Every Sydneysider will receive a Bible in 2009 if Sydney's annual Synod passes ‘Connect 09’ this week. The aim of ‘Connect 09’ is for every Sydney Anglican to contact, connect and communicate with all people currently beyond the reach of church ministry in every region of the Diocese. The distribution of the word of God is key to this strategy, which ties in with the Diocesan Mission. Are you ready to connect?

‘Connect 09’ is an outworking of the Diocesan Mission Statement goal that "everyone will hear his call to repent, trust and serve Christ in love", “not just the 10% we want in Bible-based churches”, according to the Standing Committee's report to Synod.

"Our heart's desire, under God, is that people everywhere will have the opportunity to respond to the gospel message" and build their lives on a firm foundation that is found in trusting Christ," the report continues.

‘Connect 09’ also aims to give every Sydney Anglican the opportunity to connect with people in their local community through the distribution of Bibles.

In a region with over four million residents, the program could see a record number of gospels distributed throughout the Sydney Diocese.

"A campaign to share the Word of God, using available forms of media, provides a reason for ordinary Anglican Christians to step out and Contact, Connect, Communicate and Welcome all the residents of our community at different levels," the report states.

The strategy is summarised in six chronologically-ordered words: contact, connect, communicate, relate, welcome, nurture.

Under the strategy, newcomers would "be welcomed, nurtured and taught how to become a Christian and how to live and grow as a disciple of Jesus" once they have been connected with their local church.

Data from the 2002 book Why People Don't Go to Church suggests 60 per cent of Australians who don't attend church also have no close friends involved in a church " the report indicates “it is this 60% with whom we want to make contact and connect".

Evangelism Ministries CEO, the Rev Jim Ramsay says the key focus of Connect 09 is "connecting people and connecting them with Jesus Christ".

A number of ways of distributing the Bible digitally, and in aural and visual forms are also being explored, along with a website providing Christian material in different languages to support the initial gospel distribution.

Anglican parishes, congregations and fellowships, along with schools and organisations would distribute the Bibles.

A leader's dream

Archbishop Peter Jensen has written of his dream to see the circulation of the word of God throughout the Diocese in the current issue of Southern Cross.

"I have a dream " a dream to give all our fellow citizens in the Diocese a copy of the word of God," he says in his monthly column.

This vision is partly fuelled by the efforts of Sydney's 19th-century Christians, who saw the value in such a strategy, and those who went to foreign lands as missionaries to translate the Bible into the language of the people they lived among.

"One of the earliest works done by Christians in Sydney in the 19th century was to go from door to door distributing the Bible," he wrote.

"They saw this as a vital task if people were going to know God."

Archbishop Jensen indicated that the need for this strategy is becoming stronger, due to the ever-decreasing familiarity with the Bible among Sydney's general population.

“Knowledge - and ownership - of the Bible is growing less common, especially amongst younger people," he wrote.

"This lack of knowledge will make the overall task of evangelism more difficult."

Archbishop Jensen is asking Sydney Anglicans to catch on to this dream, and join him in realising it.

"Would it not be a wonderful thing if, over the years following such an effort, many people became Christians?" he implores.

The Archbishop indicated that he was hopeful that the strategy would see many people in the Sydney Diocese become Christians.

Initial steps

While Connect 09 will be carried out in 2009, this “simple and basic program” is likely to involve three years of work, according to Mr Ramsay.

Should Synod approve Connect 09, it will also decide how the project will be funded, with the Diocese and parishes as likely financiers.

It is also likely that a project management appointment will be made to coordinate the work, especially in the area of promotion and resources.

Prayer and training would be key ingredients in preparation for for Connect 09 over the coming year, as well as the development of Bible resources for distribution.

It is expected that, for some parishes, this will be the catalyst for a local outreach, while for others, it might work in with the outreach they are already doing.