The gift of a Bible
Before Christmas, BCM's Youth Team toured secondary schools with its 'Peace on Earth' assembly, and the gift of a Bible was offered to all students and staff.
The Youth Team, its volunteers and church partners, visited 34 schools in the month leading up to Christmas. They delivered 92 assemblies, 13 lessons and some clubs to an estimated total of 13,000 students.
The Christmas assembly was on the theme of ‘Peace on Earth’. It dealt with conflict in our communities and the world, keeping calm and resolving arguments in our everyday lives; and explored how Jesus came to bring us peace with God.
An important element of the assembly was a video resource the team created with Augustus Stewart (Setting Captives Free) and, pictured in this still from the video, Nathan Dennis (First Class Foundation). These are two Birmingham men who have overcome violence in their own lives. Dennis commented on the assemblies, ‘Young people listened to real stories of conflict, choice and transformation. What stayed with us most - many students asked for Bibles. Not prompted. Not pressured.’
Eight schools, more than ever before, alongside BCM’s visit accepted an offer to students and staff of a free New Testament and Psalms, provided by Good News for Everyone (formerly Gideons). The demand was so great that, at some schools, the Bibles ran out and more had to be delivered later. At one school, as students began to file out of the assembly hall, nobody took the books being offered. But when one boy plucked up the courage to do so, lots of others followed. Some even came back to ask for Bibles. A teacher explained that what their students know about Christianity is from RE teachers, and so it is good for them to have the chance to read the Bible for themselves.
