• Christmas blessings
  We wish you all a blessed Christmas, and a healthy and happy New Year. This is a good time of year to think about the birth of the saviour of the world.
• The New Life class
  Join us on Sundays from 11.30-12.30.
• Video – Sunday December 21
  Mary Magdalene acts as both narrator and participant in “Magdalena: Released from Shame”, as she traces through the story of lives that have come into contact with Jesus, and have been powerfully released from shame...
• Christmas service
  Our Christmas service for this year is planned for Christmas Eve.
• Shop closed for three weeks
  The Dandenong Bible Education Centre will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve and reopen at 10am on Monday January 19. During this time it will open as usual each Sunday.
• Course information for term 1
  Watch your letterbox in the middle of January for information about term 1 courses for next year. Don't forget to book in!
• Christmas stock
  Christmas cards and a variety of calendars are now available.
• The Difference
  A poem.
• Jumbled Words for Christmas
  Can you unjumble the letters below to find words about the birth of Jesus?
• Suggested Scripture Reading
  Christmas is the ideal time to read about the birth of Jesus. Both Matthew and Luke told of the time when Jesus was young.

View the newsletter as a PDF document (105 KB)

• Bible Study Weekend
  Join us for an enjoyable Bible Study weekend! Friday November 7 – Sunday November 9. The topic is Josiah.
• The New Life class
  Each Sunday from 11.30-12.30 we hold a class covering a variety of Bible topics. All who attend are invited to stay to share lunch with us. Read the full article to find out the topics.
• Larger shelves and more stock
  Visit our centre to see the expanded range of stock for sale and loan. Don't forget there are items in English and a variety of other languages. Some of the DVDs are in a number of languages – maybe the language you like to speak at home. Come and see! With Christmas coming, now is the time to see if we have a present suitable for your loved ones, or to borrow an item from the library.
• Downloadable Bible messages
  Download 10 minute bible messages from our website. Log on to www.biblecourses.com.au/audio/btb and download the audio file that you wish to listen to.
• Money
  World economies are in chaos. You may be wondering what will happen to your investments, your superannuation and your standard of living. The Bible has much to say about money. Come into the shop to collect a leaflet entitled “What is better than money” to find out more.
• Why do problems come?
  The Bible recounts the lives of men and women. Some of them were faithful; some were not. Either way, they had problems in their lives. For that’s how it is meant to be.
• Did you know?
  Read the full article to find out!
• God's love
  A nice poem about God’s love.
• Christmas is coming!
  Come and learn about Christmas traditions and compare them with the facts! Join us then for a Christmas service.

View the newsletter as a PDF document (73 KB)

“Give me some of that stew”

What does a demand for stew have to do with the children who attend Bible Explorers each Sunday?

On the occasion of the Bible Explorers’ concert on September 14 the children were performing a simple musical about the life of the Old Testament twin brothers Jacob and Esau. Through drama and song they were able to show the audience some of what they have been learning at Bible Explorers each week. In Old Testament times the oldest son received the “birthright” – the right to inherit a double portion of his father’s property and power. Jacob, the younger son, wanted his brother Esau’s birthright. When Esau asked for some stew when he returned from hunting in the fields, Jacob arranged to swap his stew for Esau’s birthright.

A happy afternoon was spent watching the children’s enactment of these Bible stories, seeing them being awarded their prizes and enjoying afternoon tea. Bible Explorers runs each Sunday from 11.30-12.30. We welcome new enrolments.

Bible Mission Work - learn more. Saturday October 11

Have you ever wondered what missionaries do? What has that to do with the Bible anyway?

Here at the Dandenong Bible Education Centre we are very keen on mission work - mission work at home, here in Australia, and mission work in many poor countries of the world.

That’s why we want to show you more! Come along on our Open Day (with a mission focus) to learn more about what is happening around the world. We plan to be open from 11am - 2pm, so you have plenty of time to come and join in. Don’t forget to bring your children, grandchildren or the neighbours’ children, because there will be special activities for them. If you wish to have the children coming to Bible Explorers each Sunday, ask for an enrolment form. At lunch time, have a chat whilst munching on a sausage fresh from the barbeque.

On Open Day you can join the lending library for a once off fee of only $5. Browse through our free literature (both in English and some other languages) and take what you wish to read. Look at the Bibles, books, cards and gifts for sale. Of particular interest to many are the foreign language Bibles. One table will have items for sale which were handmade in Bangladesh - beautiful cross stitch bookmarks, necklaces and cards.

Above all, ask any questions you may have of the friendly staff. These could be questions about the Bible, or about overseas mission work. Enjoy yourself and learn more on October 11!

Stop Press

A “porta-BEC” has just opened in South Africa. What’s that? It’s a portable Bible Education Centre which has been created using a 6m shipping container in Port Elizabeth. This moveable centre can take God’s message of hope to those who need to hear it.

What a great idea!

Painting the logo at the porta-BEC

Mission Sunday - October 12

Following on from Open Day is Mission Sunday. Our usual church service begins at 9.30am, followed by morning tea and the New Life Class at 11.30am. The leader for this session has recently visited Bangladesh as a missionary so the class is sure to be full of interesting information. The speaker says that it will be suitable for young and old alike, so feel free to bring children. Those usually involved in the Bible Explorers’ classes will be joining in the mission Sunday activities. A multicultural lunch is planned to follow.

Support workers in Bangladesh – buy handmade items

Did you know that it is estimated that there are over 150 million people in the small country of Bangladesh? Under one percent of these are Christian. Bangladesh is one of the poorest and least developed nations of the world. During monsoons about two thirds of the land is flooded. Whilst this helps to supply water for the rice crops, it makes life extremely difficult for those living there. Many of these people find it hard to feed and clothe their families. Some people earn money by using their creative talents to make items for sale.

At Open Day on October 11, 11am-2pm, there will be a table of items made in Bangladesh for sale. These will include beautiful cards, cross stitch bookmarks and jewellery. Come in and have a look!

Bible Education Centres around the world

Australia is not the only country to have a “Bible Education Centre”. In South Africa there are four. There is one in Cambodia and another in Korea. In Hyderabad, India, is a Bible Centre. Missionary workers from countries like Australia work in these centres with those who live there, to help others to learn about the Bible and find out that there is hope for the future. Often people in the poorer countries of the world feel the need of God more than those who seem to have plenty, like in Australia. However the need is just as great here – we all sin, and will all die, so we all need the saving work of Jesus Christ. With this hope we can live a meaningful life now and also look forward to eternal life in God’s kingdom on earth when Jesus returns. Maybe you haven’t visited our centre to find out what is being offered. See what we are enthusiastic about!

Open Day (October 11, 11am-2pm)

The Bible Centre in Hyderabad, India

Durban Bible Education Centre, South Africa

Help for those less fortunate than us

Meal-a-Day Academy in Monrovia, Liberia	The Nalondo School for Handicapped Children, Kenya
	Moinabad children’s home, A.P., India

While it is most important to tell others of God’s message of hope as found in the Bible, it is also important to help with the physical needs of the poor. Jesus said that when you do good to others you are doing good to him! Overseas mission work includes many areas of help. Christadelphians run schools for the handicapped, homes for orphans, leprosy clinics, resources for the blind, nutrition drinks for children and so on. Information about some of these projects can be found on the websites listed at the bottom of this page. Want to know more? Ask us! Come to the Dandenong Bible Education Centre:

Open Day

October 11, 11am-2pm

New Life Class topics (Sundays 11.30-12.30)

October 5	Spotlight on the Bible: Josiah’s stand for truth
October 12	Mission Sunday
October 19	How archaeology helps confirm your faith
October 26	Christian living: pride and humility
November 2	Modesty - what guidance does the Bible give?
November 9	The Sermon on the Mount
November 16	Did God really write the Bible?
November 23	Global warming
November 30	Jesus: lamb of God

Some interesting websites

p2pearth.blogspot.com
www.agapeinaction.com
www.thisisyourbible.com
www.meal-a-day.org
www.thechristadelphians.org/cbmsa
bethezer.blogspot.com
www.gladtidingsmagazine.com
www.cbm.org.uk
acbmcambodia.blogspot.com
www.korbible.net

10:29 minutes (866.93 KB)

The winter is past!

Spring is a wonderful time of the year! With it we see the world come alive as it were from the dead of winter and the birds return while the leaves and blossoms appear on the trees.

Solomon aptly described this glorious season, saying:

“For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”Song of Solomon 2:11-12
 

Spring is an excellent reminder that things do not always continue as they currently are. Just as the cold of winter doesn’t last all year, so this world will not continue in its present state for ever. There is a Godly springtime coming when “the Lord will be king over all the earth” (Zech 14:9) and “the dead in Christ shall arise” (1 Thess 4:16). If we want to be a part of that glorious new age, we had better be preparing for it now. The farmer who doesn’t prepare for spring during the winter months will not be able to harvest a crop. So, too, if we do not prepare for the return of Christ, we will not be a part of the wonderful kingdom of God on earth. Want to know more? Join our classes and courses or just come in to chat. We are normally open Monday to Friday 10am-2pm, as well as Sundays and evenings for courses.

“The forbidden book”

We can all easily and safely buy a Bible in English these days. However this has not always been the case. Join us on September 7 to view “The Forbidden Book”. This documentary tells the history of the Bible, and how God has preserved His Word for thousands of years to countless generations.

It was shot on location throughout Europe, and brings to life many important places of Christian history. You will learn how God's Word was originally scribed in Hebrew and Greek.

Discover how the Word was preserved through the 1,000 year period known as the Dark and Middle Ages, when possession of scripture in any language other than Latin meant certain death at the hands of the organized church. As you travel back in time, you will feel as if you are actually meeting John Wycliffe, the first person to translate the Bible into English. You will see the door where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, that started the Protestant Reformation. You will visit Erasmus's illegal printing shop, which is a book store today. You will find that William Tyndale was burned at the stake. His Crime? Printing the Bible in the English language. Learn how the printing of the 1611 King James Bible came to be.

Find out more – come on Sunday September 6 at 11.30am and watch this informative DVD.

Free copies of “Glad Tidings” magazine available!

At our shop, we have free copies of the “Glad Tidings” magazine. If you would like to read them, please contact us for a free six-month subscription to the magazine. When you have finished reading them, why not pass them on to a friend who can also enjoy the variety of articles about many different subjects in the Bible?

That old man!

The oldest recorded age of a person in the Bible was the age of Methuselah. He lived in the time before Noah and the great flood. This old man was very old – but how old? Find out by adding the numbers below:

• _____ How many books are in the Bible
• _____ The number of days Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the 10 commandments (Exodus 34:28)
• _____ How many disciples Jesus had (Matthew 10:1)
• _____ The number of days it took Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6:15)
• _____ Jesus’ age when he stayed in the temple for 3 days (Luke 2:42)
• _____ The number of times Peter denied Jesus (Matthew 26:73)
• _____ The number of sheep the shepherd cared for before one was lost (Matthew 18:12)
• _____ The number of books in the New Testament
• _____ How many times Naaman dipped in the Jordan River to be cured of leprosy (2 Kings 5:14)
• _____ The number of brothers Miriam had (Numbers 26:59)
• _____ How many sons Isaac had (Genesis 25:25-26)

Total: _____

Now multiply your answer by the number of days Jonah was in the big fish (Jonah 1:17) and you should have found out Methuselah’s age. Check in your Bible to see if you were right! The answer is in Genesis 5:27.

Bibles in foreign languages

We stock Bibles and literature in more than 70 languages other than English. However there are so many languages in the world and we couldn’t stock them all. If you want a particular Bible we do our best to order one in for you. However if we can't find a Bible in your language try looking at the following websites:

http://bibledatabase.net/

http://bibleresources.bible.com/bible_read.php

http://www.seekgod.org/bible/links.html

On these sites parts of the Bible or the entire Bible are available to download in various languages including:

Afrikaans	Albanian	Arabic	Armenian
Awadhi	Belorussian	Bengali	Bosnian
Bolivian	Bulgarian	Catalan	Cebuano
Chinese	Croatian	Cuzco	Czech
Danish	Dutch	Ecuadorian	Esperanto
Estonian	Farsi	Finnish	French
Gaelic	German	Gothic	Greek
Gujarati	Haitian-Creole	Hebrew	Hindi
Hungarian	Icelandic	Indonesian	Italian
Japanese	Kannada	Korean	Kurdish
Latin	Latvian	Lithuanian	Malayalam
Manx	Maori	Marathi	Nepali
Norwegian	Oriya	Portuguese	Polish
Punjabi	Quechua	Russian	Romanian
Serbian	Slovak	Slovenian	Spanish
Swahili	Swedish	Tagalog	Tamil
Telugu	Thai	Turkish	Ukrainian
Urdu	Vietnamese

New Life Class topics (Sundays 11.30-12.30)

September 7	Video: “The Forbidden Book”
September 14	Sin and repentance
September 21	Spotlight on the Bible: Hezekiah
September 28	A visual tour of Israel
October 5	Spotlight on the Bible: Josiah’s stand for truth
October 12	Mission Sunday
October 19	How archaeology helps confirm your faith
October 26	Christian living: pride and humility

Open Day

Saturday October 11, 11am-2pm

Focus on mission work

10:27 minutes (860.09 KB)

10:14 minutes (1.64 MB)

8:59 minutes (1.39 MB)

• The Olympic Games
  Are you ready for the Olympic games? Are you looking forward to seeing the world’s best athletes compete? Did you know that in the original Olympic games the prize for the winners was a crown plaited from wild olive branches?
• New Life Class
  Come along and hear a Bible-based talk and join in discussion on the following topics. You are welcome to come early for a drink or stay afterwards for lunch with us.
• Did you know?
  Read the full article to find out!
• Some jokes for the kids!
  Read the full article to find them!
• Bible Illiteracy
  The Bible has long been the English-speaking world’s best selling book. Over 900 English translations have been produced, from the dignified prose of the Authorised or King James Version to versions which attempt to render God’s Word in colloquial street-slang...

Download as PDF (91 KB)