where possible.
You will also notice from our front page that we have adopted a new logo.
Making the Bible heard since 1817 is our great heritage and calling. We do that in a wide range of formats - print, audio, software and internet. We believe the look of our new logo strikes a very important balance, giving us a fresh contemporary feel, but it still demonstrates that we are an organisation with an important history. Our constant striving is to be true to our heritage and remain cutting edge, appealing to the generations of today and tomorrow. We always covet your prayerful support in our every endeavour.
Bible Society NSW CEO, Daniel Willis .
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Bibles at Work in India
In India, a life transforming movement is underway. Women are coming together in listening groups to hear of salvation through Jesus Christ. In tiny villages, groups of illiterate women are gathering to hear Bible Society tapes of the Scriptures. In one Telegu speaking group, 35 women were sitting on mats with 11 of their children.
From this group another 34 listening groups have been formed. The leader of the group says My husband and I have come to Christ through the listening group so we pleaded for just one tape just Matthew or Mark and we would start our own group.
They then formed five groups and swapped tapes of the gospels, meeting three or four days in a week to listen to the Scriptures. From those groups more were formed and now 1,000 Hindu and Muslim women are listening to the story of Jesus in Telegu each week.
The tapes have only served to spark an even greater hunger in these women to own their very own copy of the Scriptures. The Bible Society is committed to providing Scriptures for women and poor Christian families in India. Will you join with us in this exciting life transforming work and enable these and many others to own their very own Bible?
Please send us your donation with this coupon, or the one on the mailing sheet for Bibles@work, phone our donor line 1300 552 537, donate using your credit card, or donate online.
A group of Telugu-speaking women in India listen attentively to Scripture tapes in their village.
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AIDS in Africa. New light being shed
For more than four decades, God has been doing great work in East Africa. Beginning with the East African Revival in the early 60s, huge numbers of people have come to have faith in Christ, while they also face the twin scourges of poverty and AIDS.
Bible Society is teaming up with African Enterprise Ltd. to reach out to the needy people of Uganda and Kenya, through Word and deed. African Enterprise (AE) began its vital and often dangerous work in Uganda, undertaking relief work in the midst of the brutal regime of Idi Amin. There are four areas of mission undertaken by African Enterprise evangelism,relief and development, reconciliation and Christian leadership. The organisations work then spread to Kenya, where many Ugandan refugees had fled.
While vital relief work was carried out, many exciting missions were also held each year where large numbers of people came to faith in Christ. AE is also actively involved in pastor training.
Clearly Africas greatest crisis over the last decade has been the explosion of HIV/AIDS. Significantly, Uganda has led the way in first, facing up to the reality of the disease. Then with the help of organisations like African Enterprise, it has carried out effective and extensive AIDS prevention strategies. 20 years ago the HIV infection rate was 20% in Uganda today its 6%. Yet much more needs to be done.
African Enterprise is involved in a major new programme of activities targeting families, schools and entire communities in both Uganda and Kenya. It has also begun a major new partnership with Bible Society to ensure that Gods Word is at the centre of this life-transforming work.
Theres a major effort underway to improve literacy skills. There are two goals for this programme. First, to help the people better understand anti-AIDS messages and education material. Second, and above all, theyll be exposed to the life changing Word of God in the Bible.
Material specifically developed by the Bible Society teaches people to read and write using the Bible.
This material will be going to children, parents, teachers and entire communities. They will be taught to write essays and take part in debates and drama, all with AIDS related themes. All the time, this vital literacy work will be undergirded by passages of Scripture. Lives are being transformed now and forever.
Will you join with us in this vital work shedding the light of Gods Word in such needy nations? We need to raise urgently needed funds for the provision of Bible literacy material.
Please send us your tax deductible donation with this coupon, the one on the mailing sheet for Bibles@work, phone our donor line 1300 552 537, donate using your credit card, or online.
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Captive to God's Word
Just a fortnight before the devastating September 11 attacks, Diane Thomas was taken captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Diane and eight other aid workers were arrested for showing a CD on the life of Jesus Christ to an Afghan family. As international tension mounted in the hunt for Osama bin Laden, grave fears were held for their safety. Yet Diane and her fellow captives never lost hope as they engaged daily and deeply with Gods Word in the Bible.
They were held for three months and rescued in the middle of the night by U.S. helicopters.
Nearly three years on, Diane, who now lives in Western Australia has spoken at the Christian City Church North Ryde about her rock solid dependence on the Bible in the midst of fear and uncertainty. Congregation members heard her speak movingly of her unshakable hope that God was still working for good even though her predicament seemed so dire.
In a later interview Diane said The Bible came more alive, constantly reassuring, encouraging and strengthening us. Three months into our captivity we read Isaiah 51 and
were reassured by verse 14 The cowering prisoners will soon be set free& Two weeks later we were rescued! At North Ryde Christian City Church, it was a very special time for Cathy Green, pastor Richards wife who had prayed at length and daily for Diane as her months of captivity went by. Richard Green says It was a great privilege to hear Diane. We had not really noticed Bible Society previously but since seeing its role in the promotion of The Passion of the Christ' we are all for Bible Society. $400 was raised on the day for Bible Society work.
See see a video of Diane talking about her captivity, CLICK HERE
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