PORTLAND, OREGON (ANS) — Roadside bombs, suicide bombers, and mortar attacks can’t hold back the spread of God’s Word. The Bible is dynamically ministering to soldiers on the front lines in Iraq.
For over a year, Brad Blauser has been collecting the Bibles from friends and family in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and distributing them to soldiers in Iraq. One of the men who received a Bible began to pass them out to his bunk-mates, eager for fellow troops to discover the truth as he had. A few weeks later–the day after his nineteenth birthday–Nils Thompson was killed in action. Thompson’s testimony only intensifies Blauser’s and other personnel’s acute awareness that they may face eternity the next time they leave the base.
When Blauser decided to begin a class for soldiers who had recently trusted Jesus Christ, he realized he was missing one crucial element–Bibles. So, he issued a plea over the Internet to his friends and family back home in Texas to buy Starting Point Study Bibles and send them to him in Iraq.
Blauser didn’t have to wait long for a response. A children’s Sunday school class from his home church took a collection to purchase the Bibles, and several small group Bible Studies took on the project as well. A Methodist Church in Irving, Texas, chose to send some Bibles as part of their quarterly missions effort. So far, Blauser has given away over 600 Starting Point Study Bibles, and this year he has a lofty goal: to give away 6,000 study Bibles to soldiers who are daily asking if a Bible has arrived for them.
"This Bible is a great addition to any care package headed for the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan," Blauser said.
Blauser also pointed out that the introduction of the Starting Point Study Bible includes a presentation of the gospel message and an explanation of how a person can become a Christian, making it a great witnessing tool for soldiers who are seeking answers. The Christian soldiers there are eager to receive more Bibles that they can give to their bunk-mates and friends.
"Right now when they arrive, the Bibles never last more than ten minutes on the shelf. Usually after Chapel service, I just turn to those sitting around me and offer them, and they are snatched up, with other soldiers standing around looking at me as if they were left out. I honestly can’t get enough of these to meet the demand of soldiers who want to know more," Blauser said.
Since its release in 2002, the Starting Point Study Bible has sold well over 60,000 copies. It was developed by the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association in partnership with Youth With a Mission, and includes multiple features that help the reader dig deeper into God’s Word. A "Frequently Asked Questions" section covers issues that interest new Christians, and other articles, maps, charts, and indexes help the reader navigate through the life-changing Scriptures.
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