In 2013, TGC International Outreach partnered with Crossway Books & Bibles to raise almost $19,000 including a matching grant, to obtain 3,000 copies of the ESV Global Study Bible. Our purpose was to make these available to our worldwide missions network with the goal of putting these study bibles into the hands of pastors primarily in the Global South who badly need them.
We believe that God has uniquely blessed us with a truly global network of likeminded churches and missions who are able to put these bibles directly into the hands of church leaders who typically lack good access to biblical teaching and training. As you will see below, the distribution this past year was tremendous and we invite you to join us in praising God for this and praying for Kingdom fruit in the lives of the recipients and in their congregations.
2,656 Bibles were distributed over roughly 12 Months to 28 Countries:
Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, China, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, France, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, UAE, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Quotes from our Distribution Partners
When we receive requests for resources from our missions network, we require them to answer a few questions about how the resources will be used. The following are samples of the most encouraging answers we received in regards to the ESV Global Study Bible.
How would you describe the need for this resource?
“Most of the leaders have very little in terms of resources. There are few study Bibles among these pastors.”
“Many pastors have limited resources and a study Bible would be an invaluable tool in terms of sermon preparation for many of them.”
“Many pastors do not have enough money to own a study Bible. It will be a great resource and help to poor pastors in the Philippines.”
“The Academic Dean has expressed concern over the lack of quality commentaries and resources his staff have when preparing their coursework. They do not have an extensive library and electricity is prohibitive for online resources. He has greatly enjoyed his personal ESV Study Bible and would be delighted to see his staff resourced in this way.”
“Many pastors in the Philippines cannot afford a Study Bible. Because their Bibles were lost in the flood, these Bibles will allow pastors to continue their ministry of preaching and teaching the Word of God.”
“The region we serve in is dominated by prosperity theology and hyper-pentecostal churches. Most missions work in Uganda for pastoral training happens in Entebbe or Kampala, so it is rare that conferences like this happen in this region (close to Rwanda and Congo). We hope to keep training pastors in the true gospel and in sound doctrine as they pastor their churches and plant new ones. There are NO avenues for good biblical resources available to the pastors we teach, and none of them have study bibles. We believe just having the study notes in this bible alone will GREATLY increase their ability to do proper biblical teaching and interpretation.”
On my recent trip to Zambia, I saw [a trainer] and another pastor give up their Bibles to leave them with the new church that was planted during our trip in Kalunga, which is a very rural and isolated part of Zambia. These Bibles will allow [him] to supply new church plants and replenish pastors who do not have access otherwise to purchase a study bible.
With the recent Typhoon, many pastors have lost everything, including their Bibles. We plan to send these ESV Global Study Bibles to pastors who have lost their Bibles in the flood.”
“Because there will be more pastors than Bibles available, I will work with the host pastor to determine who is in most need, including who can share a Bible.”
How will these bibles be distributed?
How will these bibles be distributed?“[The indigenous ministry] with churches and pastors throughout Liberia who would be blessed by these Bibles and books. We will work with the orphanage to get the Bibles and books into the hands of pastors and missionaries in the region. Our plan is to personally meet with missionaries and pastors there and give the items away directly, but some may be left at the orphanage for reading and distribution to other missionaries and pastors after we are gone.”
“ESV study Bibles will be distributed through the conferences and “table talk” sessions that our team of missionaries and Ugandan ministry leaders hold in rural regions of Northern Uganda. We distribute only to those with ongoing relationships and commitment to learning God’s word.”
Who will receive these bibles?
“I will send [the case] to Pastor Jun who is a leader among pastors in his area and he will give them to pastors whom he has chosen. He told me he can think of at least 30 that he can give it to who don’t have any study bibles of any kind.”
“We have started a college for pastors…in Romania. Many pastors have said “Yes” to a call to ministry, but have not received theological education due to the communist regime. Since 2012, we have been sending teams to Romania to teach week-long classes to provide a basic theological education for these pastors.”
“These resources will be given to those who have proven a desire to learn how to teach expositionally. These are men who have been attending our seminars in the past.”
What is your purpose in giving them? What impact do you hope for?
What is your purpose in giving them? What impact do you hope for?“To use the ESV Global Study Bible as a study and teaching resource to help them teach and preach with greater clarity and impact so that the people can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
“Many promising Bible schools and students in Asia have no English Bibles to study from or if they do it may be as in Myanmar, where they have 13 students and only 5 Bibles (all different versions). These Bibles will have an impact all over Northern India and Northern Myanmar.”
“According to this pastor, many others are untrained and have no resources. In conjunction with my teaching, I’m praying the ESV Global Study Bible will be a valuable resource for these pastors as they preach the Word.”
“I expect these study Bibles to be the most significant resource for ongoing study and preparation for teaching.”
“Students in Cambodia are so eager to learn the bible and learn English; we hope these bibles will serve both purposes and have the students understand the deep meaning of the gospel.”
“A main part of our focus in Liberia is to assist and encourage local pastors in rural communities who have little to no resources. These Bibles will help fill a void for many pastors who have no study resources, giving them a greater understanding of God’s word, and helping the in both their personal devotion life and their public proclamation of the gospel.”
“The opportunity for local pastors to own a personal Bible which they can not only use in their training and personal studies, but also in their day to day ministry would be a major benefit in advancing the Gospel in Malawi.”
“As the ESV Study Bible is my absolute favorite resource that I own, I pray that the men and women are able to glean understanding of the scriptures like I have from this resource. There is so much false teaching in Uganda, so I hope giving the people that we meet a written copy of the Word will enable them to learn God’s Word on their own with the help of the Holy Spirit. I hope that it is used by the Ugandans to share truth with others and disciple new believers on their own.”
“These pastors do not have a good translation to study from, nor do they have access to any other study Bible or other reference material. Their preaching should improve with access to their own study Bible coupled with discipleship and modeling or expository preaching.”
