‘Waking up to Bible poverty’ with Bible Society’s 8:32 campaign

ENGLAND AND WALES — “It’s 8:32. Set the truth free” is the challenge being issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) to churches across England and Wales in a campaign designed to increase awareness of the vast Bible needs across the world. It is based on John 8:32, where Jesus says, “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

“Bible poverty is robbing millions of the truth that Jesus can set them free,” declares James Catford, the Society’s Chief Executive, in the campaign’s colourful brochure. “[It] is as much of a scandal as is global poverty. Both break the heart of God. How can they not touch our hearts too?”

Mark the hour

Twenty-thousand copies of the brochure and a six-minute DVD are being distributed to churches, highlighting the various aspects of “Bible poverty” throughout the world.

The campaign points out, for instance, that more than half the world’s languages still have no Scriptures and that a billion people cannot afford to buy their own Bibles. It calls for Christians to commit to pray regularly for Bible work, and provides red dots that can be stuck onto clocks to mark the hour of 8:32 as prayer reminders. The campaign also encourages Christians to support Bible work financially, by pledging £8.32 (US$14.87) a month.

Far from only focusing on Bible needs in other, poorer countries in the world, the 8:32 campaign also points to the fact that Bible poverty exists in the UK itself, where secularism has led to a massive decline in Bible ownership and respect for its message.

Shaped our nation

“Once it was the Bible that shaped our nation,” the campaign states. “But that influence is waning fast – with fewer and fewer people knowing its story, valuing its message or living by its wisdom.”

“We needed a campaign like this because the churches are committed to responding to global poverty, but the issue of Bible poverty is totally off their radar,” explains Peter Meadows, the Society’s Director of Giving and Communication. 

“And the campaign’s simple message with its powerful statistics is certainly cutting through.”

More resources to help churches and individual Christians publicise the campaign are being made available through the campaign’s web site, www.its832.org, and include T-shirts, wristbands and badges. (WR402/23 - 06.06)