December 17, 2009 - Kingston, Jamaica...[Kimone Thompson/Nigel Coke/WIU/IAD]
Whether you speak Chinese, Russian,
German, French, Spanish, English, or any of the 66 languages of the
traveling Bible, the
Good Book is awash with best practices for all situations.
That was the core message on Dec. 13, at
the National Arena where the 16.68lb, 18" x 12" Bible that is at the center of
the Follow the Bible
initiative made the final of three stops in Jamaica. The process is intended to
foster a deeper interest in reading and studying and sharing the Bible particularly since, according to
information from the world church, recent surveys indicate
that fewer than 50 percent of the church membership engages in daily study.
"The Bible outlines best practices," said
Pastor Derek Bignall, president of the church in the West Indies, as he
addressed thousand of people - including church and civic leaders - happy
to have had a glimpse of the specially prepared Bible, which will end a two-year
journey around the world at the General Conference Session in Atlanta, Georgia in
June 2010.
"If you do business, there is a way to do
best business, Pastor Bignall continued. "Good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, running over. That's how you must do business; no hanky panky
dealings. And if you're lazy, the Bible gives you a way to learn to do better: go to the ants. If
you are parents, the Bible has given best practice to teach the
children. The best thing to teach the children is to give them a Bible and
you must teach them everyday, when you walk by the way, when you sit in your
house, when you lie down, when you rise up."
"We need to bring the Bible back to the
top of the agenda," he said. "The TV has got too much and the Internet has got
too much. We must put back the Bible where it belongs - in the minds of
men."
Bignall said he wasn't discrediting the
importance and use of technology because it is also a source of education but
said it needs to be regulated and administered with care.
In his address, Bignall was critical of
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and called on the Ministry of Education to
do more in the way of promoting Creationism.
"Until these things get back in our
schools, we no longer have a say in the nation," the head of the church said.
President of the East Jamaica Conference
Pastor Adrian Cotterell also addressed the gathering on Sunday.
Also present at the National Arena was
speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Delroy Chuck who represented
the Prime Minister at the historical event.
He accepted a copy of the Bible from the church leaders and said it would be placed at a convenient location in Parliament where "everyone visiting can take time out to read it as they see fit".
The traveling Bible arrived in Jamaica -
the 112th country in its worldwide tour - from Costa Rica on Friday,
Dec. 11. It was handed over to Pastor Bignall by Pastor Guenther Garcia,
Secretary of the church in South Central America at the Donald Sangster
International airport. Its sojourn took it to Montego Bay, Mandeville and Kingston
where motorcades and bands comprising Pathfinders and Master Guides signaled
its arrival in each town.
In Montego Bay, the program was conducted
under the theme: 'The Bible - Our Torch of Truth'. It included "walking, talking" replicas
of the Bible and costumed Biblical characters. More than 250 Bibles and 4,000
pieces of Christian Literature were distributed to motorists and pedestrians
during the motorcade and at Sam Sharpe Square where a civic ceremony was held.
Pastor Charles Brevitt, president of the Adventist Church in Western Jamaica
admonished parents to buy Bibles for their children and study with them. This
he said will help to restore families and create a healthy society.
On Saturday, the traveling Bible went to
Mandeville in central Jamaica where the theme was 'The Bible - the Book of
Hope'. The morning's
program included drama presentations depicting the 12 tribes of Israel as well
as the Apostles, and readings
from the huge book in Greek and Hebrew. Pastor Glen Samuels, secretary of the church
in the West Indies Union delivered the main address in which he re-enforced to
the congregation that the Bible is the Book of Hope. A civic ceremony was held
later in the afternoon at the Mandeville Park where over 200 Bibles were given
to non-Adventists. Pastor Everett Brown, President of the Adventist church in
Central Jamaica delivered the main address.
Sunday's program, under the theme, 'The
Bible - The Book to Live and Die For', featured singing, choral speaking and drama presentations of the
work of Christian martyrs and pioneers such as Paul, Martin Luther and the
Millerites of the Great Disappointment of 1844 fame. President of the Church in
eastern Jamaica, Pastor Adrian Cotterell challenged the gathering to keep the Word
and spirit of God inside their heart.
"The
Traveling Bible will continue its journey throughout Inter-America by making
its way to Martinique in the coming days."
To view a photo
gallery of the traveling Bible in the West Indies, visit http://flickr.com/photos/interamerica
