Please Don't Let Our New Media Outreach Expire

Please Help The Chicago Bible Society continue its New Media Project which is in danger of shutting down due to a sudden lack of funding


When we first started this blog over two years ago, one of our first posts told of the effort of General Douglas MacArthur to send millions of Bibles and a call for missionaries for Japan following the end of World War II

Today, if MacArthur were alive, he would note that, in light of the fact that millions of Japanese use Smart Phones and Internet Devices on a daily basis, he could distribute Bibles (using free online Bible apps) using the new technology.

For the past two years, in cooperation with Ministries such as The YouVersion Bible and Bible.is, the Chicago Bible Society has been distributing online Bibles and Bible Studies around the world in addition to its traditional programs of Bible Distribution to prisons, hospitals, and other local outreaches.

Up until now, this program has been entirely funded by a generous long time member of the Board of Directors of CBS.  Unfortunately, due to declining health and  loss of income, this good man (in his 80's) has left the Chicago Bible Society. It happened at Christmas Time and at the December Board meeting it was decided that unless an alternate source of funding were quickly found, the New Media Project would have be suspended at the very least, which it is at this moment.

If you are reading this post today, you most likely can see the value of Bible Distribution in Chicago and around the world via these Bible apps.  The New Media Department was also in the process of developing additional online ministry programs.  Now its all in limbo at present and there is no guarantee of its being restored unless some support is provided by others who share the vision.

If you would like to make a donation, whether large or small today, you can play a vital part in helping this ministry continue.  You can even make a donation safely and securely by Credit Card  or e-check using 
PayPal.  by clicking on the Join/Donate tab near the top of our website  www.chicagobiblesociety.net

When you make your donation please make a note that it is for the New Media Outreach.  Thank you and God Bless you!  Allan Winters CBS New Media Director

2012 In Review

From Chicago Bible Society Executive Director, Ken Oliver

  2012 has been a year of challenges and successes. We have expanded our work in the jails through Project Philip and have begun two new programs: Urban Literacy and Journey to the Cross, a Lenten Bible Series.


    At the same time, we have been challenged by significant cut-backs at our partner, The American Bible Society, resulting in fewer Bibles being made available for special needs. We are also facing the Challenge of a difficult economy that has adversely impacted our donors.

Our Mission - Who we are

  The word "ecumenical" can be controversial; however, it is an old and important word in the history of Christianity. It means "The Whole Church."  The whole church is who we minister to and width. We provide Bibles and encourage the study and understanding of Scripture without promoting or endorsing anyu particular doctrinal point of view. For this reason we are able to work with all Christians who believe that the Bible is God's Word.

Our Work - What We Do - Provision

  Chicago Bible Society works to cross physical, economic or cultural barriers to bring the Bible into people's lives, through written or electronic means, in a manner that they can understand and interact with the Scriptures. Bible Provision programs target those wo do not have access to the Bible due to incarceration, poverty, or cultural barriers. They include our Bibles for Jails program.

Engagement

  Chicago Bible Society encourages people to read and interact with the Bible so that God's Word transforms their lives.  We partner with prison ministries, schools, churches and tutoring programs to make God real through the study of the Word.  Bible Engagement Programs target a broad range of people in our increasingly secular society who do not know the Scriptures.  We look forward to 2013 and the opportunities and challenges of the New Year with Faith.  

Urban Literacy Project Increases Reading Scores and Bible Knowledge

CBS Pilot Project Increases Reading Scores and Bible Knowledge

The Chicago Bible Society has partnered with By The Hand for Kids - a Faith Based non-profit tutoring program - to pilot the use of the American Bible Society Mission:Literacy reading curriculum in two high-poverty communities in Chicago.

The results of the pilot project are extremely favorable. The By The Hand Club for Kids is one of the largest and most successful after-school programs in Chicago. Currently working in three locations throughout the city, By The Hand Club focuses on Children who are at the highest risk of failure in areas with high poverty and underperforming schools. Nearly 900 children participate in their various programs. In an exclusive interview with By The Hand staff members, we were told that the State of Illinois regularly bases the future increases in incarceration of new offenders on low reading scores.  In other words the State look upon students with low reading scores as future inmates in the penal system.

This points out the value of this new project's purpose and Goals:

The mission of the Chicago Bible Society is to provide access to the Bible to all people by overcoming the barriers of poverty, education, health, culture or imprisonment and to encourage the reading and understanding of Scripture. This two-fold mission can be understood as Provision and Engagement.

Today's Children have been called the "Post-Sunday School" generation. Our increasingly secular culture has diminished the common knowledge of the Bible thus making the task of evangelism more difficult.

The children in the program also have the additional burdens of poverty and poor education that limit their access to the Bible.  Poor reading skills also affect quality of life and as noted earlier have a relationship to crime and incarceration later in life.  The Urban literacy project seeks to address all these needs.

In conclusion, the Goals of the Urban Literacy project are:
1.  To increases the basic reading skill of early primary school age children most at risk of poor literacy due to poverty.
2.  To increase knowledge of the Bible in age-appropriate format in a manner where both content is retained and the children engage with the Scripture.

The results of the pilot project  showed significant growth in new Biblical knowledge after using the curriculum in both locations. Reading scores of the students were positively affected by the curriculum.

According to CBS Executive Director Ken Oliver, the pilot project exceeded expectations. "The kids just loved the Bible story books. The illustrations are of such a high quality that they grab their attention"

With additional funding, The Chicago Bible Society can expand this new outreach in the metro area. You can make a donation today using a credit card or e-check using Paypal.  Of course checks and money orders are also welcome.  Just go to our website for more information on donating to CBS  www.chicagobiblesociety.net

You will note the join/donate tab near the top of our website home page.

Chicago Bible Society Releases New Video Honoring Emma Dryer

Emma Dryer was a 19th Century Christian Educator, Bible Teacher and Administrator.  Evangelist DL Moody once called her "The Best Bible Teacher in America"

Miss Dryer started the "Chicago Bible Work" in 1873 supervising young women who visited multiplied thousands of homes in Chicago, especially in the poorer areas.  For over 25 years they ministered to women and their families and distributed Bibles and Scripture portions.

Dryer was also very instrumental in the founding of The Chicago Evangelization Society (Now Moody Bible Institute)  Emma Dryers Bible Work was eventually incorporated into the Chicago Bible Society and Dryer was a member of the CBS Board of Directors for many years.

Her inspiring Life Story is now available in a nine minute online Video and DVD produced by the Sunlite Broadcasting Network for the Chicago Bible Society.  You can view it now by clicking on the Global Bible TV icon on the front page of the Chicago Bible Society Website.
Click here  Chicago Bible Society Website

CBS - A Truly Non Demoninational Outreach in Chicago

Since our founding, over 170 years ago, the Chicago Bible Society has worked with many Christian Denominations, Churches, and ministries  in the Chicagoland area.

Our website proclaims, "The Chicago Bible Society is a non-denominational outreach that works will all Christians, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestants to increase the reading and understanding of the Bible."

A Good Example of this is our Recent Lenten Bible Study Series held at Two Downtown Chicago Churches.  The Speaker's included Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, United Methodist Chicago Temple Pastor Phil Blackwell, pictured to the right of Cardinal George (CBS Executive Director Ken Oliver is on the left) Rev. Donald Senior, President of Catholic Theological University in Hyde Park, and Rev. Christine Chakoian, Pastor First Presbyterian Church in Lake Forest.

The Series entitled "Journey to the Cross" was a special 4-part Bible Study series on meaningful events in Christ's life leading up to Good Friday and the Cross as portrayed in the four Gospels.

The well attended sessions were held at St. Peter's Church in the Loop (the first two sessions) and Chicago Temple United Methodist church on West Washington Street across from Daley Plaza. You can view all four presentations by clicking on this link http://vimeo.com/channels/globalbibletv

Bringing The Bible to an Online World

The new generation is online and connected in a way that amazes those over forty. While the older crowd is using smart phones and connecting through facebook, those in the twenties and thirties generation see the internet as their primary communication tool.  They use the internet to read and to find our about spiritual issues. To reach this new internet generation with God's Word you must be online.

     This year, Chicago Bible Society launched the New Media project to reach those who are unlikely to pick up a printed Bible but who are seeking to know about God's Word.  We have added a "Bible Online" page to our website that provides links to "YouVersion" and electronic edition of the Bible available in more than 40 versions and languages.  We also have links to other audio and electronic Bibles.  You can go to our website to download the Bible on to your computer,smart phone or iPad for free. We are planning in the near future to have the Bible Available online directly from our website.

     Chicago Bible Society is also working through internet-based social networking to reach and engage people.   Our Facebook page is updated weekly with new information, events and videos.  We recently started the Bible Chicago blog and we will be adding more online content with the Global Bible TV online TV network we started  in partnership with Sunlite Broadcasting of Chicago.  You can also access all of our services on smart phones and iPhones with our new free Bible Society app downloadable from our website.

     The remarkable thing about the New Media Project is the relatively low cost of production and the high impact across a broad spectrum.  Although the list of new media products sounds impressive, we are able to do this for about 5% of our total program budget.  With less than 12 months of operation, we have seen the number of visitors (especially first time visitors) increase dramtically to thousands each month.

     As successful as this project has been on a small budget, we would like to expand this operation in 2012.  Your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciated.  You can make your donation safely and securely using a credit card or e-check using the PayPal donate button on our website,Chicago Bible Society  

You can also contact Executive Director, Ken Oliver by phone (312)573-8809 or by e-mail Donate to Chicago Bible Society

 

Honoring Emma Dryer of The Chicago Bible Society

Most Christians in Chicago are familiar with Evangelist DL Moody who founded the famous Moody Bible Institute.

What most people do not know is that Miss Emiline Dryer was the driving force behind the founding of that school in the late 1800's.  Fewer still know that Emma Dryer founded a ministry that reached poor people on the West Side of Chicago including substance abusers and prostitutes. I'd say that nobody knows she was on the Board of Directors of The Chicago Bible Society, which eventually took over that work upon Dryer's retirement. The following is an interesting insight about her committment to Bible work found online:

Dryer quickly rose to a place of high position in Chicago. She became superintendent of the YWCA in November, 1871. She worked with the Chicago Evangelization society, which eventually became Moody Bible Institute. Emma was also on the board of the Chicago Bible Society, as the only woman among twenty-eight other men. She worked very closely with Moody, R.A. Torrey, Dr. Moorehead, and the other bosses who were doing evangelistic work in Chicago during the late 1800s.

Dryer also “corresponded with groups and individuals all over the country.” She was very involved in fundraising, and often wrote personal thank you notes to her supporters. Many of these letters were long and contained a clear outline of the Gospel. Emma wanted to take every chance she had to share the Gospel with everyone she encountered. Even writing thank you notes was an opportunity for ministry for her. At the top of her stationary were both a Bible verse and a short quote. The verse was from Philippians, “Holding forth the Word of Life.” The quote was “Unlike all other books, the Bible is it’s own interpreter.” Dryer wanted everything in her life to flow out of the Bible. Her goal was to share the Bible with as many as she could.

Chicago Bible Society New Media Director Allan Winters plans to produce a video (DVD and online) documenting the long term (she lived to be nearly 90 years old) Ministry of Emma Dryer in Chicago.