On December 9, 2023, organized by CCC&TSPM, the Bible Day 2023 events took place at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Shanghai. Rev. Xu Xiaohong, Chairperson of National TSPM, Rev. Wu Wei, President of CCC, and others partook in the opening ceremony.

The theme of this year’s Bible Day is “Living out the Bible”. Its aim is to showcase the good testimonies of believers who practice biblical teachings in their daily lives (including workplace, life, and church service), transform their Christian faith into love and positive energy, and influence the people around them with good deeds, so as to motivate all believers to live out faith in their own lives.

The opening ceremony began with a video clip reviewing the Bible Day events held in past four years, and then displaying several touching moments of this year’s testimonies.

In his speech, Rev. Xu Xiaohong said that Chinese Christians love the Bible and see it as the heavenly food which is good for our spiritual growth. Our Bible day events have also been closely connected with the Chinanization of Christianity. From transcribing the Bible, reading the Bible, to singing the Bible, drawing the Bible and living out the Bible, every step we take leads us to practice the Word of God.

Afterwards, Rev. Wu Wei led prayer for the Bible ministry.

The opening ceremony also included a new book launch for the Ganyi-Chinese Bible (both the New and Old Testaments). It took 15 years to finish this significant translation work that can not only help the Ganyi Christians understand God’s teachings more correctly and receive better spiritual supplies, but also preserve and carry forward the language and culture of the ethnic minority.

During the book salon, Dr. Simon Wong, Global Translation Advisor of the United Bible Societies, gave a lecture on “The Past and Present of Chinese Bibles”. He recalled the history of Chinese Bible translation and introduced the existing versions of Chinese Bible, as well as the digitization of Chinese Bibles, bibles in the Chinese dialects and ethnic minority languages.

A special Bible exhibition was held at the square of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, displaying a handful of invaluable copies of old Chinese Bibles, cultural and creative products, and the Bibles and Biblical reference books published by CCC&TSPM in recent years.

Rev. Zhang Peifu, Vice President of Wuxi CC and the Senior Pastor of Rongxiang Church in Wuxi City, brought many of his own precious collections over the years to the exhibition, including the ancient and rare copies of Chinese Bibles.

At the event site, participants could also do Bible verses stone rubbing and obtain the seal stamps of all five-year Bible Day.

Translator & editor: Bei Feng