‘Year of the Bible 2020 and Beyond’ has officially been launched. And according to one of its authors, this book is ‘one for the ages’.
A compilation from four authors, ‘Year of the Bible’ highlights various biblical principles, emphasizes its importance and relevance, and urges individuals to embrace the truth of Jesus Christ who Christians declare as their Lord and Saviour.
The book was launched in Sans Souci on Thursday March 16 at the District Education Office.
Here is the main takeaway according to Stephen Lambert, one of the book’s contributors:
“We gave our take on a number of issues that are happening in the country; some of them talk about abortion, some of them talk about the ills in the country—how the church is or is not responding to (societal ills), (we) talk about the relevance of the church in today’s society and I also did a session on the Gospel According to John which talks about the deity of Jesus (and) how we have to look to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith,” Lambert said in an interview with THE VOICE.
Lambert is also the Chairman of the Year of the Bible 2020 Committee.
“The committee met in September 2019 (and) we decided we were going to get the ‘Year of the Bible’ going the following year. We met at Constitution Park (on) January 19 and we launched it as the ‘Year of the Bible’. Of course, Covid was on and a lot of the things we wanted to do we couldn’t, but we wrote articles… some (were published) in THE VOICE Newspaper,” Lambert explained; others were written after.
These articles were included in the ‘Year of the Bible’.
“We wrote most of these articles in the year 2020 so that’s why we have them in that booklet,” Lambert said.
The book, he noted, is apt in 2023, and was also fitting in 2020, the years before that, and will be for years to come.
“It is relevant beyond the year 2020. As far we’re concerned it (can) go all the way to 2030,” Lambert said.
“We would like people to support it. We’re charging a very small amount; the actual printing cost so much more. Literally we’re making just $1.00 on every book because we’re really not doing it for the money, we want to bring the word out to people so (it’s) just a small fee of $25.00 per book,” he said, noting that “it has a lot of information in it. Those men of God put their whole heart into it. I think it’s a classic edition and it’s men from different denominations but the central theme of their writings is the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The book was written by The Very Reverend Dr. Seth Ampadu (who is now back in Ghana), Elder Robert Lee, Pastor Andrew Sealy and Lambert (as noted earlier).
“Reverend Ampadu has seven articles in the book, Elder Lee has two, Andrew Sealy has four and I have one. What they probably would not preach strongly on they have written powerfully (about). It is my honour and pleasure to present to you the book ‘Year of the Bible 2020 and Beyond.’
I pray that you will be able to learn from us what we’ve learnt over the years, learn from those men of God who have given us a lot of their thoughts and their visions; what they see wrong in the country… I think they are honest men. They really spoke on what was in their heart and we need that kind of thing in Saint Lucia these days,” Lambert told the audience.
Sealy also made it clear that “the Bible is the answer for today’s problems… God has not left us to our own devices, He’s given us His (Word) and we are hoping that… (this) little token of our efforts (would) really bring people back to the Bible.”
“When I was growing up there was religious knowledge in all of our schools… today we’ve really distanced ourselves from the Bible and religious instruction in most of the schools and I believe this is one of the reasons why we have such turbulence in our society today because young people are growing up without being exposed to the truth of God’s Word. A lot of them have lost their moral compass (and) they do not know which way to turn,” Sealy added, further emphasizing that the Bible is the answer to humankind’s problems.
“I am hoping that those of us who are here would be able to put our hands together and try to get these books distributed as widely as possible so that people could begin to at least think about the Bible again, read it, let it influence their lives and I’m sure that it would redound to improvement in their social life, economic life, political life—all aspects of life here in Saint Lucia,” he said.
Wousdel Louis, Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army (a guest speaker at the event), stressed on the importance of the Bible and encouraged individuals “to read the Word of God in order to have more understanding because the Bible says if my people understand the scriptures it will be a better way for them to live.”
“Most of us are dying in the world because we don’t know what the Bible says… it is good for us (that) those leaders put themselves together in one accord to publish something that can help the whole island,” Louis stated.
Robert Lee echoed Louis’ message. And whilst many individuals reject what they (authors) propose (accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour), Lee stated that it (their message) is nothing but the truth.
“We kept saying that it’s important that this side in which we live is reminded of the Bible and what it is. When I look around at our world today the whole world is falling apart. Very few people really believe in the solution we offer —we have to be realistic about that,” Lee stated.
“People (say) we need more employment, more education, more arts and they’re not wrong, but we as Christians—the church, are the most basic fundamental level; those who believe that Jesus Christ is God with us, the Son of God, the only Saviour crucified for us. He was sinless, He died for our sins and He rose to life. Because Jesus rose from the dead nothing can ever be the same again and we believe that the Bible was given to us from God and we stand on the authority of scripture,” Lee added.