Free Bible Ministry Report to FBM Board May 2013
Review

The Free Bible Ministry progressed well throughout 2012 with increased numbers using the websites and downloads of the Sabbath school materials rapidly approaching maximum usage on our current server. We will need to look at expanding this in 2013 if numbers continue to increase. This is a great challenge to have since it means many more are using the materials produced for their own study and for teaching Sabbath school classes.
The first printed edition of the FBV was a wonderful milestone and the culmination of more than six years of intensive work. While some corrections remained to be fixed, it was great to see this brand-new translation finally in print. Now we have fixed the glitches we are aware of, version 1.1 was printed in Bangalore, India in March. With 5000 copies produced, these are being distributed throughout India with an emphasis on pastors and schools. A few have been retained for use back home, and the quality is excellent. The local churches opened up their doors to hear presentations on this new version—I was able to preach several times at the Bangalore Central English Church and the High Street Church, as well as visit the Division offices in Hosur, and had a long talk with the Division president.

  

We have also begun a wider experimentation with online Sabbath school discussions via Skype that have allowed us to involve many more people who have come to appreciate a better understanding of God and his character. We now have participants across the US, in Central and South America, and in Africa. We pray that God will continue to guide and direct as we share the good news of who he truly is!

News

 
We were recently invited to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to present a series of weekend meetings in the prestigious Barra da Tijuca church in the south of the city. This resulted in a great exposure to many more of a positive picture of God, as well as allowing us to do a direct recording of Sabbath School on the Move with the local young people.
  

The most recent trip was to Buea, Cameroon in March 2013, to meet with Bill and Trixy, long-time listeners, to preach and teach in the local church, and to examine the possibility of having the FBV printed there. While the printing project did not work out (they wanted almost the same per copy as here in the US) we are still exploring other options. Joined by fellow board member Floyd Murdoch, we were able to meet many people and even to record locally a session of Sabbath School on the Move. Apart from the many meetings at church, the service held in the local prison was surely the most impactful. How do you respond when an inmate asks for prayer for his crime of murdering his sister?

A follow-up trip to India to do more work with the contacts in Bangalore and to bring more Bibles back home has been completed.

Future projects

We would like to continue to expand the international aspects of the ministry, believing it is our responsibility to share this glorious good news of God as widely as we possibly can. To this end we would wish to do some more printing of the FBV in different low-cost locations, and also to develop some other materials. It has been suggested that we examine the possibility of producing the FBV in other languages, and we have made a start with some of the NT being translated into Spanish. Other longer-range projects such as the Old Testament translation f the FBV and a concordance will have to wait on time and resources.

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