Scripture Booklets Speak!
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” —John 6:63b
Brother S. carries the love of the Lord into a difficult area of northern India. Trekking through desert, dense forests, and snow-covered mountains with boxes of World Missionary Press Scripture booklets, the cry of his heart is for souls who are perishing. He met Brother K., who had recently accepted the Lord and was willing to help in ministry by distributing the Scripture booklets.
One day Brother K. gave a Scripture booklet to Brother R., who was addicted to alcohol. “The anointed Word of God started to work in his heart. He gave up alcohol and gave his heart to Jesus.” Now Brother R. ministers with Brother K. to share the message of freedom and hope in Jesus Christ. And so the chain continues.
Our Brother shared the above testimony to illustrate how the vision to evangelize through Scripture distribution is passed along, sometimes repeatedly, from distributor to recipient.
Gopi was a broken and discouraged man. He had lost his job, and all efforts to find a new job had failed. He received a booklet through Pastor M., who regularly reaches new villages, distributing the free literature he receives from a ministry and praying for those who receive it. Gopi’s heart was touched by the words, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” God gave him hope for the future. After reading the entire booklet, he gave his life to the Lord and prayed that the Lord would give him a job. The next week he found a good job. He shared the news with Pastor M., who thanked the Lord for this miracle and shared the gospel with Gopi’s family. They are all now attending church.
The power of God’s Word can never be discounted when facing the daunting challenge of reaching a nation of 1.3 billion people. Pastor L., 77 years old, rises early every morning to go to the railway station in his city to distribute Scripture booklets for two hours. Each evening he spends two hours at one of the city’s busiest shopping malls, handing out booklets. He says that the booklets are the best tool to use in sharing the gospel. An auto driver carries WMP booklets to share the love of God with his passengers. Every Tuesday he meets with a team of four auto drivers for an hour to pray for the salvation of the people they have reached through the booklets.
Joel J., part of the youth league of his church, came across a WMP booklet, The Way to God, which a family friend from the U.S. had left for his brother. “I was thoroughly impressed in how simply and easily you put forward the gospel, and realized instantly that I had to get copies for my fellow church youth members as well as for the large community of non-Christians in our locality to whom preaching about the joyful news of Christ isn’t that easy.” This youth league, in their desire that their people come to know the truth, conducts weekly studies and prayer cells as well as camps. Joel believes the booklet “was placed there as a part of God’s amazing sovereign plan.” They immediately decided to contact us, as “the resources are very useful, especially to reach people who are brought up with different beliefs and in various religions.”
India is considered the most ethnically diverse nation in the world, with 438 languages, of which only 280 are listed as having any Scripture available. From the early days of Christian missions in India, it was clear that translating Scripture into the national languages was a priority. Many gave years of their lives to such work. Today, building on that labor, World Missionary Press offers Scripture booklets in 43 languages of India. As persecution of Christians grows, literature distribution remains a vital ingredient in reaching all of India with the gospel.
Tradition holds that the Apostle Thomas took the gospel to India in the first century, planting seed that continues to bear fruit to this day. Although Christians number only two percent of India’s 1.3 billion people, the gospel is being carried daily to remote villages, crowded marketplaces, mountains, hospitals, prisons, schools, and homes.
In the coming months, World Missionary Press will be producing 16 million Scripture booklets in 23 languages—to support those who daily carry the good news to all of India—from those bound in deep poverty and spiritual bondage to the growing Indian middle class and youth who are seeking satisfaction in material things. In spite of potential opposition and resistance, hundreds of new evangelists are going out with faith and a bag of Scripture booklets to join the thousands covering India with the gospel.
[You can help provide God’s Word for India and other nations of the world. Every donated dollar provides for the production of 26 powerful Scripture booklets in people’s own language. An investment of $100 will touch the lives of 2,600 people; $1,000 will impact 26,000 people who need to know God.]
Grateful Quotes
“Help from above fell literally in my lap.”
“This booklet [Help from Above] was left on my wiper, and I stuck it over my visor. One day when I was struggling in a bad situation, it fell from over the visor literally in my lap, and my true walk with Jesus began. On occasion I still turn to this booklet, which I carry with me at all times. I feel that if this booklet changed my thought and direction, maybe I can hand out 100, and if I reach just one, that’s one more that learns the way of my God.
I would like to make it a goal to try to put 5 in different people’s hands every day for 20 days. If I am successful, I would like to get more. In appreciation for what this did for me, I want to share with others.”
—T.C., Virginia
Would you challenge yourself to give out at least one Scripture booklet a day? Maybe the Lord would lead you to share more than one per day.
“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
Meet the Team
Kelby G.
Copyrights and Permissions Coordinator
I first heard about World Missionary Press years ago from a friend of my mother’s. Her son, Landon, started working here while I was still in college.
During my final year at Gordon College, I had a crisis of faith. My grandfather out in Massachusetts passed away, and new theological and spiritual dilemmas bombarded me. After coming home, I sought to live for Jesus and grow in my faith, so when my summer job at Sweet Corn Charlie’s ended, I tried to find a job where my work mattered eternally. The grace of God led me here. I applied for an open position at WMP, and though I did not get that job, they offered another I could claim. I’ve worked here since January 21.
As the Copyrights and Permissions Coordinator, I am responsible for requesting permission to use the translations of the Bible we use in our Scripture booklets. I also am responsible to provide annual distribution reports for each language to the respective Bible societies, and to keep physical copyright and correspondence records.
I love being in a community of believers living out the Great Commission. It’s a tremendous honor! I also love that we can openly discuss our faith, our struggles, and just be honest with each other while offering Christ-centered encouragement. And I love the short drive—ten minutes to and from home.
I am an avid fan of history, regardless of the era, continent, or people group. I enjoy reading anything from the Scriptures to biographies and fantasy novels, playing video games, watching TV shows, and exercising to music. When I’m not working, I’m usually helping my mother around the house. I am involved in two small groups, one from Maple City Chapel and another called Oasis. I am currently looking for opportunities to volunteer. I also enjoy walking around Fiddler Pond with my Dad and hanging out with friends.
My parents divorced when I was young, but I have been able to live with each of them my whole life, as my father lives in Middlebury and my mother in Goshen. My older sister, Shelby (and yes, I am VERY aware that our names rhyme), lives in Minnesota and will be married this fall. I also have a dog, Lucy, a golden retriever/German shepherd mutt who is 12.
WMP Partners Around the World
Peter G.
Bolivia
Next Generation Ministries learned about World Missionary Press booklets when one man stored boxes of booklets in another man’s garage. On returning to pick them up, he asked his friend if he had read any of the booklets. He hadn’t, but as he looked them over, he realized they were just what he was looking for to reach the children of Bolivia! By 2015 more than nine million schoolteachers and students had been reached with the gospel on a personal level. (This story was featured in WMP’s August 2015 newsletter.)
WMP: Peter, please describe your background and current ministry.
Peter: My twin sister and I were born into a Mennonite family on October 12, 1964 in Cotoca, in the province of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We grew up with Christian parents in a village where we attended a one-room school taught in High German, though at home we spoke Low German.
When our family moved from Bolivia to Canada in 1980, I found myself—at the age of 16—in an English school not knowing any English. In the summer of 1983 I asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior and Lord.
In 1990 my wife Mary and I went to Bolivia with the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference (EMMC), which worked with the Spanish-speaking community as well as with the Mennonites. During eleven years in Bolivia we worked for the mission full-time for two years, then farmed as other Mennonites in Bolivia did, as well as working in the local church. The last four and a half years were spent working with the EMMC part-time. We moved back to Canada in 2001.
In 2016 Next Generation Ministries (NGM) asked us to help them with the work in Bolivia. That is when we were first introduced to World Missionary Press. We have been involved with NGM since then.
WMP: How has the ministry of NGM grown and changed over the years?
Peter: NGM had been focusing mostly on reaching the schools in Bolivia. This work was done by the Spanish-speaking people; however, several years ago a revival in the Mennonite communities resulted in churches being burdened for the unsaved and asking for literature. Mennonite communities became interested in the work of NGM and have been involved since the beginning of 2017. Now most of the work in the schools is being done by the Mennonites, while the Spanish-speaking people focus on street evangelism, prison ministry, and ministry in orphanages, etc.
WMP: How has WMP literature helped believers in Bolivia?
Peter: The people are so grateful for the material. We were told about one couple who handed out literature by making copies of what they had. Sometimes they had to decide whether they would eat supper or make copies so that they would have material to hand out. When they received a box of WMP material, they wept for joy.
Even some of the Christian police have asked for material, as they have found that reaching criminals with the gospel has been very effective. About two years ago, when the Bolivian government was trying to make it illegal for people to teach children about Christ, some police officers asked for some of the material. The people being asked were skeptical, as there already had been some persecution in different areas. They called us and asked what to do and after thinking it through, we told them to give the officers the booklets.
These are just a few of many stories. It is a great encouragement to see how the work has grown. By His grace we, NGM, are privileged to be part of this ministry. May all the honor and glory be given to our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To date a total of 7,483,000 Scripture booklets have been sent to support the growing work of Next Generation Ministries. Another container with 1,339,000 booklets is currently ready to ship.