Bible Reading Marathon spreading: are you ready to take up the challenge?

Three independent Bible Reading Marathons will take place at different centres in late October and perhaps there will be even more, says Illona de Wit, visionary of the inaugural event in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) in 2018.

Illona and her team are looking forward to hosting their sixth annual Bible Reading Marathon which will be held at Spirit Reign Ministries, Kariega (Uitenhage) from Wednesday October 25 to Saturday October 28. And there will be “marathons” in Kareedouw, Eastern Cape and Middelburg, Mpumalanga, organised by groups who accepted the NMB team’s challenge last year to churches in SA to host events where the Bible is read out aloud continuously from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 by participants who read in 15 minutes slots.

The NG Kerk, Kareedouw and the Church at Tzitzikamma were the first to accept the challenge and held their first event in Kareedouw from November 16 to 20, when they completed reading the entire Bible in 89 hours and 38 minutes. They will be hosting this year’s event at the NG Kerk, Kareedouw again — from Tuesday October 24 to Satuday October 28. For more information about this event contact Antoinetta Botha at 071 248 7028 or antoinettacbotha@gmail.com

The second group to accept the challenge was Lofdal Gesinskerk in Middelburg, who hosted their first Bible Reading Marathon at Hoër Tegniese Skool, Middelburg. Cobus Botha was the first and last reader in that event which was completed over 90 hours and 35 minutes from April 17 to 21 this year. Displaying great commitment to the event, they are hosting another marathon reading session just six months later — from 4am on Thursday October 19 to the evening of Sunday October 22. The event will be at Lofdal Gesinskerk, Middelburg. You can contact Gerhard Nel at 073 169 0402 or Izak van Breda at 082 504 4505 for more information.

Pioneer of the event Illona told Gateway News: “I hope more churches will join us in declaring God’s Word over our nation and cities. The theme this year for our marathon is 2 King 6:16 and 17.

“We are still more than willing to share our administrative material for free with other churches for them to host their own independent Bible Reading Marathon. 

“Elmarita [Wicks] and I are also available to give telephonic advice should it be necessary.”

Illona can be reached at 073 350 6999 and Elmarita can be contacted at 072 357 2829. You can also find more information about the NMB Bible Reading Marathon at the website https://brm-sa.co.za/

What does the Bible Reading Marathon mean to people who take part? In November last year we shared some testimonies of people who participated in the fifth annual reading session in NMB, which was completed in 82 hours and five minutes.

Below are some testimonies from people who participated in the Kareedouw and Middelburg events.

Kareedouw:

“As jy kom sit het om jou 15 min te lees het jy nie geweet wat jy gaan lees nie — vele het getuig dat die Here juis in daardie gelese deel in hulle harte ‘n besondere Woord gespreek het. Dit was so amazing.” Annoniem

“The wonder that for nearly 90 hours, non-stop, the full Counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation was spoken out loud into the spiritual atmosphere of Kareedouw, Tzitzikamma and Langkloof for that is the area we prayed for. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17” – Anonymous

Middelburg:

“In die begin was ek bang, op my senuwees, want ek het nog nooit iets soos dit gedoen nie. Ek stres gewoonlik om voorbereid te lees voor ‘n juffrou en nou moes ek uit die Bybel lees in ‘n mikrofoon in. Ek wou nie ‘n fout gemaak het nie en het nie geweet wat om te verwag nie. Ek het saam met ‘n vriend gegaan (Dewald Schoeman). Hy het my rustig gemaak en verduidelik presies hoe dit gaan werk en my dadelik beter laat voel. Dewald het eerste begin lees en ek het na hom gevolg. Dit was vir my verskriklik lekker en interessant. Dit was iets nuut. Ek is verskriklik dankbaar dat ek deel van die Bybelmarathon kon wees.”
Anè Grobler

“Die Bybellees Marathon het baie vir my beteken. Ons het almal ‘n persoonlike boodskap gekry uit die verskillende stukke wat ons gelees het. Dit was vir my lekker om te sien hoe baie mense uit Middelburg se gemeenskap kom lees het — selfs vroegoggend en in die middel van die nag. Dit maak my trots om te kan sê dat ek deel was daarvan.”
Dewald Schoeman

“Thanks you so much, I can’t wait for that opportunity (to be part of the next Marathon). The Marathon had a great impact in my life. It really destroyed the demons.”
Ella Gwebu

“Ek het ‘n baie besige skedule gehad die week van die Bybellees Marathon, en teen die tweede sessie wat ek hardop gelees het, het dit my so vol, so genoegsaam laat voel en ek het energie en krag ontvang vir die res van die dag. Dit was ongelooflik! Dit het my oortuig om wanneer ek voel die dag oorweldig my, my Bybel hardop te lees vir 20 minute. Dankie vir die geleentheid om geestelik te kon groei in net ‘n paar sessies. Dit lê my vir ewig na aan die hart.”
Valecia van Dyk

Subscribe to Newsletter

Please help us to keep on publishing news that brings Hope in Jesus:

>> Donate  >> Become a Super Subscriber

VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/gatewaynews100

COMMENTING GUIDELINES
You are welcome to engage with our articles by making comments [in the Comments area below] that add value to a topic or to engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion with fellow readers. Comments that contain vulgar language will be removed. Hostile, demeaning, disrespectful, propagandistic and off-topic comments may also be moved. This is a Christian website and if you wish to vent against Christian beliefs you have probably come to the wrong place and your comments may be removed. Ongoing debates and repetitiveness will not be tolerated. You will also disqualify yourself from commenting if you engage in trolling.