By FABIAN EKERUCHE

The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has unveiled a new mission and vision statements to enhance propagation of the gospel across the country.

Pastor Samuel Sanusi, BSN General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.

According to Sanusi, the new vision statement is to grow a community of Nigerian Christians empowered by the Holy Bible to make positive global impact.

“Our new mission statement is making the Holy Bible available and affordable to Nigerians in their preferred language and format, helping them engage with the word of God through transforming programmes.

“Terrorism, banditry, corruption, kidnapping and mindless killings have become common place in our country,” Sanusi said.

He said that Nigeria needs a community of people who have the fear and wisdom of God to move the country forward politically and economically.

“As we also prepare for the general elections, let us endeavour to elect God fearing men and women.

“I encourage everyone to perform the civic responsibility of voting during the election.

“It is the fear of God that will, to a large extent, banish all forms of evil plaguing the country today,” Sanusi said.

He said that the society had distributed millions of copies of the Bible across the country.

Sanusi added that the BSN would adopt more translation projects as the need arises.

Sanusi said that the society had many transforming programmes that engage people with the Word of God.

Some of these programmes include: Marathon Bible Reading, National Secondary School Bible Quiz and Bible Quiz for the Deaf.

Others are You Can Be Their Eyes Bible Quiz for the Blind and the NYSC competition for serving corps members.

He noted that said as part of efforts to cover wider spectrum and catch them young, the society had the maiden edition of its Bible Competition for primary schools.

“It is our expectations that as people engage with the Bible while preparing for any of these competitions, they will internalise Biblical values and live by them.

“In pursuance of this new vision, we hope to engender national rebirth, reorientation, and slowly but surely grow a community of people empowered by the Holy Spirit for global impact,” Sanusi said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bible society, in tandem with its former mission and vision statements, makes the Word of God available and affordable.

They do this through Bible translation, publishing, distribution, programmes and fundraising.

The society is irrevocably committed to breaking known barriers that make the Bible inaccessible to people.

So far, BSN has translated the full Bible in 26 languages, while translation, revision is ongoing in 10 Nigerian languages.

It costs a minimum of N120 million to complete a translation project, if achieved in 12 years. (NAN)

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