2023 Winter Sower

Sower.

Iwonder, when was the last time you were encouraged by opening the Bible with another person? Perhaps it was at church last Sunday, or in a small group mid-week. Or with a loved one over a morning coffee, or before going to bed last night. Whenever it was, or whoever it was with, there is such power to be found in opening the Bible together, isn’t there?

That’s what this edition of Sower is all about: the unity we experience when we read God’s word together. Unity, healing and a sense of God working across generations. At Bible Society Australia, we are passionate about opening the Bible with all people, everywhere, through all means possible. In this season, we are taking a close look at how we are opening the Bible in Australia.

You’ll read in these pages the powerful story of Kanytjupai, and her enduring friendship with Ann Eckert. Their friendship grew and developed as they opened the Bible together, translating God’s word into Kanytjupai’s heart language, Pitjantjatjara. What an enduring legacy their work has!

I trust that you will also be encouraged by the stories of healing experienced through the work of language revitalisation. As God’s word is translated into dormant languages, people's hearts and souls are being restored. Memorably, translator Roslyn remarked, “God gave us our languages. It connects us and our identity. Without him we would not have language. As he restores our language, he restores our soul.” Our Bible translation consultant Amy Cruickshanks offers us a window into this wonderful, healing work which is happening as we open the Bible together.

As we Open The Bible across Australia, we are partnering with some amazing groups. Mick George, a chaplain working in the ACT, shares encouraging stories from his work both with the Australian Defence Force cadets, and more recently, in a detention centre. With the support of BSA’s Scripture Grants program, Mick is able to come alongside those who are at pivotal moments in their lives, and open the Bible with them. What an opportunity; what a privilege!

As you read through Sower, you’ll find an update on the work of Bible translation. In 2022, Bible Societies around the world completed Scripture translations in 81 languages used by 723 million people. How encouraging is that! Yet the work is ongoing, and spans to the next generation. Your ongoing support is vital!

In our Daily Bible article, Jason Griffiths from SIL International reflects on Revelation 7:9 (NIV) '... I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...' Jason notes that God values cultural and language diversity enough to specifically mention that every one of them will be represented before his throne. And so should we! There is unity to be found in opening the Bible together in our country, across different languages and cultures.

I hope you are encouraged by this edition of Sower, and that you will continue to enjoy the blessings of unity, healing, and shared purpose as you Open The Bible together.

GOD BLESS, Grant Thomson CEO, BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA

In 2022, Bible Societies around the world completed Scripture translations in 81 languages used

Open The Bible

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

Acts 17:26 (NIV)

story An Enduring Friendship, a Shared Calling and a Lasting Legacy

In 1990, on the APY lands in South Australia, two women were introduced by the church in Ernabella. This introduction — and the openness of both women to the call of God on their lives — led to a deep and enduring friendship, and a lasting legacy, to the glory of God.

An enduring friendship

Ann Eckert and Kanytjupai Armstrong’s friendship began and grew as they met to open the Bible together. Their goal was translation; to record the words of God in the Pitjantjatjara language. “I was still fairly new there,” recalls Ann. “We had three daughters, so I had just tried to learn the language. I hadn’t been too active.” Ann was newly available each morning, with her youngest child in preschool. "I was a beginner, because I wasn’t super fluent in the language, and I didn’t know Kanytjupai,” Ann explains. “Over time I realised what a humble, teachable, patient, and keen person God had provided.”

Ann and Kanytjupai’s friendship grew as they worked on translating the Bible together. “At first, we were shy of each other,” Ann recalls. “I remember when we first started working together, we’d work to morning tea, and she’d go outside, and I’d sit there and wonder if she was going to come back. She always came back, and gradually we learnt to trust each other.” Kanytjupai invited her school friend Margaret to join them in the task of translation, “Margaret was a wonderful committed Christian,” Ann explains, “and was more bilingual and a good addition to the team.”

Ann and Kanytjupai’s friendship, and partnership in Bible translation, spanned years. They walked through life together, and Ann was at her side in Palliative Care before she passed away. “I remember calling her ‘my hero’,” Ann says, recalling Kanytjupai’s memorial service in 2018. “She never let the sorrows of this world make her bitter, but retained uncomplaining joy in the

midst of many losses.” Ann recalls their work together as challenging, and their capacity was often stretched. But together, they had “good fun with many laughs and deep joy.”

A Shared Calling

From the moment the church at Ernabella chose Kanytjupai to join the task of Bible translation, Kanytjupai found her life’s purpose. “From that moment, she threw herself into that purpose,” Ann recalls. “She never, till her dying day, got distracted from that task. It was God’s purpose for her.”

Kanytjupai’s early life was marked with loss, and that she survived infancy was close to miraculous. “Kanytjupai wondered ever since she was a kid, ‘Why was I kept alive?’” Ann shares. Both her parents died when she was a baby, and her father’s other wife was physically impaired and feeding her own daughter as well as trying to help

Kanytjupai. “So technically Kanytjupai shouldn’t have lived; the possibility of her thriving was limited. Missionaries fed her on goats' milk, and she often wondered, ‘Why in God’s providence did I stay alive?’”

Ann believes that she and Kanytjupai were both called to the task of Bible translation. Born in the United States, working for a church in Florida, Ann recalls as a young woman praying, “Could I do something more significant in my life?” Bible translation was Ann’s ‘more significant’ task. “I felt a deep sense of call and came to Australia when I was 26.”

“We both felt called — it was not just a job, and there was no turning back for us.”

A Lasting Legacy

As a team, Ann, Kanytjupai and Margaret set to work on translating the Bible into Pitjantjatjara in the 1990s. “Kanytjupai’s strong ability and passion was insisting on naturalness in the Pitjantjatjara translation without letting the form of English influence our work,” explains Ann. “I worked by pre-studying the text, with commentaries so I could help untangle and clarify meaning.” Kanytjupai’s very strong embrace of natural language complemented Ann’s background in biblical languages and education. Kanytjupai went on to be one of the

first to get her Certificate IV in Translating and grew proficient on-the-job. Ann remembers, “Kanytjupai wanted to be true to the text even if it meant a potential clash with something of traditional culture. She said, ‘I don’t want God to accuse me of tampering with his word.’ Even if it meant misunderstanding or persecution, she remained resolute, and faithful.”

As well as her work in Bible translation, Kanytjupai opened the Bible with many people, quietly working behind the scenes discipling others in the word of God. On more than one occasion, when Ann and her husband Paul asked Christian people from other communities where they had been discipled, they would reply: ‘by Kanytjupai at her homeland.’

“ They sought her out,” says Ann. “She must have had a reputation for faithfulness. She was a good reader, and she was beginning to relate different passages of the Bible together. She opened the Scriptures to them in a way which was meaningful to them.”

Kanytjupai was also an artist and painted several biblically inspired paintings, one of which appeared in Our Mob, God’s Story, a book of Aboriginal Christian artwork. Bible Society’s Louise Sherman complied the artbook, and recalls, “I was eager to have some artwork by Kanytjupai included, because she was such

a strong woman of faith. Her love for him compelled her to work on translation so that her community and family would know him and his love the way she did. She contributed a painting based on the parable of the mustard seed.” Louise visited Kanytjupai in hospital in Alice Springs after the book came out and had her sign it. She says, “I smile whenever I see her name written, thinking of how much she loved Jesus and the Bible and wanted every one of her people to know him.”

When the Pitjantjatjara Shorter Bible was published (The New Testament and 15% of the Old Testament) in 2002, Kanytjupai rejoiced, along with many others. “Kanytjupai’s gift was that she wanted the text to be so readable and natural,” says Ann. “In fact, once we published in 2002, we’d find her with her pencil, still wanting to edit, ‘just little bits’! She was a highly tuned editor, in her personal gifting.”

Then, when the team decided to push on with Old Testament translation in 2010, “she got busy again,” says Ann. “Even when a stroke robbed her ability of writing easily, she enlisted ‘scribes’ to continue, even a faithful friend who was with her in ICU once was asked to get to work alongside her!” Kanytjupai first-drafted more of the Old Testament than anyone else to date: Deuteronomy, half of 1 Samuel, Daniel, Proverbs, many Psalms and was more than halfway through the Song of Songs when she passed away in 2018.

Kanytjupai was also able to participate in the Pitjantjatjara New Testament multi-voice recording project in Alice Springs in early 2018. “She was an excellent reader, but she was slowing down,” recalls Ann. “We were so pleased she was able to record three chapters of Romans. She was also at the time translating Song of Songs, so she was doing a written translation, helping with the audio, and she was ill. She had diabetes, she was on dialysis, she had both legs amputated and was in a wheelchair. She was tenacious.” Kanytjupai wanted to have the audio recording done and could see the opportunity presented by the audio

version, including the chance younger children would have to hear it, and the ability to have the Bible on peoples’ phones. “She realised some people couldn’t read; some people wouldn’t read,” says Ann.

“ The day before she passed away, she wasn’t ready to give up as the translation was not finished,” Ann recalls. She kept singing the chorus “He’ll Never Let Go of Me” in Pitjantjatjara. The next day she passed into his presence.”

Kanytjupai lived a life committed to God, leaving a lasting legacy in the lives she touched and the Scriptures she translated. Her greatest desire was to have God’s word translated into her heart language, Pitjantjatjara, so that more people could know God’s love.

Language Restoration When opening the Bible together brings healing

When I was a child,” Amy Cruickshanks recalls, “I realised that when I learnt even a little bit of a language, and spoke it to a first language speaker, there was a different connection that was made. Faces lit up when they saw the effort being made. I realised quite young that, ‘Oh, this is important.’ Speaking someone's language with them means you value them in a special way. I somehow equated that ‘speaking someone’s language with them’ was more than just ‘we understand each other’ — there was something more there.”

Amy’s love of language endures, and as a Bible Society Translation Consultant, she is using her love and passion for language to Open The Bible with Indigenous Bible translators, with an eternal impact. Amy has a particular interest in language revitalisation work, an interest that began during her years as an undergraduate student of linguistics. One thing about the work that stands out to her is the healing that comes to people through the process of revitalising languages. "When a person’s language has been taken away from them, there’s this shame that can become associated with language — when the language is forbidden, when you’re beaten for speaking your language, when you’re told that you’re worthless for speaking your language, there’s a shame — which is completely horrific.”

“Language is tied with identity and culture, so feeling shame about one's language can progress to ‘Our people are worthless and awful and of no value’.” Thankfully, Amy says, more and more people are starting to realise that that is not the case. “Today more people understand that despite what they have been told historically, there is nothing wrong with their languages, that they are beautiful languages, worthy of restoring and having. That their languages are gifts which

were given to them so that they could express themselves in a unique and special way.”

Amy is part of a team working on translating the Scriptures into the Noongar language, a task which began in 1999 when a group of Noongar people approached Rev Dr John Harris from Bible Society Australia to ask for his assistance in translating the Bible into Noongar. At that point, the language was considered ‘at risk’, due to decades of government policy which forbade the use of the Noongar language. Parents were forbidden to speak Noongar to their children, so a generation of Noongar children grew up unable to understand their traditional language. After 15 years of dedicated work by the Noongar volunteers, assisted by Rev Dr Harris, the Gospel of Luke was completed in Noongar in 2014, followed by the Book of Ruth in 2020.

Reviving their damaged language continues to be an emotional but healing journey for the Noongar people, who live in southwest Western Australia. Perth-based Aboriginal elder Keith Truscott, who is now working on translating the book of Matthew into Noongar, observed, “Bible translation has been helpful in restoring our people’s esteem because we were told we weren’t a language, we weren’t a people.”

“We’re really seeing a change in the way people view their culture, and the people, and themselves,” says Amy. “People are realising, ‘This is not a shameful thing, it is a beautiful thing.’” Amy is working with Noongar translators continuing the work of language revitalisation; they have completed a Christmas story book, ‘Jesus is born’ which was launched last year. Amy is working with, among others, Bunbury-based translators, Charmaine Councillor and Roslyn Khan. In one of their conversations, Roslyn made the comment, “God gave us our language.

It connects us and our identity. Without him we would not have language. As he restores our language, he restores our soul.” Charmaine added, “It actually is healing. For that person that wants to revive their language and do Bible translation, you can never overestimate how much joy and healing it can bring to you as an individual people, in the nation and healing on country.”

Amy reiterates this, saying, “There’s a healing that comes when you truly understand that your language is and always was beautiful and of value, and then you go on to learn it and speak it with confidence.” She goes on, asking rhetorically, “Why would you not want to help someone on that journey? For me, being able to work alongside people as they reclaim their languages, word by word, sentence by sentence, and seeing up close the impact that translating, reading and hearing the word of God in their very own, hard fought-for, precious languages has — being involved in that is an honour. Words can't quite describe how it feels to see people get a greater revelation of ‘God loves me!’ through the whole process.”

There is a growing impetus in the task of revitalising languages with Bible translation, which began with the work in Noongar back in the 1990s. Work has begun with the Gubbi Gubbi language (a language of south-east Queensland). “Now we are gaining a better awareness of the growing desire for Bible translation work in languages which are undergoing or needing revitalisation,” says Amy, “and there is an increasing awareness of the importance of this work. It really comes down to loving one another, at the end of the day.” Amy returns to the truth of unity among the body of Christ, and the importance of working together in Opening The Bible. “We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all Australian. This [loss of language] is causing pain to some of the ‘body’; so now is the time to help!”

There are new opportunities arising right now for language revitalisation through Scripture translation. Will you join with Bible Society in this work alongside our Indigenous Christian brothers and sisters?

Every $40 could support the publication of more Bible portions in Australian Indigenous

Every $70 could help train local Bible translators through a Certificate of Bible Translation at Nungalinya Theological College in Darwin.

Every $120 could help produce audio Scriptures in Australian Indigenous languages. This would be invaluable for people with low vision or limited literacy skills.

You can make a lasting impact for our Indigenous brothers and sisters!

Opening the Bible together amidst life’s challenges

There are moments in life which have the potential to be transformative, and seasons which offer an opportunity to change the direction one may be travelling. In these moments, in these seasons, opening the Bible together can be a precious gift.

Mick George is a chaplain working in the ACT. His passion is to come alongside people in a season of change and transformation, and to facilitate a journey of self-discovery. Mick finds that his work is supported and strengthened by the free Bibles and Christian resources offered through Bible Society Australia’s Scripture Grants program.

When he was working as a chaplain at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Mick spent a lot of time with trainee officer cadets, who were entering into a season of growth and independence. “These young adults have often just left home. They are wrestling with big life decisions, and facing big issues for the first time, entering into moral and ethical decision making and faced with figuring out their purpose in life.” Mick’s role was to come alongside them, and encourage them to go on a journey of selfdiscovery. “To be able to give them high quality material from the best Christian minds in the world was so helpful,” said Mick, referring to the Christian apologetic books supplied through BSA’s Scripture Grant, as well as specialised

Defence Force Scriptures. “They could read the books, come back and discuss further the ideas they’d encountered.”

Mick now works as a prison chaplain, with people who find themselves at a low — and challenging — point in their lives. “Every detainee is reflecting on where they’re at and are thinking, ‘Where is my life going?’” says Mick. “They’ve experienced significant pain and suffering, as well as frustration and anger at the world, and have struck out.” Mick sees their time in prison as an opportunity, a chance to establish a mature understanding of ethical and moral decision making. “If their own moral structures come into line with the moral structures of our society, then detainees are a heck of a lot less likely to reoffend.”

In the Bible Studies for detainees which Mick has been running, BSA’s Scripture Grant has again supported transformative journeys. “Detainees are after Bibles because they want to get into God's word. A lot of them are from low academic backgrounds, and many have poorer literacy skills. But they’re so keen to know, ‘How does the Bible fit together? How does it all work?’” Through the Scripture Grant, Mick received Bibles in various translations, including easyEnglish to give away, as well as gospel resources to give to those interested.

Mick was speaking to the head of the Education Program recently about a detainee who has finished a degree with honours while in prison and is soon to enter a transition program. “The head of the Education Program mentioned that the biggest change she has seen in this man was when he came to faith, and the huge changes that made in his life direction.” Similarly, Mick recounts that the Custodial Officers in the mental health wing have reported back to him a change in those detainees attending a Bible study. “The attitude of the Custodial Officers towards the Bible studies I’ve started has changed from,

‘Why are you bothering?’ to a recognition that a Bible study is worthwhile.” According to Mick, this adds to their already welcoming attitude to chaplains: “There’s no such thing as a bad chaplain. They’re always grateful to call a chaplain, who will take time to listen to detainees, and help them.”

Pray With Us

Please join with us in praying for all the many opportunities we have to Open The Bible together around Australia. In this edition of Sower, you’ll read Kanytjupai’s story. In an interview before she passed away, Kanytjupai prayed for Bible Society staff and supporters:

“Almighty Lord, you are watching over your servants, and I praise you that you have brought our spirits together as one. Bless us, that through listening to your word we may be filled with joy and confidently obey you. Thank you, Lord Jesus. These things I ask in your name. Amen.” Let us pray together for BSA’s work.

Indigenous Bible Engagement

• Pray for BSA’s Bible Engagement work in Indigenous and remote communities and thank God for all the Bible resources which are being developed and published to help people engage with the Bible.

• Pray that these resources will breathe new life into Indigenous communities across Australia.

Bible Translation

• Thank God for the work of Bible translation happening around our country; for the way it is drawing together communities, Bible agencies, and individuals as they labour at a common task.

• Please pray that this work would be well supported, so that as opportunities arise, Bible Society can support people in their efforts to translate God’s word into their heart languages.

Publishing Scripture

• Please pray for all the work which goes into publishing translated Scriptures and other resources for remote and Indigenous communities, so they may have God’s words accessible in whatever format suits them best.

• Pray for the logistics of the publishing work and thank God for the joy and blessing received when people hold a copy of God’s word in their language for the very first time.

Scripture for ADF Chaplains

• Pray for continued opportunities to Open The Bible with Australians in the Defence Force.

• Pray that these ADF members would receive God’s word with open hearts.

• Pray that chaplains are encouraged and strengthened in their work.

Disaster Recovery Grant

• Thank God for opportunities to Open The Bible to Australians in crisis situations, such as floods, COVID and other natural disasters.

• Pray that God would raise up emergency workers with the desire and ability to share God’s word with those facing immense troubles.

Training Indigenous Bible Translators

• Thank God for BSA’s partnership with Nungalinya College, and the training available there for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters who want to serve as Bible Translators.

• Pray that God will bless this work, and for principal Ben Van Gelderen and other staff who work there.

AUSLAN Bible Translation

• Pray for momentum as the committee want to relaunch translation work after a pause.

• Pray for wisdom as the team chart the way forward.

• Praise God for the spiritual growth and sharing made possible by the Auslan Scriptures.

Equipping Chaplains

• Pray for lives to be changed as chaplains are equipped with Bibles in many translations to open with those they serve.

• Pray that many would come to Jesus, especially those in prisons, detention centres and others enduring great suffering.

DOWNLOAD OUR MONTHLY PRAYER GUIDE:

BIBLESOCIETY.ORG.AU/PRAY

Open The Bible

You can take part in helping translate the Bible into Australian Indigenous languages by empowering Indigenous Bible translation projects. This important work will help our Indigenous brothers and sisters revitalise their heart languages.

Will you join us in OPENING THE BIBLE TOGETHER?

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today at biblesociety.org.au/sow

In 2022, the third consecutive year marked by the COVID-19 global disruption, Bible Societies around the world completed Scripture translations in 81 languages used by 723 million people.¹

Translations Completed by Bible Societies in 2022¹

From Brazil to Bangladesh, 57 language groups — a total of 100 million people — received first Scripture translations. New or revised translations were completed in another 25 languages used by over 623 million people.² These provide Scripture access to language communities whose needs are no longer met by previous translations.

“The unique and powerful story of UBS has Bible translation at its heart. Our translation teams are at the forefront of

our mission as they strive to unlock the transforming power of God’s word for their communities. It is a laborious task which requires sustained commitment and dedication — truly a ‘labour of love.’ May Paul’s words to the Corinthians encourage each one of our translation colleagues to ‘remain firm and steadfast,’” comments Dirk Gevers, UBS Secretary General.

To read more, visit biblesociety.org.au/blog

Bible Translation Landscape - January 1, 2023

The Impact of Jesus. All About Life.

Jesus' words of 'life in all its fullness' bear fruit around the world this Easter.

This Easter, the Jesus. All About Life (JAAL) campaign reached further than ever before, as Jesus’ message of ‘life in all its fullness’ was shared in five countries: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Kenya and Rwanda, where the latter two countries were coordinated by African Enterprise (AE).

• In Australia, almost 900 Churches signed up for JAAL and over 54,500 printed resources were distributed.

• In the South Pacific: 8,871 Easter resources were distributed to 24 villages, orphanages, churches and guests at the JAAL production, attended by approximately 3,500.

• In Rwanda, 108,416 people were reached with the gospel message.

• In Rwanda 5,780 people gave their lives to Christ.

• In Rwanda, over 2 million people were reached with the gospel through radio.

• In Rwanda, the campaign reached people through open-air outreach events, Easter services, street evangelism, radio programs, sports evangelism, an Easter drama and university and school outreaches.

“JAAL is still running and active in Rwanda! There is yet a lot to be done,” says an AE staff member, “but we believe that the seed has been planted and will continue to grow. With various groups trained in discipleship, they will continue to follow up on the new Christians so that they can grow in their faith. AE will continue to encourage all partner Churches and institutions to keep working together.”

Learn more about the impact of the JAAL campaign around the world at biblesociety.org.au/blog

One year of war

Bible Society worker, Rostyslav shares about life in Ukraine 12 months into the occupation.

• More than 8.9 thousand civilians have lost their lives in Ukraine during the conflict.

• 8.2 million Ukrainians have sought refuge across Europe, with a further estimated 8 million displaced within the country.

A year after the war began, Ukraine is still in the valley of darkness.

Thousands of civilians have been killed. Towns lie in ruins. Citizens have experienced terrible violence and are inhumanely denied access to food, water and medical treatment.

Nowhere is safe. Rockets have hit even the most remote regions of the country.

But even in the darkest times, there is hope. Bible Society workers are at work delivering Bibles and urgent supplies to Ukrainians amidst the horrors of war.

“Witnessing how fragile life is causes you to turn your thoughts to God, to eternity, to spiritual things,” says Rostyslav of Bible Society Ukraine. “There’s no other way than to just stay connected to the source of humanness and guidance: The Bible.”

Help bring the comfort and encouragement of God’s word to Ukraine through the distribution of 150,500 Bibles.

To find out more, visit biblesociety.org.au/blog

WHO’S AFRAID OF CRITICAL THEORY?

Podcast aired 23 February 2023

Does the term “critical theory” or “cultural theory” make you nervous – or make your eyes glaze over? Christopher Watkin, a lecturer at Monash University and author of the book, Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture, argues that theory isn’t just for academics, and it’s not just a political hot potato either. He says it’s about reading the world and everything in it – which makes it an everyone thing.

Chris Watkin/A critical theory shapes the way you live in the world and what you see in the world. I talk about it in terms of three categories. So all different sorts of critical theories that disagree with each other will all be doing three

possible to hold a particular position or to think in a particular way. And so an example from critical theory would be Marx and revolution. You might look out at society and think the idea that there could be a society-wide revolution in which the working class rise up is just ridiculous, that will never happen. And then you read a bunch of Marx and you begin to see – if you agree with his analysis – oh, I can understand how that might come about. That becomes viable for you – a piece of your mental furniture, if you like; something that you think is possible.

Christopher Watkin Monash University

Critical theories also make certain things visible. So for a long time in the Western tradition, the ways in which women were oppressed and mistreated in society sort of went below the radar. People weren’t noticing it and choosing to ignore it all the time; at least in part, it was because people simply weren't sensitive to it. It just passed unnoticed. And then the different feminist movements of the 20th century brought it from the background into the foreground and said, you have to notice this, you have to be sensitive to these injustices and inequities in society. And that was a making visible of something that was there all along, it’s just that most people just didn’t notice it.

And thirdly, critical theories also make certain things valuable. If you read someone like Foucault or Marx, they’re teaching you, they’re catechising you what to value, what to commend, what to desire in society – and they’re also teaching you what to condemn as well.

And significantly, I think, among everything that the Bible is doing, the Bible is also working in terms of those three categories. The Bible is making certain things in the world viable, and visible, and valuable for us.

Making things like trusting God's promises viable; that’s just a stupid notion for most people who haven’t read the Bible, haven’t been brought up in a Christian context today. It’s not that they choose not to obey God’s promises – it’s that there’s no categories in which that would even be a remotely possible thing to do. And yet you read the Bible and you get to know the God

who reveals himself in the Bible, and you begin to see that I can see what trusting this God’s promises might look like in the life of someone like me. That’s making viable.

Making visible – you may have looked at many sunsets in your life, but it may never have struck you that the heavens declare the glory of God. And so you read that psalm, and now something that was there all along has become visible to you in the world. You look at the sunset and you think, God is glorious, God is wonderful, and I can see that in this beautiful thing in the heavens.

And the Bible also makes certain things valuable. I remember, before I was a Christian, if you’d have come up to me and you’d have said, you know, you really ought to desire serving other people as one of your life goals, the selfish little teenager that I was would have just laughed at you and said, that’s a ridiculous thing to want to do. And yet you read the Christ of the New Testament who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, and you see how often he upbraids his disciples for wanting to be the greatest and says, no, you should want to serve each other – and gradually, as the Bible gets to work on you, you see service as something that’s desirable, something that should be sought after in the world in a way you wouldn’t have before.

And it’s in this sense then that I think the Bible functions – among everything else that the Bible is doing.

Life & Faith is a weekly podcast made and hosted by the Centre for Public Christianity, a media group seeking to present the truth, beauty, and goodness of the Christian message to a secular audience.

Faith Stories

Coral’s story is part of Eternity’s Faith Stories series, compiled by Naomi Reed.

CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW GOD LOVES THEM'

“I was born and raised in Broken Hill. I went to church there and all that. But it became real for me in 1949, when I was 15. Back then Broken Hill used to have a Christian mission once a year – an open-air meeting on the street near the shops. An evangelist came from Sydney and gave a Gospel message. He preached the cross of Jesus. I was really moved by it. I just realised Jesus did it for me, he died for me.

I was quite shy before that. But after I prayed the prayer of commitment to Jesus I slowly came out of my shell. After school I decided to go to teachers' college in Bathurst and after that I thought I would be a missionary in Africa.

'THE

In my first years of teaching in Bathurst, I met my future husband at the social club at church. Ross was a farmer. I told him I was planning to be a missionary in Africa and he said, “I feel God has given me this farm.”

The farm was 730 acres, south of Bathurst. It had 500 sheep and they were producing fine wool, as well as vegetables that sold at the markets.

I had to sort that out. Over the next three months, I prayed to God about it. During that time I saw a gospel film about a boy whose parents wanted him to be a minister, but he felt God wanted him to fix cars, so he was a missionary at the local garage.

I wrote to Ross (there were no phones in those days) and I said, “I think I’ve got my answer.” He came to see me in Broken Hill and we got engaged. My parents loved him. My dad came into my bedroom early the next morning and said, “He’s a man in a million – marry him.”

We got engaged in 1957. Ross started making bricks straight away. He wanted to build me a new house on the farm. After we got married, we were both involved in the church. I didn’t do any paid teaching, but we had four children and I was very involved in the local school. Then, when our youngest was in high school, I offered to take on Scripture at two schools.

I’ve been teaching Scripture at Perthville Public School for 45 years now. I really enjoy it. I like telling stories, and I like the singing. It’s rewarding when I meet some boy down the street, and he says, “You used to be my Scripture teacher.”

I thought I might retire at 60, but I still enjoyed it, so I kept going. I’m 89 now. People don’t take their children to church anymore, and they don’t know who God is. They need to know that

God loves them and he’s still in control of the world, and that they can trust him.

It’s not always easy, of course. Ross got dementia in 2014. We celebrated his 90th birthday and then he died peacefully at home in 2017. Then, two years ago, I was diagnosed with macular degeneration, which got worse. I couldn’t see well enough to drive, so a friend helped me and drove me to Scripture classes. I kept teaching and the children prayed for me. I was able to have injections and my eyes slowly got better. One of the little boys said, “Jesus can still heal today!”

Now I can see again and drive again. I’m still living in the house Ross built for me on the farm. I’m still teaching Scripture! One of my favourite verses is from Isaiah 40:31. I hold on to it whenever I get tired. “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles…”

It’s true! I didn’t get a chance to go to Africa, but I know God has a plan for our lives. It might be different to what we think, but it’s always good … I’d like to keep teaching Scripture for as long as I can…”

Opening The Bible Together

Let’s Open The Bible Together with Jason Griffiths (SIL International) and Bea Wickham (Scripture Union), and see how God’s word brings unity across communities and generations in serving God.

Day 1

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. (Acts 17:26 NIV)

Jason: Here, the Apostle Paul is introducing the true creator God to a group of thought leaders in Athens, and he describes how this is the God who created all people and all nations. There is unity across all nations and all communities through the common creator.

Even as I meet other believers for the first time, we have an immediate connection, as those united in Christ. In fact, for everyone I meet –Christian or not – we have a commonality, as we are all part of God’s creation of all peoples and nations.

Heavenly Father, we worship you as creator God, the one who holds all peoples in his hands. We recognise that we, along with all other people, are your creation. Help me to see others around me today, and open opportunities to act kindly and to have conversations that demonstrate my love for you. Amen.

Day 2

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Acts 2:44 (NIV)

Jason: This passage describes the continuing birth of the early church. As they heard of the saving message about Jesus, they responded in faith and were drawn together in unity to spend time with one another and share what they had.

The believers felt a strong sense of unity, of the value of spending their time and their financial resources on one another. I have been the receiver of both. People have lavishly spent time with me, to mentor me and speak into my life. Others have seen financial needs that I have had and were willing to give to meet my needs. Both of these are special.

Lord, allow me to see the value of others as the early church did. Help me to express this through giving my time and my resources to bless others. Amen.

Day 3

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages,

standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9 NIV)

Jason: This is one of the parts of Scripture that speak strongly of the value of cultural and language diversity to God. Why else would it specifically mention that those gathered are from every nation, tribe, people, and language?

If God values cultural and language diversity enough to specifically mention that every one of them will be represented before his throne, how much should we also value the different cultures and languages that people identify with?

Lord, help me to appreciate linguistic and cultural diversity as much as you do. Show me how I can appreciate and celebrate those from different backgrounds. Amen.

Day 4

‘What was the message He gave you?’ Eli asked. ‘Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything that he told you.’ (1 Samuel 3:17 NIV)

Bea: In my early 20s, I worked in a Christian Summer Camp in the USA. There was a little girl who had never been away from home who cried all day and all night. I tried so many tactics to calm her down, and eventually decided that if I taught her how to pray, it might occupy her long enough for me to get some sleep. Selfish, I know. It worked; she fell asleep, and I rejoiced. What I didn’t realise, is that God had also been calling her; he had an appointment with her, and he was waiting for me to lead her to him. This camp was the first time she’d ever heard any stories about Jesus. She gave her life to Jesus at the end of camp.

God also used Eli to help Samuel understand God’s calling. God chose both of them in that moment, and he wants to use all of us to teach the generations below us to hear God’s voice.

Lord Jesus, open my eyes to little ones around me who you are calling to your purpose. Please use me like you used Eli, help me to recognise when you are working in a child’s life so I can nurture their faith and raise them to love you.

Day 5

We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. (Psalm 78:4 NIV)

Bea: I’ve often caught myself underestimating how much children really take in when hearing Bible stories. Jacob’s [name changed for privacy] story is one of these. After many Scripture Union camps where Jacob had nearly been sent home for his bad behaviour, it finally happened. He cried, bitterly. He was given a Bible with a personal note on the inside cover, encouraging him to turn to God in his times of need. When his dad collected him, he found Jacob reading his Bible, and said he’d read it for the entire 2-hour journey home. Nobody expected this; he had never shown interest in discussions or any biblical topics, but he was listening and taking in more than we could have known.

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word and that it is alive and active in our lives. I pray for the children in my life, in my community, that they will be given opportunities to hear your word; please use me in that task.

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