Rev Dr Yiepetso Wezah
Auxiliary Secretary, Dimapur
Looking at need of the living Word of God, a group of leaders of the Churches came together and formed the British and Foreign Bible Society on 7 March 1804 to make the Bible available throughout the world. This was extended to India and the Bible Society of India was formed on 21st February 1811 to make God’s Word available to Indian population. The need was felt to work together by the Christian leaders of the world and hence, the United Bible Societies was formed on 6th May 1946 to make the Bible for everyone. The Bible Society is a non-denominational and non-profitable society. It is founded by the Churches. It is a common and unified ministry of different denominations to fulfill the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus without Churches there will not be Bible Society and without Bible Society the Holy Bible will not be available to Churches at affordable price. So the Churches and the Bible Societies work together hand in hand. The Bible Society of India is a handmaid of the Churches in God’s mission.
Out of 1652 recognized languages in India, the BSI has translated the Word of God (full Bible) into 84 languages. The New Testament into 86 languages for the first time. Children Bible has been translated into 34 languages. Audio Bible into 69 languages and Braille Bible into 15 languages. There are 110 live projects. There are still many more people’s groups who need the Word of God in their heart languages.
The main ministry of the BSI is as follows:
• Translation: Translating the Bible into the heart languages of people. It revises the existing Bibles to bring the language update so that the readers will experience the power of the Word of God in their own languages.
• Production: Printing physical copies of the Bible and producing it in different formats such as print, audio, and digital forms in order to meet the demands of people.
• Distribution: Taking the Bible from Printing Press to Auxiliaries and distributing it to different Associations/Councils and to their respective Churches.
• Literacy: Encouraging and helping people to read and meditate upon the Word of God.
• Engagement: Scripture Engagement involves reading, understanding and interacting with the life-changing message of the Word of God. It helps readers to respond to the demands of the Scriptures.
• Advocacy: The Bible Society speaks up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. It defends the rights of poor people (Proverbs 31:8-9) through publication of newsletters/ pamphlets and public lectures.
Individual believers, Churches and Bible Society are doing a great missionary work in providing the Holy Bible to both believers and non-believers throughout the world. It provides free Braille Bibles to the blinds. Now the BSI is going to provide Sign Language Bible to deaf community. During the Manipur violence and arson, Bibles were burnt down in their homes and Churches, thus the BSI Dimapur Auxiliary has given a few thousand free Bibles to the victims. It provides free Bibles to the mission fields with the contributions of believers. The BSI provides affordable Bibles to Churches.
The Bible must go to the mission fields. God’s living Word must be handover to new believers so that they will read, meditate and be transformed in Christ. The Bible can be distributed to where missionaries are restricted to go. The powerful Word of God will work wonders to change the life of people. They will find salvation in Christ through His Word. Thus the BSI is providing God’s Word in understandable language in order to transform the life of people. All the believers of Jesus Christ must continue to pray and participate in this great missionary work of the Bible Society of India in order to reach God’s Word to the unreached people.
