A Record Year for Global Bible Distribution
"We love how giving one child a Bible has the potential to affect and influence entire families—and communities."
(Australia)—The Bible Society has announced that there had been a world-wide growth of five percent in Bible and Scripture portion distribution in 2007. Altogether, according to a Christian Today Australia report, the number of Scripture items distributed totaled 391 million, up by about five percent. Much of the growth occurred in the southern hemisphere.
Bible Society NSW gives free Bibles to teachers who teach in the Schools Religious Education (SRE) program or Scripture.
The report quotes one teacher as telling the Bible Society, "I teach seven, Year 7 classes and regularly give the students the opportunity to indicate if they want a Bible. They are stoked that they are free! I emphasize that I am willing to give them one if they are willing to read it—ten asked for a copy. A few weeks later we gave all classes the opportunity to indicate on a feedback sheet if they wanted to know more about Jesus or they wanted a Bible. We handed out a further 19 Bibles."
Another teacher said: "It was wonderful to see how well so many of the students responded to this gift. We've heard stories of students who have swapped their bedtime stories for Bible stories, other children are using their CD rather than playing computer games, other children have had to be given extra Bibles because other family members have taken and are using their Bible! We love how giving one child a Bible has the potential to affect and influence entire families—and communities."
