Congressman Commends Biblica on 200 Years of Contributions to U.S.
by Staff
January 15, 2010
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (christiansunite.com) -- U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado entered a proclamation into the U.S. Congressional Record Dec. 16 commending Biblica for its 200 years of "contributions ... made to our country." Biblica celebrated 200 years of Bible ministry Dec. 4, 2009.Photo: Rep. Doug Lamborn, left, presents a plaque commemorating Biblica's 200 years of Bible ministry to Biblica North America President Doug Lockhart on Jan. 11, 2010.
Rep. Lamborn visited Biblica's headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO, on Jan. 11, 2010, to present a plaque to Biblica North America President Doug Lockhart acknowledging the congressional proclamation, which reads as follows:
On December 4, 1809, a small group of concerned citizens met in lower Manhattan to discuss how to make the Bible available to the residents of the city and formed the New York Bible Society, beginning an organization that has been woven into the fabric of United States culture for 200 years.
The New York Bible Society provided Scripture for members of the United States Armed Forces in each conflict, foreign and domestic, since the War of 1812, and in partnership with the United States military chaplaincy, distributed more than 1,000,000 Bibles to members of the Armed Forces looking for courage, guidance, and comfort.
When the gates of Ellis Island opened in 1890, the New York Bible Society greeted new immigrants with a copy of Scripture in their native language, and over the 60 years that followed, provided an average of 160,000 copies of Scripture each year to immigrants.
In 1962, John Glenn lifted off into space with a Bible he received from the New York Bible Society. In 1968, the New York Bible Society sponsored the Committee on Bible Translation, a group responsible for creating the New International Version, which is now the most widely distributed, contemporary English version in the world, with more than 300,000,000 copies in circulation.
The New York Bible Society moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1988 and became the International Bible Society.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the International Bible Society distributed more than 800,000 copies of Scripture to those seeking hope and comfort during one of the darkest moments in United States history. The International Bible Society also provided Scripture to disaster survivors worldwide, including victims of Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
The International Bible Society merged with Living Bibles International and Send the Light and today operates as Biblica.
Biblica is one of the largest distributors of Bibles and biblical resources in the world, operates in 54 countries, and has translated the Bible into more than 100 languages. Biblica is the leading provider of Bible translations on the Internet, providing the Bible in 29 languages to more than 100,000,000 Internet users annually.
It is an honor to recognize Biblica as an integral part of our nation's history and I commend them for the contributions they have made to the United States and around the world.
"I am pleased and honored to recognize an outstanding organization such as Biblica," Rep. Lamborn said following the January 11 presentation. "I'm also happy to have made this statement a permanent part of our nation's record."
About Biblica (formerly International Bible Society) Biblica's vision is to transform lives through God's Word by translating, producing, and distributing Bibles, Scripture materials, and other Christian resources through ministry, distribution, and retail channels so people around the world may become disciples of Jesus Christ. Biblica operates in 46 countries and is the sponsor and copyright holder of the New International VersionĀ® family of contemporary-English Bible translations. For more information, visit www.Biblica.com.