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Following the feature on Azerbaijan in World Report 389, the following story and photographs were supplied by Dag Smemo of the Norwegian Bible Society: So many opportunities to share God’s Word in Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan
— Publishing firm Kitab Shirketi,
which is responsible for Bible work in Azerbaijan, enjoys strong support
from the country’s Christians. Church leaders of all denominations
recognise that Kitab Shirketi has a key role to play, especially in
translating and publishing biblical materials. In a country where it
is often difficult to import Christian literature, being self-sufficient
in this way is vital.
One of the church leaders with whom Kitab Shirketi works closely is Elnur Jabiyev, General Secretary of the Union of Evanglical Christians-Baptists of Azerbaijan, which has around 2,000 members. We are pleased that Kitab Shirketi has begun work on a new translation of the New Testament, because it is very important to have copies of the New Testament to give to people who want one. Indeed, that is mainly how church growth happens. We want so much to pass on the Word of God to our countrymen in prisons, refugee camps and other institutions. The materials we’ve received so far have helped with this, but we really need more, because there is so much potential for sharing God’s Word. There’s great spiritual longing among our people, and quite often we see adults reading Children’s Bibles! I used to be a policeman, but I had to give up that career when I became a Christian. In many ways I regret this, but my experiences as a policeman have actually proved helpful when I’ve encountered difficulties in my current work. God, too, has helped me when I’ve been in real need. In particular, I prayed for a long time for a car, because I knew that it would really help me in my work. Then, finally, my prayers were answered when a friend gave me one a few months ago. We rely heavily on Kitab Shirketi
in so many ways. It is permitted to distribute Christian literature,
for example, and it also has a good reputation for producing high quality
publications. It is very common for churches to turn to Kitab Shirketi
when they need technical assistance. We can trust the people there and
the work they do for us. (WR 390/16 - 02.05) |
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It’s
not always easy to carry out Christian work in Azerbaijan. Knowing that
we can turn to Kitab Shirketi for help when we need it is very reassuring.
