Bible 2020
New resources for getting to grips with Scripture
By Catherine Little and Julie McKinley
(From the April - June 2020 issue of VOX)
When was the last time you read the Bible out loud? When we do so it forces us to read more slowly, to take in the words and think about what we are reading a little more. We can’t just skim past words on the page or screen when we read aloud.
All over the world today people will read the Bible out loud as part of BIBLE 2020. They will record themselves saying words in their own language from the Bible and post it to the video wall of the BIBLE 2020 app. Intrigued? Why not join thousands of others around the world and download this app that will connect you with God’s Word and God’s people all over the globe.
“BIBLE 2020 encourages everyone, everywhere to read the Bible out loud every day in 2020.”
BIBLE 2020 encourages everyone, everywhere to read the Bible out loud every day in 2020. The vision of the Scottish Bible Society, this project connects people through God’s Word.
There are around 150 Bible Societies – one in almost every country in the world. Together these societies make up the United Bible Societies (UBS), which is a global fellowship working together.
Here in Ireland the National Bible Society of Ireland and the Bible Society in Northern Ireland are encouraging people to join in with this global wave of Bible reading – proclaiming Scripture out loud around Ireland and around the world.
Download the BIBLE 2020 app
It is estimated that around 80% of adults in the world have a smart phone! We use our phones for everything – we check our social media, watch TV, do our banking, book flights, send messages and even occasionally make phone calls!
But how can we connect with this huge audience digitally through their devices? Our phones are increasingly where we engage with God’s Word. BIBLE 2020 helps us to interact with Scripture. Once you have downloaded the app you, your church community, your family and friends will have the opportunity to:
RECEIVE daily Bible readings throughout the year, straight to your phone, in a variety of languages and versions.
VIDEO yourself and your church reading and speaking the words of the passage.
SHARE your videos on the App’s global wall and to your social network.
WATCH other project participants from around the world sharing the Bible in their own heart languages.
CREATE community groups enabling accountability, discipleship and Bible discussion to flourish as you spur one another on in the journey.
HOST events that will allow more people to hear and engage with the Bible in your area, and see what others are doing too.
We believe BIBLE 2020 has the potential to excite, equip and disciple the local church, as well as to mobilise us to mission where we are. All of this at the touch of a button!
Can you imagine the eternal impact this could have on your life, your church, local community and wider world as God’s Word is spoken and His Spirit moves!?
“The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12, ESV). The Bible is a powerful book; its words have power to change and challenge, renew and restore individuals, families, churches, communities and countries.
Bible Societies in Ireland also offer other resources. A daily Bible reading guide gives a short passage to read each day – encouraging individuals into the habit of regular Bible reading. While many people have a well-established Bible reading habit, others do not. This free resource will unlock the query of ‘Where should I start reading in the Bible?’ Get in touch for copies of this resource for yourself or your church.
“Where to look in the Bible” provides simple information on finding helpful passages for everyday life. With support in where to look for help, prayers, words of blessing and appropriate readings for special occasions, this is a useful tool for those involved in pastoral visiting or anyone who wants to help others access the Bible in times of need.
“The Bible Course” is a resource for small groups, developed in England and Wales, which provides eight interactive sessions enabling people to apply the Bible to everyday life. This video-resource includes discussion time, personal reflection and daily readings.
The Bible Course has already been used across Ireland in a wide variety of contexts. This course is for people who feel that they know the Bible well and for those who want to go deeper in their understanding of God’s Word. It shows how all of the books, characters and events fit together to form one big story from Genesis to Revelation. An ideal follow up to Alpha or Christianity Explored, the Bible Course is available in a DVD format or as a download, with manuals for each participant.
Today in Ireland, we have access to Scripture like never before. We can access it for free on our phones and many of us will have more than one copy of a printed Bible, too. However, around the world today there are millions of people who simply can’t have access to a Bible in their own language because it hasn’t been translated yet – only around 10% of the world’s languages have a complete Bible translated.
Millions more people don’t have a Bible because they need it in a format that can be expensive to produce and they can’t afford it, for example audio or braille Bibles.
Bible Societies exist to ‘reach everyone with God’s Word’. In Isaiah 55:11 God says that His Word “… will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (NIV)
Why not get in touch with your local Bible Society for resources or to invite a speaker to your church?
National Bible Society of Ireland
www.nationalbiblesocietyofireland.ie
bible2020@nbsi.ie
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Bible Society in Northern Ireland
www.biblesocietyni.co.uk
info@biblesocietyni.co.uk
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