International (MNN)–Damage estimates from 2005’s natural disasters are in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Add to that grinding poverty, war and the desolation that follows, and it sets a stage for more people around the world to respond to the Gospel.
In fact, that’s exactly what the Bible League says happened. The Bible League’s Mike Southworth says 2005’s events had people asking ‘what is life all about?’
He acknowleges that they are not a relief agency, but, “…as we work with others whose calling and ministry really is relief, and come alongside and provide a spiritual component, (and) as people’s physical and emotional needs are being met, if we can partner that with a spiritual ministry to meet spiritual needs, it does provide unique opportunities that may not exist in normal circumstances.”
But the numbers proved that to be true. More than 3.3 million Bible studies were completed during 2005, and millions of people received their own copies of God’s Word as a result.
Southworth says even in the early days of 2006, the evangelistic opportunities are greater than what they can meet.
He says that boils down to: “The potential of reaching people with God’s Word, of engaging them with the Bible, of learning about a relationship with Christ, of seeing how the Scriptures speak in a relevant way in my life today, and how they can get involved in a local church community so that there is the holistic approach to their relationship with Christ and his church.”
Worldwide, the number of new church members and new churches established between 2001 and 2005 by local Christians using Bible League’s materials increased by 78 percent. There were 468,338 new members in 2005, and 5,521 churches established.
“This ministry belongs to Jesus,” says Southworth, adding that, “…we are tools in His hands, to accomplish what He desires. And it is through these incredible people and their local churches that the ministry of the Bible League is extended to others living in some of the remotest parts of the earth.”
