For about 6 days, between 12-18 October 2023, leaders of national Bible societies belonging to the United Bible Societies (UBS) attended the UBS General Council in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. This General Council ended a long seven-year wait since the last General Council in Philadelphia, USA in 2016. Around 390 participants, including 147 representatives from various Bible institutes around the world, attended the Council. In addition to the Bible institutes, church representatives and key UBS partner organisations were also present.
Since the last session in Philadelphia, much has changed. Global pandemics, economic crises, natural disasters, violent conflicts and wars, and political unrest have made Good News ministry more difficult and more obstacles have emerged. However, Bible Mission is still important!
Because so much has changed since 2016, Bible Societies must realign their ministry priorities with the needs of the people and the reality of the mission of spreading the Good News around the world in 2023 and beyond.
The theme of this General Council is "The Word of God: Reconciliation for the World ’.The theme of the Council is ‘God's Word: Reconciliation for the World’: Bible Translation, Bible Engagement (Engagement), Diaspora Communities, Creation Care and Preservation, Bible Institute Mission Sustainability & Distribution, and Digital Transformation.
The World Assembly is an important event in the life of UBS ministry. It is through the General Assembly that strategic decisions are usually made that unify the direction of Bible institutes and Good News mission ministries around the world. Through the General Assembly, Bible institutes around the world can share and strengthen each other in developing better ministries in their respective regions in the future. The assembly opened with a service of thanksgiving and opening that invited all members to thank God for the progress in Bible mission and continued conversations in group and plenary meetings to discuss future ministry plans.
On the 4th day of the trial, 16 October 2023, LAI General Secretary, Dr Sigit Triyono was given the opportunity to appear and share LAI's ministry in the talk show Mission Resilliance. Through Pak Sigit's presentation, all participants became more aware of LAI's ministry and the challenges of Good News ministry in Indonesia. Among UBS member countries, LAI is arguably one of the largest Bible organisations, with more than 200 employees, not counting partners and volunteersministries in various cities. LAI also has its own Bible printing press in Nanggewer, Bogor. Not every Bible institute in the world has a printing unit.LAI also has its own Bible printing plant in Nanggewer, Bogor.
UBS was formed in the midst of a gathering of Bible institutes from various nations in 1946 in Sussex, England to unite the vision and mission of Good News ministry around the world. Each general assembly has its own significance in the history of UBS and its members, including in this case the LAI.
At the previous General Assembly in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Charter was confirmed and approved, emphasising the six ministry mandates of the Bible Societies and providing direction for the Bible Societies in the face of a rapidly changing world. Let us pray that through this Council in Egmond Aan Zee, new creative decisions will be made that will guide the ministries of Bible institutes in facing the challenges of the future.
