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Requests for Bibles Now Coming from Surprising Quarters You Are Here » Home \ Announcements \ Requests for Bibles [View Printable Page] Requests for Bibles Now Coming from Surprising Quarters BONN, Germany-When you think about people who do not have Bibles, you think they are in Asia or Africa-not Western Europe. Yet unexpected requests for copies of the Scriptures from this part of the world have come to Biblica (formerly International Bible Society), the well-respected, two-century-old Evangelical organization dedicated to making God's Word available around the world. Political and religious restrictions make the Bible largely unavailable and desperately desired-in many areas of the world, most famously in Muslim dominated countries or areas wracked by war and violence. But most recently, education officials in Germany-a nation of religious freedom, and a nation currently at peace-have contacted Biblica with a remarkable request. They don't just want Bibles; they want Bibles distributed among students in their public schools! "We did not see this coming," says Biblica North America president and CEO Doug Lockhart. "We deal with cries for help all the time from places where Bible publication and distribution are completely illegal, and we have to figure out ways to take the Word of God into these areas. And there are other regions where war or politics makes Bibles scarce, so we do our best to get Scriptures into these places. But Germany? I was stunned. "It just goes to show you, though," he adds, "how desperate people are for the life-transforming power of the Scriptures." Reporter Brian Murphy stated in a 2007 San Diego Union Tribune article that church attendance is now below 10 percent in the Scandinavian countries; and Germany levies a "church tax" as high as nine percent of individual income, which has likely contributed to tens of thousands being driven away from the Christian faith. Yet sensing a need, the German education officials turned for help to Biblica-one of the world's most trusted sources for Scriptures for more than 200 years. "This is by no means the only challenge before us at the moment," Lockhart adds. "Requests for Bibles keep coming. We are just praying for God's help and asking Christians to give generously; that is the only way we can keep saying yes to this kind of plea for help." Below is the content of the letter received by Mike and Kelly Brown: BIBLICA US CELEBRATING 200 YEARS September 2009 Mike & Kelly Brown 9511 Merton St New Port Richey, FL 34654-4160 Dear Mike & Kelly Brown, You are probably wondering why I have attached a nickel to the top of this letter. I did it because 1 want to make a very important point about the Bible-producing, Bible sharing work of Biblica (formerly International Bible Society). And that point is this: When you contribute to this vitally important work, Biblica will not use even one nickel of your gift for administration, overhead, payroll, fund-raising, or even a mailing like this. Those expenses are covered by other means, so 100 percent of your gift goes directly to sharing God's Word with people in need! I am Doug Lockhart, president and CEO of Biblica North America, the highly respected, 200-year-old, Evangelical, Bible-producing and Bible-sharing ministry. And I am writing to you today to ask you to help us share God's Word around the world in response to the incredible global hunger for the Scriptures. In fact, this hunger may surprise you in some ways. . . Of course you have heard of the hunger in places where Bibles are illegal-parts of the Middle East, for example, or in the Islamic strongholds in Asia. And there are other lands where Bibles are extremely hard to find – war-torn nations of Africa, for instance. But now we find that many Scripture requests are coming from places you might never expect-places like Western Europe, which for centuries was the "fount" of Christianity. Today, however, after decades of spiritual decline, Western Europe can actually be considered "post-Christian" – with more Muslims than practicing Christians in some countries! When people in these areas begin to hunger for the Word of the One True God. . . when they long to know and experience the life-changing Truth. . . where will they find someone to give them a Bible? |
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