Making God’s Word accessible …
For everyone everywhere.
Through the grace of God, we’re privileged to live in the era of making the Bible more accessible and freely available today in more formats than ever before. Thanks to the great work of many Bible agencies and organizations, virtually everyone everywhere can read, hear and see the Scriptures in multiple ways.
Remarkably, the obstacles impeding engagement with God’s Word have been practically eliminated through the development of creative Bible resources. Isaiah 29:18 has come true. Now the deaf can “hear” and the blind can “see” the Word.
Yes, there are still small groups of people who don’t have a printed Bible in their heart language, but translators are in the process of completing the task. And yes, there are people living in countries where it’s illegal to own or read the Bible, but agencies like Open Doors find ways to distribute God’s Word despite ideological or religious barriers.
Why it’s noteworthy.
So why is this noteworthy? It’s significant because it testifies to how Christians value everyone everywhere. If Christians didn’t share the Bible freely with all people, it would be culpable negligence. Christians do everything in their power to make the Bible accessible and available because it’s the only Word that connects people with the One who is the Word. That is, Christians connect people with the Bible because they want all people to know God and become part of His family.
Little wonder then that there are so many Christians involved in making God’s Word accessible. Everywhere you look, you’ll find Christians participating in Bible translation, Bible distribution, Bible literacy, Bible teaching, Bible study, or some form of Bible engagement.
Helpful links.
That’s not to say that more can’t be done. Even though more people are able to connect with Jesus and His Story than ever before, many more people need to connect with Jesus and His Story. To help make these connections, check out these links:
YouVersion (also known as Bible.com or the Bible App) is an online and mobile Bible platform published for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and many other operating systems; it also supports a variety of other platforms. https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/
The Bible Project specializes in visual storytelling and illustrated videos. https://thebibleproject.com/explore/
Biblica provides programs and tools in print, digital, and audio formats that help people go deeper in God’s Word. https://www.biblica.com/resources/
Forum of Bible Agencies International promotes collaboration and cooperation amongst Bible Agencies with a shared vision of working together to maximize the access and impact of God’s word. https://forum-intl.org/
BibleStudyTools.com is the largest free online Bible website for verse search and in-depth studies. https://www.biblestudytools.com/
Lifewords helps people share the Bible’s life words and discover the good news that changes the world. https://www.lifewords.global/
BibleGateway.com allows easy reading, listening, studying, searching, and sharing of the Bible in many different versions and translations, including English, French, Spanish, and other languages. https://www.biblegateway.com/
Wycliffe focuses on Bible translation around the world. http://www.wycliffe.net/en/
Bible.is (Faith Comes by Hearing) provides free access to God’s Word through Audio Bibles in every translated language. http://www.bible.is/
Bible Society provides free Bible apps and Bible study resources. https://www.unitedbiblesocieties.org/
Scripture Union specializes in Bible reading guides for all ages that help people read, reflect, remember and respond to God’s Word. http://scriptureunion.ca/Bible
Bible League provides Scriptures and training worldwide so people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into a relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. https://bibleleague.ca/
Bible more.
How we’re making God’s Word accessible reminds us how far we’ve come in connecting everyone, everywhere, to the Bible. But there’s still much more to be done. By supporting initiatives like Bible translation, distribution, and digital resources, we continue the mission of sharing God’s Word with the world.
Could you please add additional links to the list above? Comment and share (below) about making God’s Word accessible.
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Summary
We live in an era where the Bible is more accessible than ever, available in various formats for people everywhere. Bible agencies have significantly reduced barriers like language and accessibility, allowing even the deaf and blind to engage with Scripture. While some regions still face challenges, translation and distribution efforts continue, ensuring God’s Word reaches every corner of the globe. Christians worldwide commit to making the Bible available to all, as it’s one of the ways people connect with God and join His family.
© Scripture Union Canada
