WASHINGTON - The American Bible Society has defended another Bible ministry's efforts to distribute Scripture through secular newspapers in the US after hearing that the project was receiving complaints from some Christians.
International Bible Society and Send the Light (IBS-STL), which merged earlier this year, are planning to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to distribute New Testament Bibles with 11 newspapers this year and next.
The Bible ministry's "City Reachers" project aims to reach newspaper subscribers in eight regions next year. Three others, including one in Fort Worth, Texas, are scheduled this year.
"The American Bible Society (ABS) wholeheartedly supports the CityReachers' initiative to distribute Scripture through newspapers," stated the Rev Dr Paul Irwin, president of ABS, in a statement released to Christian Today. "The effort ensures that people will have access to the Bible and the opportunity to experience its life-changing message."
The Bible society leader's comments were made after hearing that there was an outcry against IBS-STL's project coming from one of the least expected sources - Christians.
Bob Ray Sanders, vice president and associate editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which announced in May that it would deliver more than 200,000 New Testaments the last Sunday of the year, said some worried that the Bibles tossed on the lawn with the newspaper would be thrown away.
"I expected that we'd get some criticism, but I thought it would be coming from people who were not Christian or not religious at all. Many of the complaints we got were from people who were Christian and didn't like the idea," said Sanders, according to The Associated Press.
