By Rev. Lenita Tiong

Recently a friend called me to pick my brains, so she said. She has been going to this particular Methodist Church for a number of years and last week, happened to pick up a Bible from the pew. On the inside page, it read “Property of xxx Methodist Church. Please do not remove”. It upset her as she shared that if someone is materially needy enough to take a Bible, then the church should allow him/her to take it. But if someone wants to steal it, then the person would be spiritually impoverished and thus equally in need of it.

“So, as a pastor, what is your response?” she challenged me.

The conversation set me thinking as I remembered many other stories of missing Bibles.

Years ago, when I was worshipping at Wesley Methodist Church, Singapore, a friend discovered that his car was broken into during lunch time. Only his briefcase was stolen. In it were his camera, some paperwork and his Bible. Although the Bible had sentimental value, he was glad that the thief had stolen it. “He needs it more than me!” was his immediate response.
 
Then I heard this story from a Dutch friend. As a young non-Christian man, he fell in love with a Christian girl. But the girl rejected him, telling him that she would not marry a non Christian man. She left Holland and went off to Africa to serve while he, in his anger and hurt, left Holland and went as far as he could in the other direction. As a young executive in Asia, his company sent him traveling around the region. One day, when he was in Sibu he found a Bible in his hotel room. With cynicism about this book that had influenced the girl he loved, he silently challenged God to show him what’s so great and special about this one book. He spent that night reading through the book of John and within that week, he was so convicted of the reality of Jesus Christ that he sought out a pastor to discuss his new found faith. A few years later, he met his lost love in a church in Singapore and they both glowingly testified to the goodness of God in bringing them together. But he had a confession to make; he “stole” the Bible from the hotel room so he could finish reading it. He, of course wrote to the Gideon’s International to “confess his sin.” When I met him, he proudly showed me the “stolen Bible” as evidence of the faithfulness of God.

Then sometime last year I heard this “stolen Bible” story from the MV Doulos.The ship had gone to Malawi, Africa years ago and without their knowledge a little boy having no money to buy any book, stole one. About 10 years later when the ship went back to the country, a young man came on board and sought to speak to the captain. The young man confessed his sin of stealing the book and told how as he read the book, he not only learnt that his act was wrong but also learnt of the forgiveness and redemption available to him in Jesus Christ. Years after being a Christian, he decided to dedicate his life to serving God, entered seminary and became a pastor. He then handed the stolen book back to the captain; it was a dog-eared copy of the Bible!

In researching for this article I wrote to the Doulos International Office to verify the above story and received the following reply - There are several stolen Bible stories
 
“When the Logos docked in Cagayan de Oro (Philippines), my brother and I went to steal books not buy them. I took a little book with the title “Goodbye World”, which was abort future events. My brother stole a Bible. I found that verses in my little book were from his big one. 

The verse that attracted me so much is in Rev. 20:15 “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” It troubled my mind, I did not want to go to hell. Maybe this Book of life is on the Logos, I thought. I looked for help and spoke with a pastor. He helped me study the Bible and I prayed to the Lord. As a result of my testimony many of us got saved. Six of us are now pastors!” 

Pastor L, Bible Study Fellowship,
Mindanao, Philippines

While making advance preparations for this port, Joel met a gentleman who was the brother of a woman who had stolen a Christian book from the book exhibition of the original LOGOS. She had taken it home, read it, and believed in Jesus. She is now a pastor in St. Kitts, but because of her work schedule, she was unable to visit the LOGOS II while in port.

Basseterre, Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis
21 - 24 June 1996

So, what is the verdict? Should we encourage the “stealing” of Bibles? Should we be glad when our Bibles go for a walk from the church?

I know many churches face the challenge of missing Bibles and Hymnals and I know the cost involved in replacing these items. But yet again, it’s the Bible itself that tells us, the gospel … is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: (Romans 1:16)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Tim 3:16)

In Cambodia, Bibles are definitely “worth” stealing. A Bible can cost anything from USD6 to USD18 for a leather bound one. They are beyond the means of an average church member and most churches have very limited supply of Bibles – maybe 5 or 10 copies and yes, Bibles do go for a walk too.

In the past few years, the practice at our Bible school is for the school to buy Bibles in bulk and then “sell” them to the students at USD1 each.

Another organization is also selling the Bibles at the same price on condition that the person buying it must complete a small booklet of questions on the Christian faith. Anyone can collect the booklet for free and be given a small New Testament. When the completed booklet is submitted, a soft cover Bible can then be purchased at USD1 each. 

The Roman Church had placed the Bible only in the hands of the priests, giving the priests the final authority in reading and interpreting the Scriptures. But John Wycliffe, John Hus, Martin Luther, William Carey, Robert Morrison and hundreds of unknown translators have labored and are continuing to labor so that Bibles can be placed in the hands of the common folks in a language that they can understand.

Can the Church today say “Do not remove” or should we stamp in all our Bibles “Take it, read it and ingest it as you need it”?

Lenita is an Elder with the Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference. She served as the Academic Dean at the Cambodian Methodist Bible School, Phnom Penh from 2001 – 2006 and is currently back home in Sarawak caring for her elderly mother.