For the past year, I’ve joined Bible Society Australia (BSA) as one of three interns across the Group’s brands and teams. Spending several weeks with Eternity News, Koorong, the Marketing/Communications and Fundraising teams, Centre for Public Christianity and much more, we’ve learned about the work of BSA and have enjoyed contributing to each team.

As we wrap up our time at Bible Society Australia for 2021, we’ve been reflecting on how we’ve grown and what we’ve learned.

In summary: a lot. Here are three things we have learned from BSA this year.

1. God is still building his kingdom — and it’s a good one

It’s possible — probable, even — that you’re not feeling great about the state of Christianity in the west. It feels like the numbers of people who express their faith are declining by the hour in the face of increasing hostility, and there’s not much hope on the horizon. It might feel as if God has stopped moving, or working, or let us down.

We’ve learned, loud and clear: he hasn’t.

He hasn’t stopped working! He’s still building his kingdom, soul by soul, day by day, as he wills it. He’s working in countless ways through his Word and by his Spirit in ordinary people across Australia and the world, right now.

He’s working in the Christian hostel for seasonal workers in regional Tasmania that offers lodgers the chance to experience Christian hospitality and, after dinner together, study the Bible in their own language (with Bibles provided by BSA), often for the first time in their lives.

And he’s working in the lives of thousands of young Australian Christians who are being challenged, encouraged and equipped every year through Bible Society’s Masterclass events across the country.

But it’s not just ‘out there’ that he’s working. We’ve experienced a small taste of the goodness of life in the kingdom in our year at BSA. We’ve heard dozens of people’s stories of faith, life and work, and been reminded how God truly does work all things together for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28).

The clearest marker of Kingdom living at BSA? We’ve never once been sent on a coffee run, but have been shouted a coffee by many colleagues and bosses!

2. Our work and mission matters

You might not think proofreading dozens of reports to be the most thrilling way to spend a Thursday afternoon, but would it make a difference if the reports were about successful Bible translation projects in Indigenous communities across Australia, or the creation of a Christian library in Vietnam?

For us, it did. That’s because at every point along the way, we could clearly connect our work with our mission: to impact and influence Australia and the world by Opening The Bible to all people everywhere by all means possible.

What a joy it has been to spend our days working for God’s glory in Australia and all the nations.

3. There’s more treasure to be found

Every Wednesday at 11am, our team across the country comes together to take an hour to pause, open the Bible, and pray together — Weekly Devotions.

At a recent devotions, CPX Senior Research Fellow Mark Stephens reflected on the richness of God’s Word. Just when you think you understand a complex theological topic, you find something new. Or when you’re at your wits end, he speaks.

When you’re reading the gold-plated words of the Creator of the universe in the Bible, there’s more treasure to be found.

Appropriately, this belief in the power, depth and beauty of God’s word is the beating heart of BSA.

What a treasure it is.

 

Written by Anthony, an intern at Bible Society Australia and in his final year of a Bachelor of Arts at Sydney University.

Applications for the Bible Society 2022 Internship Program are now open! Full details are available at biblesociety.org.au/internship