December 2017


Egypt Videos

Holistic Missions

Loving the Poor and Needy in Word and Deed

“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”—Deuteronomy 15:11 (ESV)

Throughout Scripture, God shows Himself to be a God who takes notice of the poor and needy, and cares for them materially and spiritually. It is one of the ways in which He demonstrates His love and compassion. As God’s children, Christians are called thus to imitate Him, loving not only in word and talk but also in deed and truth (1 John 3:18). This is the motivation for holistic missions, which are an integral part of the expanding global Bible Mission.

Holistic missions focus primarily on humanitarian efforts and disaster relief, seeking to meet the immediate needs of those disadvantaged by persecution and natural disasters. These acts of care and love communicate to the poor and needy that they are not forgotten, and that God’s love and message of salvation in Christ are also theirs to embrace.

Since the early 2000s, the Bible Society, in collaboration with regional Bible Societies and churches,  began engaging in holistic missions to serve overseas communities in need. This included raising awareness of and undertaking fundraising activities for countries hit by major disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and the recent floods in South Asia.

From 2014 onwards, formal mission trips have also been organised to various affected areas to serve the needy there. Through these efforts, the Bible Society and participating churches gain opportunities to be God’s channels of blessing to these communities, both in the caring for their material and spiritual well-being, as well as in the restoration of their way of life.

Tacloban, the Philippines (2014)

  • Ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan, the worst tropical cyclone recorded in history
  • Distributed Scriptures, food toiletries and furniture to the locals, and helped in church rebuilding efforts

Lebanon (2015)

  • Thousands suffered displacement, persecution and hardship from ISIS attacks
  • Visited refugees in several areas and provided relief through the distribution of Scriptures and relief packs

Myanmar (2016)

  • Locals subjected to regular floods from yearly monsoons
  • Distributed Scriptures and necessities such as mosquito nets and family kits to aid the rebuilding of the locals’ homes and lives

Nepal (2016)

  • Locals affected by frequent earthquakes and floods
  • Distributed Scriptures and daily necessities, and provided zinc sheets to aid in house rebuilding projects

There are still many needy communities in the world that need to know and grow in God’s love, which mean more areas of service for us to explore. Egypt is one example. One of the oldest countries in the world, Egypt has a rich history and culture that dates back to Biblical times. At the same time, children and youth, many of whom are poor, make up a large percentage of the total population (33%). Its Christian population is also among the most persecuted in the world today.

In August 2017, the Bible Society sent a team to Egypt to further understand and support the mission works there. They joined up with staff from the Bible Society of Egypt, who have been organising rallies and special programmes to reach out to the children and youth. One of the team members, Joan Cher, recounts:

“I saw how the youths were so passionate in reading and learning about the Word. Living in the hostile environment, the local Christians also depended on one another for support, which further strengthens their faith and identity as one Body of Christ. I am greatly challenged to take the reading of God’s Word and being part of the church—my immediate spiritual family—more seriously.”

We are truly privileged not only to partner with our Egyptian brothers and sisters in serving the needy in Egypt, but also to share in their joy of seeing them knowing and growing in the love of God and His Word. We are also committed to support these ongoing outreach works in Egypt, such as the upcoming Christmas distribution of Scripture materials, hygiene items and sweets to the children.

British evangelist Leonard Ravenhill once remarked,

“That world outside there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity, it’s waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.”

We are ever thankful for our faithful supporters and volunteers, whose contributions enable us to continue to demonstrate God’s love through these missions with local and overseas brothers and sisters in Christ. We also covet your continued prayers and support, so that more will be able to taste and see that the Lord is good, and be brought into His fold.


Are We Reaching the Next Generation?

Our first NextGen Seminar “Are We Reaching the Next Generation?” was held on 31 March 2016 at St Andrew’s Cathedral. More than 130 people from over 55 churches attended to hear from our speakers.

The speakers shared valuable insights for those working with children and youth. Dr Norman Wong discussed the principles behind building a thriving youth ministry, while Charleston Lim from Heart of God Church explained how churches can release and empower youths to not just be leaders of tomorrow, but leaders of today. Pastor Sam Phun from River Community Church shared his insights on how his church trains children to minister to other children.


Are We Losing the Next Generation?

Our second NextGen Seminar “Are We Losing the Next Generation?” was held on 28 June 2016 with 110 people from over 50 churches gathering to learn how ministries and parents can effectively disciple the next generation.

Dr Calvin Chong (Singapore Bible College) gave a presentation on reaching and nurturing the next generation in a media-saturated world with many competing voices. He also explained how stories, rituals and relationships are being used to shape values and the worldviews of the next generation.

In the panel discussion that followed, Rev Christopher Chia (Adam Road Presbyterian Church) shared about his church’s work in building lifelong disciples from childhood to adulthood and beyond. Ps Joey Asher Tan (Grace Assembly of God) described how his youth ministry has transited to age-based niches instead of one ‘mass’ youth ministry. Christina Ong (Methodist TRAC, Children’s Ministry) talked about how she reduced the fallout when teens leave the children’s ministry by introducing a ‘tweens’ ministry. Finally, Yuen Chee Onn (Centre for Fathering) shared about the need for fathers to be properly equipped for their role and encouraged parents not to make the mistake of outsourcing the work of discipleship to church or youth ministry.

About the Speaker

Dr Calvin Chong resizedDr Calvin Chong is Associate Professor of Educational Studies at Singapore Bible College. His current teaching and research areas relate to youth, urban missions, and oral preference learners. Calvin is a board member of The Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore and HealthServe, a community development NGO.


Modern Khmer Bible at the Heart of the Revival of the Cambodian Church

This article was originally posted by the United Bible Societies.

Over the past 20 years the Cambodian Church has experienced an extraordinary revival. Today there are 400,000 Christians in the country – a steep increase from the 5,000 Cambodian Christians in the 1990s. The Modern Khmer Bible, published in 1997, is at the heart of this revival. The translation happened in exile when Cambodia was closed and Christians killed. It has been key to the renaissance of the Cambodian Church.

A new Church

Mana Duong with her Modern Khmer Bible


“This translation brings hope to the decimated Cambodian Church,” declared Rev Dooley, an American missionary to Cambodia. He was speaking in the 1990s, when the New Testament had just been published and the Old Testament was still being translated. “I am waiting for this Bible to be completed,” he added. “It will enable a new Church to be built for a new generation.”

That is exactly what has happened. The Modern Khmer Bible makes it easy for people to read, understand and be touched by the Gospel. Cambodian celebrity Mana Duong – a television presenter – describes her experience of reading the Bible:

“I love to read the Word each day because it helps me to understand God’s overflowing love for us. It is rare for me to not read the Bible! Everywhere I go, even when I travel to other provinces, I always take my Bible with me. The Bible is my life.”

Two million dead

What a contrast between the flourishing Cambodian Church of today and its recent history. The genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge led to the deaths of two million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979 – and Christians were not spared.

“The four Khmer Christians on the Modern Khmer Bible translation team between 1968 and 1975 all perished under the Khmer Rouge,” explains Father François Ponchaud. He was a member of this interconfessional translation team, and fled Cambodia in May 1975, taking with him the first five chapters of Matthew.

“We will do something”

Translation team working on the Modern Khmer Bible


Determined that the work should somehow continue in exile, in 1984 Fr Ponchaud sought help from the United Bible Societies (UBS), which at that time had an Asia office in Hong Kong. His visit was unsuccessful: Cambodia was closed therefore it would not be possible to distribute a new translation there so the project was ‘unviable’, he was told.

But this did not discourage him: on his return home to France he explained the situation to French Bible Society General Secretary Rev Jean-Pierre Boyer. Mr Boyer told him, “We will do something. Who knows? Maybe when we’ve finished translating the Bible the country will open up again?”

He kept his word. Thanks to Fr Ponchaud’s persistence and Mr Boyer’s vision, translation work recommenced in 1985, funded by donors in France. The interconfessional team was made up of four translators in exile, notably Fr Ponchaud and the Rev Arun Sok Nhep.

“Mr Boyer didn’t know how true his words would prove,” comments Mr Sok Nhep, who today works as a UBS Ministry Resources Facilitator. “That man really had a vision: we had just finished translating the New Testament in 1992 when Cambodia re-opened!”

“A true revival”

It was back in Cambodia that the Old Testament was translated. Fr Ponchaud and Mr Sok Nhep returned to the country and put together a new translation team. Within four years the Old Testament was completed and the New Testament revised. The full Bible was published in 1997.

“In the 1970s everything was lost – the translators’ lives, the draft manuscript of the New Testament…and then this…It was a true revival!” states Mr Sok Nhep.

Arun Sok Nhep and Fr Ponchaud today


“Restoring the Word of God to the Khmer people gave new life to the Cambodian Church,” adds Fr Ponchaud.

Today, the Modern Khmer Bible is used by the Catholic Church and most Protestant churches, too. And a revision is now underway by a team of young Cambodian Christians.

“The French Bible Society and its donors enabled the work to resume at a time when nobody believed in the future of the Cambodian Church, when everybody had lost hope,” concludes Mr Sok Nhep. “And the New Testament was ready just as Cambodia re-opened its doors! It was surely not a coincidence that Fr Ponchaud and I both ended up in France – land of asylum that also nurtured this new translation!”

Young Cambodians reading the Bible on their smartphones