Bible Society NI Extra Insight November 2020

Dear Prayer Partner,

In November our Bible-a-Month calendar is focusing on Azerbaijan.

Located in Asia, Azerbaijan is bordered by four countries – Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran.

Flamingos, swans and pelicans are all known to flock to Azerbaijan. There is also a burning mountain named “Yanar Dağ” which has been naturally burning for the last 65 years due to natural gases under the mountain!

Many of the projects run by the Azerbaijan Bible Society have been impacted by COVID-19, however, they are working to provide God's Word as safely as possible to those who need it.

In this Extra Insight we have an update from the Scripture distribution project we are supporting this month.

Azerbaijan

Capital: Baku

Population: 10,205,810 (July 2020 est.)

Official language: Azerbaijani

Religion: Muslim 96.9%, Christian 3%, other <0.1

Statistics and map taken from The World Factbook and Operation World.

Ministry in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a country with a predominantly Muslim population. This can make it difficult to be a Christian; it can be hard to even purchase Scripture. The Azerbaijan Bible Society seeks to be a Christian presence in their country, providing churches with support and Scripture.

They seek to promote Bible engagement amongst the Christian community and support them in their walk with God. They have many projects to help children and young people read their Bible and stand firm in their faith. There are also translation projects running, which will help to engage different people groups with the Bible in their heart language. It is the Azerbaijan Bible Society’s mission to bring the Bible to every home and every family in their country.

The Azerbaijan Bible Society tells us they keep Mathew 24:14 at the forefront of their mind as they carry out their Bible projects: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come".

Meeting the Demand for Bibles - Azerbaijan

Bibles in Azerbaijan can be very hard to come by. The Azerbaijan Bible Society has seen this need among the Christians of their country and are making an effort to provide Scripture where needed.

Many churches do not have enough Bibles for their own congregation, let alone to be given out for evangelistic purposes. Those who come to faith often are unable to obtain their own copy of God's Word. These churches contacted the Bible Society, asking them to help meet the need for more Bibles.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the printing of Azerbaijani New Testaments had to be postponed in March 2020 and they were only able to print these Scriptures in August. The distribution of Scripture in Azerbaijan has slowed down due to lockdown restrictions; however the Bible Society are giving out as many Bibles as they can while keeping staff and churches safe. One church requested a particularly large batch- 1,000 New Testaments! Over recent months they have found an increase in people looking for a Bible to read for themselves. This church is located close to the Bible Society offices, so they were able to safely deliver them to the congregation. The Bible Society are continuing to support local churches during this time in any way that they can and will continue to partner with them to provide God’s Word.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)

Pray for this Project:

Pray for the safety of staff and volunteers as they work to distribute as many Bibles and Scripture portions as they can.

Pray for those who are seeking God during this time. Pray that they would be able to access the Bible through the Bible Society, local churches or the internet.

Pray for the other distribution and engagement projects that the Azerbaijan Bible Society is running. Pray that they would be able to positively impact the people in their country with God’s Word.

Give

Every £5 donated to this project will help the Azerbaijan Bible Society to provide Scripture to those who are seeking it.

Make a donation online now.

This project is our Bible-a-Month project for November. 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.