This past October, I met up with this tall, handsome drink of water that I’ll call Charlie Brown.  Charlie Brown had a bad set of wheels that were 4-wheel drive. I’d roll my hair and put on my best set of clothes.  He’d meet me in the midst of some straw and pumpkins.  Up under a tent.

And we gave out Bibles.  Hundreds of them. For free.

Hundreds.  And still didn’t meet all the demands. Preston and I learned that Jesus and pumpkins go together like peanut butter and jelly.   We gave away nearly 600 Bibles.

There is something special about seeing a child pick out a Bible and hold it close to their chest.  They know that they have something special.  It’s humbling to watch a teenage boy come up and ask if you have any study Bibles that are age appropriate for him.    The pre-teen girls loved the purple and pink Bibles that were “cool”.    The daddy’s liked the pocket testaments  that they could easily put in their back pocket.  Mama liked the “mature” feminine Bibles that had words of encouragement.  Grandma’s eyesight was failing so she looked for a Bible in large print.
But just about everyone had someone they knew and loved that was lost and they wanted a “good” Bible for them.   We had a lady from neighboring county ask for Bibles for her own small, struggling  Church. They didn’t have enough.

When we started collecting Bibles last year, we simply asked for Bibles. Any Bibles.   The members of Antioch Baptist Church met the challenge.  We also had some help from a local bookstore and others in our community.  More Bibles turned up each week just as we’d be near running out.   

Pastor Trent has a motto about representing our God and our Church….. do it with Excellence.  God deserves nothing but our best.

God willing, Charlie Brown and I plan to be under that same tent this year, but with a more  customized selection to meet the demands of the 15,000 people expected to be in attendance.

We all know that God’s word is never changing, so you may be asking why the request for customized Bibles?  Well, if that teen bible with the polka dotted neon orange flower on the front is what makes the girl pick it up and read what’s inside…. seed planted.   If three year old Johnny comes up and grabs a Bible  that has a shiny picture of Noah and his boat, it just might be his lost daddy’s lap that he climbs up on for a nighttime story….. seed planted.  What if Julie with the needle marks on her arm grabs the journaling Bible and it’s that Bible that she takes to rehab?  Her only hope is among those doodles…… seed planted.

Wouldn’t you agree that the seeds would be planted….. with excellency?

Our church and community has 33 weeks to prepare. Here’s the challenge that I hope you’ll prayerfully consider:

For parents, will you consider purchasing and donating an age appropriate Bible for each person in your household?  Let it be one that you would give that family member.

Grandparents, would you consider donating a and age appropriate Bible in honor of those grandbabies- young and old?

Grown children, would you consider donating large print Bibles in honor/memory of your parents?

Please consider purchasing a Bible in lieu of flowers in the deaths that are surrounding us of late.  What better way to honor them?

We also challenge you to pick up the basic Bibles that can be found at Dollar Tree for a whole buck.  We need Spanish Bibles,  I can’t stress how many children’s Bibles that we need.  That was the one request that we had to say “no, I’m sorry!” to over and over.

We ask that if you’re purchasing Bibles, please purchase the KJV.  Like last year, we will gladly accept used Bibles.  So if you have any laying around…. donate them! 

Preston and I will be glad to mail cards notifying families of donations made in honor or in memory of.   Again, it’s truly an honor to serve and that the Lord finds me worthy enough to even use.

Lastly, y’all know  I am a numbers girl.  A BeanCounter.  The BeanCounter!  Just in our church, we have an average of 600 people in attendance on any given Sunday.  If everyone donated an “excellent” Bible,  and everyone spent $33 over the course of the next 33 weeks buying a a Bible a week, and everyone donated 2 old Bibles they have laying around the house….. that’s a bunch of SEEDS!

600 x 1 = 600 EXCELLENT Bibles

600 x 33 =19,800 Dollar Tree Bibles

600 x 2 = 1,200 Used Bibles.

TOTAL = 21,600

Who’s on board? 33 weeks and counting down!

 

Charlie Brown and The BeanCounter are!