December 18, 2024
At the beginning of November, the Bible Society of Brazil (BSB) marked the historic milestone of printing 200 million Bibles and New Testaments through its Bible Production Center, which serves the Fellowship worldwide. The event was filled with gratitude, heartfelt words, and meaningful recognition, highlighting the profound impact of this achievement on spreading the Word of God.
The festivities began on November 5 with a special session honouring the BSB, organized by the Council, a city just outside Sao Paulo where the Bible Production Centre is located. This ceremony celebrated the historic achievement of printing 200 million Bibles and New Testaments and underscored BSB’s critical role in translating, producing, and distributing the Holy Scriptures in 88 languages across 122 countries.
City Councillor Reinaldo Campos, representing Council President Antônio Furlan Filho, highlighted the spiritual and social impact of the BSB. He expressed pride in Barueri’s contribution to this global mission, stating, “For us, it is a great joy to know that the Word of God is produced here in Barueri, and the name of our city spreads to many countries. More importantly, through this Word, lives are transformed.”
International Gathering to Reflect and Strategize
On November 6, the celebrations continued as the BSB’s headquarters welcomed representatives from Bible Societies around the world, including delegates from Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, the United States, Suriname, Bolivia, South Korea, Peru, and Japan.
The day began with a welcome coffee, followed by collaborative discussions addressing the challenges and opportunities in global Bible distribution. The Fellowship’s production centers from South Korea, Colombia, and Brazil shared updates, reaffirming the shared commitment to spreading God’s Word to as many people as possible.
Celebrating the 200 Millionth Bible
A central moment of the celebrations was the unveiling of the 200 millionth Bible—a special interlinear edition featuring the biblical text in its original languages: Hebrew, Greek, as with Portuguese. This symbolic publication occurred at the Bible Production Center, where collaborators, religious leaders, and dignitaries gathered to honour this historic achievement.
During the event, Rev. Erní Seibert, BSB’s Executive Director and Vice Chair of the UBS Fellowship Council, expressed heartfelt gratitude and reflected on the milestone’s profound significance.
“These are 200 million seeds that help transform lives, spreading across the world in just 29 years—a record-breaking achievement in human history,” he remarked.
Thousands Gather for Thanksgiving
On November 7, the festivities culminated in a Thanksgiving Service that brought together over a thousand attendees, including churches of various denominations, religious leaders, and community members. Held at the Barueri Event Center, the service was uplifted by moving performances from the Ágape Choir and Orchestra of the Assembleia de Deus Church in Jundiaí and the BSB Choir for the Visually Impaired, part of the “Embracing People with Visual Disabilities” project.
Rev. Dirk Gevers, Secretary General of the United Bible Societies (UBS), attended the celebration and had the privilege of sharing a speech with all present.
“It is an honor and a privilege for me to bring greetings on behalf of the United Bible Societies and my brothers and sisters from around the world. There are 155 Bible Societies globally, and we join you in celebrating this remarkable milestone this evening.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to the Bible Society of Brazil, the board of directors, the dedicated team, and the churches represented here. This is a great achievement for the Kingdom of God.
We praise God for your lives and celebrate with you. We also pray that the seeds of the next 200 million Bibles will find fertile soil, bearing fruit a hundredfold and beyond.”
Adding to the celebration, BSB’s Bible Radio hosted its “+31 Thousand Voices with the Word” project. This initiative captures the diverse accents of Brazilians, creating a unique audio Bible where a different person voices each verse. The event also featured live broadcasts, interviews with BSB staff and international representatives, and reflections led by Sérgio Azevedo, BSB Bible Radio’s consultant.
Testament to Faith and Growth
Rev. Luiz Antônio Giraldi, the BSB’s General Secretary in 1995 when the Bible Production Center was inaugurated, shared an emotional account of the organization’s journey. He recalled the early days when the BSB operations grew from a simple binding facility into a fully established Bible Printing Press. “Bible distribution in Brazil rose from 200,000 per year to 2 million,” he said, marvelling at the progress.
This year, the Bible Production Center achieved a new milestone, printing one million Bibles per month, with a projected total of 8 million by the end of the year. Rev. Seibert reflected, “Today, we celebrate much more than a number. No one imagined this would be possible. It all happened thanks to God’s blessing. God has helped us, and we have become co-workers with Him in distributing His Word.”.
Celebrating 200 million printed Bibles and New Testaments reinforces BSB’s mission to spread the Word that Transforms Lives. The event symbolizes a milestone for all who believe in the Scriptures’ transformative power.
