It's Raining Bibles

It's not literally raining Bibles here in Blayney, but i wish it would! I was trying to think of a catchy title to match my blog post and I heard the song "it's raining men" at the cafe I had lunch at today and the two just kind of meshed together... so um...sorry.
Yes today I had a cafe lunch. Pasta with pesto if you're interested. I was having lunch with a Mum of one of the kids from youth
 (so I can claim that as a work expense yes? :) ). Lets call this lovely lady MsK.
I had met MsK before when her son had been hospitalised with a broken leg. Not the normal kind of broken leg mind you, but the 'broken in three places... will take months of recovery' kind of break. I went to visit her son in hospital as he was one of my youth kids. Being new to this I'm not good with unsaved family members and praying in front of them, so I was kind of hoping he would be alone. No such luck.
Anyway she was there. And I visited with the boy, although he was very drugged up from pain killers and probably cant recall much of what I said. So most of the visiting was done with Mum. Mum knew I was the youth pastor so made every reference to the Bible or church or God she possibly could, even telling me about her sons going to a Catholic school and counting the parent/teacher visits as religious experiences.
THEN after this event where I wasn't feeling very evangelistic at all, she facebook friended me. Or I did her. I can't remember.
As usual I observed her online life, and she mine, quite politely and casually. She must have noted all my church activity. And then she got my attention. She asked to come along to a church run toddler music program. And she doesn't have a toddler. This is one hungry spirit.
So, having used facebook once again to find out her birthday is forthcoming, I redirected her from the toddler event to lunch with me. Which was today.
I was a little nervous going in. But I had a plan. It was her birthday, I'll give her a present. A Bible.
I always keep a stash of NICE Bibles in my youth gear, in case anyone asks some questions. I never want someone to have questions and not walk away with the answer. Literally. So I chose a lovely blue one in faux blue leather and gave it to her for her birthday.
Why am i telling you this? Because giving away Bibles is very effective. Its my most effective weapon. (It is a sword of the spirit mind you). And not just any old crappy cheap Bible. (Can you say crappy and Bible in the same sentence?) But nice leather look ones, and not ones that have HOLY BIBLE written in bold type across the front.
I give them out to kids who just even ask one spiritual question. I give them out to kids if I have asked one question and they have politely participated in the conversation. I give them out to kids if they raise a hand during praise and worship, or close one eye, or sing a line of one song. I give Bibles to kids who already have one but they haven't read it in ages, because they probably are uninspired by the ordinary religious looking cover. Kids are funny that way. And now I give them out to Mums. And Dads. Anybody really.
Kids are coming to our mid week Bible study to find out how to read them, and comparing them with their friend's one. Kids are reading their Bible at school. Kids are writing down scripture for each other during class (!) and passing it along as notes. I REALLY hope a teacher confiscates one and reads it to the class. Kids are asking for Bibles for their friends. I even heard one kid asked his Dad about something in the Bible, and his Dad dusted off an old family Bible, after years of un-use, and they started to discuss it together.
So, Bibles are trickling in Blayney, if not raining yet. Some things i have learnt.

• Point a new Bible reader to start in the gospels.
• Tell them its not a book but a library, and not to read it from cover to cover.
• Include a bookmark with it if it doesnt have one, maybe make your own with a reading plan on it.
• Have some home Bible studies handy for those who want more.
• Write your name in the front and the date, with a Bible verse for them to look up.
• Show them how to look up a Bible verse.
• Because you gave them the Bible, this gives you social rights now, to ask "How is your Bible reading going?". Do it. Often.

Some Bibles I give away i don't see any fruit from. But I'm estimating about at least 75% of them have had an impact. That's a huge percentage. Especially if I wasn't giving out any to begin with. Besides I cling to the truth "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11
Where do i get the cash to buy all these Bibles? Sometimes I use youth funds. Sometimes I encourage church members to donate to the cause. But most of the time I buy them myself. I can get a really cute Bible for under $25 from eBay or Koorong, or even the Bible Gateway website (the shopping section). One each pay week at least and I have rarely run out. I know there are cheaper Bibles, but how something looks makes a difference. And its says something about how you value the person your giving it to when its cute and colourful, or for the guys.. subtle and strong in appearance. I'll pay a few extra $ for someone to get some truth.
So MsK has a Bible. And I'm praying for her to give her heart to God. But I'll sleep a little better at night now knowing in her hands she holds all the answers, more than any lunch date I could ever have given her.