Extra Insight

Dear Prayer Partner,

Welcome to the July Extra Insight!

Hopefully you will have some time off to relax this month, perhaps you are even taking a "stay-cation". Remember to rejoice in God's creation this month as you visit His beaches, forests and mountains.

This month we have an update on our Bible-a-Month project, prayer requests from Jordan and a story of celebration from Nigeria.

Thank you for joining us as we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world.

LOCAL NEWS

Northern Ireland

Recently we have had the privilege of conducting some interviews with local Christians and organisations on how they engage with and share the Bible in these days. You can see these videos here. As the summer fast approaches the team at Bible Society Northern Ireland have lots of other exciting things ahead. From various deputations to planning and developing further resources, updating audiences at New Horizon about our work via video, as well as a presence at Summer Madness alongside The Big House Ireland, launching a new resource – Steady – which we have had the privilege of being involved with; we are excited about the opportunities and potential for Bible Ministry this summer.

Our staff team will also gather in-person in early July to reflect and develop our ministry strategy for our work in Northern Ireland and around the world over the next few years. Amidst all these things, each of our team are also looking forward to some time off at various points over the next month!

As usual, we have plenty of exciting resources for you, your family and your church, visit our website here to find out more!

We recently had an interview with Katherine Dickson from Big House NI about their new "Steady" resource. Check out the video to hear more about how Big House NI are using this resource to help young people across Northern Ireland to engage more with their Bibles and rely on God.

Big House Interview with Katherine Dickson

Prayer Requests from Bible Society NI:

Give thanks for God’s continued faithfulness towards us and for the platform he gives us to share the Bible.

Pray that God would continue to use us to bless and support local churches and Christians to engage with the Bible in their everyday lives.

Pray that our staff team and Board would be filled with wisdom, creativity and energy for the tasks at hand, whilst also being able to be rested and refreshed this summer.

We meet to pray each month on the last Wednesday of the month at 1pm. Do join us at 1pm on the 28th July via Zoom

Meeting ID: 880 8636 3013

Passcode: 661347

Or join using this link:

Join Zoom Prayer Meeting

BIBLE-A-MONTH PROJECT:

Supporting the Persecuted Church

In many places around the world, it is hard to be a Christian, and many would face persecution should their faith be revealed. This month our Bible-a-Month project is focusing on an African country where this is the case. We cannot tell you the name of this country to protect the Bible Society staff and volunteers, as well as those who are members of the underground church. There are many government restrictions on Bible Society work here, but they are careful to operate legally and within the permissions granted to them.

July's project in this country seeks to advocate for Christians in this country, supporting both the expatriate and underground churches. The underground church often struggles to source Scripture for their members, and on top of this difficulty, many Christians are from poorer regions and could not afford their own Bible, even if they could source one themselves. Seeing this need, the Bible Society here uses this project to provide and source Bibles, providing them freely for those who need them.

Alongside getting Scripture to those who need it, this project also supports church leaders as they shepherd their churches. They often visit leaders, offering training, encouragement and prayer support. Throughout the last 15 months they have been able to support them virtually, due to the COVID-19 restrictions in the country.

The work in this country is difficult at times, but the Bible Society here works with zeal. They hope that God will use their work to positively impact their community and that many would come to faith through reading the Bible.

Pray for this Project:

Pray for the underground church here, that God would bless and encourage them. Ask God to give them boldness, and to protect them as they meet, worship and tell others about Jesus.

Pray for those who reach out to the Bible Society here who are seeking to know more about Jesus and the Bible.

Pray for the leaders of churches here, both expatriate and underground. Ask God to encourage them and strengthen them.

This project is our Bible-a-Month project for July. By becoming a Bible-a-Month partner you will help to provide Scripture to people all over the world every month. You will receive a free calendar with information about this and 11 other Bible Society projects. Commit to giving just £5 each month and you will ensure that the Word of God is shared across the world. Sign up here.

WITNESSING DURING HARD TIMES

Jordan

The Bible Society of Jordan has requested we pray for their current situation. There has been religious tension in Jordan, between Jews, Muslims and Christians for many years.

Recently, after a banner was produced and displayed with a Psalm on it, there has been a serious backlash. The staff and volunteers of the Bible Society have received threats and are facing serious discrimination and persecution as a result.

They have asked us to pray that this unrest would settle and that they would be able to share the Gospel freely:

Pray that God would protect the staff and volunteers during this time and as they seek to share the Gospel.

Ask God to use this situation, and despite this challenging time, that people would come to a saving faith in Christ.

Pray for the rest of the Christian community in Jordan, pray for unity and that they would work well together to witness to their country.

CELEBRATING BIBLE TRANSLATIONS

Nigeria

In a time that has been very hard for a lot of Bible work, we wanted to bring you some recent good news of a translation project.

After just 11 years of work, the Bible Society of Nigeria has completed and published a new translation of the Bible in Igala, a language spoken by over 1.5 million people in Nigeria’s Kogi State.

The dedication of the Igala Common Language Bible was held at Kogi State University in March 2021 and was attended by more than 200 Igala Christians. It came two weeks after the launch of the very first New Testament in Okun, which was also completed in a very short time - four years and three months.

Each Bible translation project is different, and there are many factors which affect progress, but today it takes an average of around five years to translate the New Testament, and 16 years for the full Bible.

Bible Society General Secretary Dr Dare Ajiboye, who retires this month, told the gathering that being able to dedicate a New Testament and a full Bible in two weeks was “the best retirement gift.” He also gave thanks to God for the nine Bible translations and three New Testament translations that the Bible Society has completed during his eight-year tenure.

Bible Society President Rev. Dr Timothy Banwo said that the Igala people were blessed to have the Bible in their language, and emphasised the Bible Society’s commitment to making the Word of God available in all major Nigerian languages.

It is hoped that this Bible translation will also help to reserve culture of the Igala people.

“This Bible will help preserve the cultural values of our people,” he said. “The death of a language is the death of a culture.”

“I am optimistic that the Igala Common Language Bible will bring salvation to Igala Land,” said Bishop Dr John Ibenu, President of the Kogi State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria. “I therefore appeal to you all to not keep this Bible on your shelves but to read it and be guided by its counsel.”

Please join us as we praise God for the completion of this translation and celebrate with the Igala people.

Pray for this Project:

Pray that this translation would be a blessing to the Igala people, that they would read it and be affected by reading God’s Word in their own language.

Pray for the Okun New Testament, that many would come to faith through reading it and that the Old Testament would be completed in the near future.

Pray for the many other translations going on. Pray for safety for the translators as they work on these projects and that God would bless their work.