Tasting and Sharing God’s Truth Across the Lands
This article was originally posted in our December 2017 Word@Work.
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”— Psalm 34:8 (ESV)
Psalm 34:8 is a verse that captures the call of the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. However, it also reveals the motivation behind that call—to personally experience the goodness and blessedness of knowing God. This is the motivation and goal that drives churches and Christian organisations in their outreach and discipleship efforts.
To help in these labours, the Bible Society organises overseas tours and mission trips of various kinds. These endeavours serve a twofold purpose: they provide an educational platform for God’s people to grow in their own faith and be better informed about the work He is doing in other countries, and they also provide a missional platform for God’s people to support these works in diverse ways.
Tasting God's Truth
The story of God’s redemption took place in real world history, involving real places, cultures and peoples. A good knowledge of these aspects, enriched by “live” interaction with them, enables Christians to understand and appreciate the Bible’s message and its various parts better.
To help equip believers with such knowledge, the Bible Society organises Bible Land Tours (BLTs) to places like Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Greece. Led by experienced Spiritual Directors, you will not only be introduced to places mentioned in the Bible, but also trace the journeys of key Biblical figures such as the Lord Jesus Himself and the apostle Paul. You will experience the Bible come alive in unique ways, which will in turn enhance your learning and teaching of God’s Word.
You will also have opportunities to interact with local people, Christian communities and missionaries, and visit places where Bible Mission projects have taken place. These enable you to have a better understanding of the Gospel needs and works in these lands, and inspire you to join these missionaries and support their labours. In fact, many participants in previous Bible Land Tours have become supporters of Bible Mission works in these countries, contributing to the building of God’s Kingdom beyond their borders, in their own ways.
Sharing God's Truth
The Bible Society also partners with Bible Societies in regions such as Southeast Asia, South Asia and East Asia, and organises Bible Mission Trips (BMTs) to these areas. As inter-confessional organisations, the Bible Societies are committed to serve Christians of all denominations, along with communities of various ethnicities and demographics in their societies, through consistent outreach initiatives.
BMTs therefore provide you opportunities not only to learn more about the wide-reaching work done in these areas, but also to actively participate in them. Such works include distributing Bibles to people groups who still do not have access to God’s Word, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief works. Joseph Biak, who runs an orphanage in Myanmar, described the joyful response perfectly:
“We have been praying for 25 years for the Holy Bible for all our children. Then God sent us our Bibles! Some of the children accepted the Bible with tears because they are so happy.”
The blessing of taking part in the improvement of others’ material and spiritual well-being, and of witnessing and sharing in their joy, cannot be overstated.
Across the Lands
By God’s blessing through the support of our donors and of our BLT and BMT participants, the Bible Society has been able to continue organising and facilitating such tours and mission trips through the ministry of International Bible Experiences. We are thankful to be able to serve and partner with Christians and churches, helping and equipping them to meaningfully experience the Word of life and share it with others beyond our shores.
We hope to continue these endeavours and open up opportunities to experience and bring God’s Word to even more countries and Bible lands. Come and join us in fulfilling the God-given mandate to sound His good news of salvation across the lands!
"Two villagers accepted Christ during our BMT to Ghyang Sukhatokar in Nepal in 2016. I am greatly moved to learn that there are more than nine villagers who have accepted Christ later on."
— Sharon Chai, a participant of a BMT to Nepal in 2016
