More than a Bible in a Nightstand

THRU the BIBLE partners with ShareWord Global

Ever notice the Bible in most hotel nightstands? Who put those Bibles there? What stories can be told of how God works in people’s lives because of those Bibles? Just ask anyone associated with the ministry of the Gideons and they’ll tell you of their evangelistic roots “to see souls saved.”

Ten years ago, The Gideons International in Canada launched new avenues of ministry both domestically and around the world under the name ShareWord Global. In addition to sharing Bibles, ShareWord Global partners with local churches to invite people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and then leaves them with a copy of Scripture to help them on that journey. From their beginning, they saw interest in the gospel and opportunities only God could have orchestrated.

This is where a beautiful partnership developed between ShareWord Global and THRU the BIBLE. ShareWord Global realized their focus on evangelism only took local churches part way. They needed tools for discipleship.

With his decades of global ministry experience, THRU the BIBLE’s Canadian director, Ray Alary, stepped in to advise ShareWord Global’s direction. He pointed them to places in the world where he saw God at work. He also offered them THRU the BIBLE’s core content, five years of Dr. McGee’s systematic Bible teaching through the entire Word of God.  This is what churches needed to round out their ministry.

“The exciting part is churches that work with ShareWord Global demand help—not just evangelism, but discipleship,” Ray says enthusiastically. “It’s a beautiful partnership; no one competes with each other, and each has a defined way they do things. In places where people are minimally literate, we’re using simplified material and audio resources in their heart language. It’s working really well. The Word of God speaks for itself. Dr. McGee puts the meat on it. It’s a comfortable way to go through Scripture.

“Today we use radio players and SD cards in places where radio signals don’t reach. When technology changes, we’ll do it differently. ShareWord Global now trains local pastors, in person for several days, patterned after THRU the BIBLE’s Home Groups in India. Currently in the Dominican Republic, we’re working with 1100 groups.

“Where do we go next? Our hearts are set on ministry in Nicaragua and Cuba, then we’ll see about Chile, Peru, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, and the Middle East.”

ShareWord Global says “we are called to ‘go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19) and so, we go. Together, we can tell the world.”

Sound familiar? Pray for this beautiful partnership as together we explore another way to take the whole Word to the whole world.