Reaching to Read & Powerful Prefacing!
One of my favourite photos from last year's collection was one that I took whilst at the launch of the Lambya Bible in Malawi. It’s a photo I often use when visiting churches. Across the top of the photo I quote from Psalm 119:48, which says: “I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees”. I then ask people to look at the faces of those who are eagerly reaching out for a copy of God’s Word. Take a look at the photo below, especially at the face of the guy on the far right. Look at the desperation on his face as he reaches out to get his hands on a copy of God’s Word in his heart language?!
The question I often then ask is this; do we as Christians, who have so many copies of the Bible in our homes, reach out for God’s Word with such a desire?! It’s a challenge, isn’t it? I then go on to ask whether there would be such a clamour here in the UK if Bibles were being handed out free of charge - and the response is normally a vigorous shaking of heads!
However…..there is reason to be hopeful here in the UK. Recent figures show that sales of the Bible reached a record high in the UK in 2025, increasing by 134% since 2019; the highest since records began*. Last year, total sales of Bibles in the UK reached £6.3m, which is £3.61m up on 2019 sales! These record figures have caused booksellers, church leaders and scholars to ask where these new readers are coming from, and research seems to indicate that many people, particularly of the younger generation, have been buying Bibles.
What makes it more surprising is that many of these buyers have no Christian background whatsoever. Something definitely seems to be happening! In one of the Bible Society’s recent publications, they are calling it “The Quiet Revival”. In an age of untruth, people are reaching out for truth; they want direction in life and are longing for some sort of moral clarity; searching for answers to the big questions in life. Praise God, people seem to be reaching out for God’s Word, not just in Malawi, but here in the UK! Long may it continue!
* Sinead Campbell, The Guardian, 10 Jan 2026.
Powerful Prefacing! I came across this powerful and persuading preface to the Gideon Bible recently, which sums up beautifully what God’s Word is all about, and how we should approach it. This is why "The Word for the World" does what it does. This is why our 1200+ translators, across the world, spend their time translating God's Word. This is why the Bible is the most important and powerful book in the world!
"The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.
Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents".
These reverent words surely bring us face-to-face with the sacred preciousness of the Bible. Scripture is not an add-on benefit for a life in need of an extra boost; it is shaping, fuelling and oxygenating! So, let’s make it our aim to get stuck into this treasure that we have so freely available here in the UK, and if possible, enable more people like ‘the guy on the far right’ of the photo to reach out for their own heart-language copies!
* Gideons International, National Publishing Company, 1985, Preface
"Sinai for Sena" Update.
This is what 10,000 Sena Bibles looks like!
Yes, they’ve finally arrived in Blantyre, Malawi, following their long journey from……. China! The Bible Society of Malawi are kindly keeping them in their warehouse until the rainy season has passed. Our team in Malawi are now in the process of organising a distribution programme, which will take place during the first week of May in the Sena area of southern Malawi. I'm hoping to be a part of that programme, so as to bring the "Sinai for Sena" project to it's completion. Look out for a report in June!
Did you know? China happens to be the world's leading producer of Bibles! The Amity Printing Company in Nanjing, which employs over 600 employees, produces an average of 70 Bibles per minute! The company was founded in 1988 and has produced over 200 million copies of the Bible for over 110 countries. The irony is, whilst Chinese Bibles are printed, they are restricted to government-registered churches, and the sale of Bibles in the country is still not permitted in regular bookstores or via online platforms.
The "Marvellous Match" reminder for 2026!
As mentioned in the last edition, we've been blessed to have a generous donor come alongside us and offer match funding for any new or uplifted donations we receive this year. We're extremely grateful to this donor for this "marvellous match" commitment, and that gratitude extends to all who support the work of TWFTW. If you'd like to take advantage of this 'double blessing' to TWFTW, please go the ‘Get Involved’ page and click on the ‘donate’ link for more details of how to give. THANK YOU.
Out & About Diary Dates for March 26:
Sun 8 Mar: Send Evan Church, Surrey (am & pm)
Tues 10 Mar: Corsham Baptist Men’s study group
Thur 12 Mar: illumiNations meeting in London (am)
Sun 22 Mar: Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria (am)
Praise & Prayer Points:
“True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that - it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth” Charles Spurgeon
Serbia/Croatia: Praise God that 3 Roma dialects in Serbia & Croatia are about to receive New Testaments after 3 years of hard translation work! Pray for them as they prepare for their dedication service & launch, which coincides with National Roma day on 8th April.
Asia: Thank you to those who have been praying for D (an IT manager with one of our TWFTW teams in a troubled country). We’re hearing that he is ‘much improved’, although still receiving in-hospital chemotherapy treatment twice a month. We pray on for his healing; whether that be through medicine or miracle!
Zambia: Pastor Sampa’s wife, who is from the Aushi translation team, has been seriously injured in an accident, and has lost an eye. Pray for her recovery as she adjusts to this life-changing loss.
Publications Dept: Please pray for our publications department as they enter their busiest year yet! Last year we were able to publish 17 New Testaments, but in 2026 the expectation is to publish 63 New Testaments!! Pray for the necessary funds to come in to enable publishing and printing to happen.
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