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1. A Message from the Chairman & CEO

2. Financial Overview

3. Oceania Alliance

3. Language and Translations

4. Engagement

5. Advocacy & Capacity Building

5. Distribution

6. Emergency

7. Download the Report

A Message from the
Chairman & CEO

It has been a big and exciting year for Bible Society. Like everyone, the first half of the financial year was trying to recalibrate as we moved in and out of lockdowns, state border closures and a new strain of the COVID virus. All our mission partners, both local and international, have also been seriously impacted by the pandemic.

This report captures the efforts our partners made to resume their literacy classes, distribution of Bibles, translation work and other service delivery programs as soon as they could last year. This year - the second half of the financial year - most projects had found their equilibrium and you will see from both the data and the narrative, that God’s word is changing lives, both young and old.

We want to thank you for your financial and prayerful support as together we partner in this vital work. We want to thank our boards in PNG, South Pacific and Australia for their willingness to embrace the Oceania Alliance.
Also, we want to thank our staff for their dedication in serving Bible Society and Koorong each and every day.

For all of us - staff, board members, volunteers, supporters - our desire is for all people to know God’s word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was with God in the Beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1-4, NIV).

In partnership, we seek to introduce people to that light. Let us continue to work and to pray for that outcome, because as we know, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”. (John 1:5, NIV).

— Grant Thomson

Financial Overview

Mission expenditure (9.2M)

Mission expenditure
by area

39.4% Engagement (3.6M)
31% Advocacy/Capacity Building (2.8M)
17.8% Distribution (1.7M)
11.8% Translation (1.1M)

Mission expenditure
by region

53.1% Australia (4.9M)
22% Asia Pacific (2M)
12.6% Africa (1.2M)
7.9% Middle East (0.7M)
3.1% Europe (0.3M)
1.3% Central America (0.1M)

Mission funding
by source

Oceania Alliance

"We envision a South Pacific that works together. Through this Alliance there are many changes we are implementing...so that it brings about a more collaborative Bible Society and it enables us to work more closely together.”

- Geoffry Miller, General Secretary, BSSP

Oceania Alliance

Building together for the Kingdom
Bible Society Australia, Papua New Guinea and South Pacific have come together to form the Oceania Alliance in one of the most impactful decisions of this past financial year.  

The three Bible Societies believe this partnership will have powerful ramifications for the communities they serve both now and into the future. It comes from an open heart and a commitment to Gospel Unity.

The new Oceania Alliance will enable greater collaboration and sharing of resources, strengthening Bible Society teams to better fulfil their visions.  

Bible Society South Pacific serves 16 Island Nations across the whole ocean body of the Pacific. 290 languages are spoken, but many have no Scripture translation.
For Bible Society Papua New Guinea, the challenge lays in the 300 languages with no Bible translation and the 400+ other languages with some translation and a vast need for greater Scripture engagement resources.  

The only way the needs of PNG and the South Pacific can be met is through coordination and collaboration at both the regional and national levels, partnering with other non-UBS Bible agencies, especially in relation to translation and engagement.  

The partnership agreements will be based upon language need analysis and the subsequent publication and engagement requirements.  

Ultimately, as the three Bible Societies work to a five year Oceania Region Strategy what will be sought is sustainable impact, effectiveness, efficiency and continuity of local ministry leadership.
Jaques’ Story

74-year-old Bible translator, Jacques, lives in the Marquesas Islands near Tahiti. He has been waiting for the Bible in his language since 1995.

“We Marquesas Islanders have been Christians for over 150 years, but we do not yet have the full Bible in our language.”

Language Translations

Bible Society Australia is committed to seeing God’s word translated  into the heart language of as many people as possible, so all may have a chance to Open The Bible in the  most meaningful, understandable  and heartfelt way possible.
45 of 53
Indigenous Australian languages with Scripture translated now have audio options.
19.9 million
people
could be impacted by the Saraiki Bible Translation in Pakistan, due for completion in 2025
7 new translators
in Papua New Guinea joined the Tok Pisin Bible Translation team, focusing on 20 books

International

Myanmar
Bible Society Myanmar is making progress with two much longed and prayed for Bible translations, the Khongso and the Asang Kongso New Testaments.
‍
Despite COVID-19 and the military coup delaying translation work (travel was not possible, and electricity, internet connection, and phone connection in the area non-existent) the projects have advanced in 2022.
‍
The plan is that by the beginning of 2023 the Asang (Khongso) people will have the New Testament in their own language for the first time, and they can come to know more about God’s love for them.

In the first half of the year, despite the unrest in the country, the translation of the New Testament into the Khongso language was completed as well as team reviews for 12 books, with consultant checks of six. By the end of June, the team reviews and consultant checks were also complete.

Australia

Pitjantjatjara Old Testament Translation Project
The Pitjantjatjara Old Testament Translation is progressing well. In the first half of 2022, a final draft of the book of Judges was completed in Pitjantjatjara, and 50% of first and second drafts of 2 Samuel.
‍
98% of the front translation (the preliminary step in preparation for target language translation) of the Pitjantjatjara Old Testament Project was completed by June.
10,000+ people will be impacted by this Translation work.  
‍
Nyoongar Translation (SW coast of WA)

As the Nyoongar language has been reawakened over the last decade, the number of Nyoongar speakers has doubled to 232 speakers.
‍
The first drafts of the Nyoongar translation of the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5, 6 and 7 were completed, and checks began on these chapters mid-2022. Translation and checks of chapters 1, 2 and 10 were also ready to begin in mid-2022.

Advocacy & Capacity Building

BSA is committed to supporting and building up Bible Societies in other countries. In Australia, BSA advocates for the truth of the gospel through CPX and Eternity.
40 episodes
& 125,000
downloads of Life & Faith podcast and over 1,200 attendees at the national CPX Roadshow events.
8.078 million
people reached through Eternity's digital platforms
56,000
weekly newsletters delivered each month

Distribution

Distributing the Bible to those who are without was a primary motivating factor in the formation of Bible Society Australia, and the work of Bible distribution continues around the world today.
48,000+
people
in Nicaragua received free Scripture while receiving care in the hospital
204,154 Bibles
and 100,000 Gospels designed, printed and reprinted for distribution and sale across Australia and Oceania. 10,000 New Beginnings Bibles distributed across Australia with another 20,000 prints ordered.
380,000 Bibles
purchased  and online sales exceeded FY18-19 by 52.9%

Emergency

Bible Society Australia stands ready to respond to emergency situations around the world, with the provision of God’s word and whatever practical aid is possible to provide.

Ukraine

This project is helping Ukrainians cope with the full-scale and brutal war affecting the whole country and millions of people. Bible Society teams are carrying out field trips in different parts of the country and supplying Scriptures to various partners (churches, volunteer organizations, international missions etc.).

In most cases, this is combined with partners' efforts to provide food, humanitarian aid as well as shelter to displaced people.

From the end of February, Bible Society started giving away all the Scripture they had available immediately - both Scriptures provided for this project, and those intended for sale.

Up to the end of March, 10,647 Scriptures were distributed: 2,301 regular Bibles, 205 Youth Bibles, 2,088 New Testaments and 6,053 children's Bibles in both Ukrainian and Russian.

The Bible, containing words of encouragement and hope, has become a crucial part of wider efforts of all Christian churches and organizations to support the Ukrainian nation at the time of war.
Rostyslav’s Testimony
‍
“Many times, we've heard people sharing that they survived only because of God's protection, of them praying all the time. Most of these people weren't active Christians but all say it was God who spared them, and they are willing to get to know him better. Everyone accepts the Bible with gratitude.”

— Rostyslav,
Ukrainian Bible Society Ministry Resource Facilitator.

Download Full Report