BY ARRON EARLS ©2014 Baptist Press

LifeWay Christian Stores set a goal last fall
of donating 100,000 Hindi language Bibles across South Asia, but customers gave
enough for twice that many.

"LifeWay has proven once again it is an organization with a heart for the
world," Tom Eliff, president of the International Mission Board (IMB),
said. "Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine The Thomas Project would
be such an overwhelming success."

Named for the disciple believed to have been the first Christian missionary to
the region, The Thomas Project invited customers at LifeWay's 186 stores to
purchase a Bible for $5 to send to South Asia.

Considering similar initiatives in the past garnered considerably less, the
original goal was a significant one for The Thomas Project, a joint venture
with LifeWay Christian Stores, B&H Publishing, and the IMB.

This time, however, customers resonated with the project, giving enough for
200,000 Bibles. Churches continued to donate even after the initiative ended in
November, with one church donating enough to print 1,200 Bibles in January.

"We are indeed grateful for the opportunity to partner in ministry with
our customers and the IMB through The Thomas Project," Thom S. Rainer,
president of LifeWay Christian Resources, said. "The response has been
amazing, thanks to the Lord's blessings and the tremendous generosity of our
customers who truly have a compassion for the lost and confidence in the Word
of God."

Not only did LifeWay stores sell the Bibles, retail employees will help deliver
them.

A LifeWay employee mission team will go to South Asia this spring to help IMB
workers distribute the Bibles. "It is especially gratifying that some of
our own LifeWay employees will be joining workers in the field to help
distribute the Bibles that are so desperately needed," Tim Vineyard, vice
president of LifeWay Christian Stores, said. "Our prayer will be that
each Bible donated will have a life changing impact on the individuals who
receive them."

The mission team will visit locations strategically selected by the IMB and
work through local church leaders and believers to distribute the Bibles.
Additionally, they will be involved in direct evangelism and training.

Eliff expects the results of The Thomas Project in South Asia to continue
defying expectations. "God has honored the heart desire of both LifeWay
and IMB to see the Gospel penetrate the unengaged unreached people groups
(UUPG) in South Asia," Elliff said.

According to the IMB president, there were 413 UUPGs in South Asia last year
and 20 of those groups had a population over 1 million. "Today, the
UUPGs with a population of more than 1 million has dropped to nine,"
Elliff said. "We can only dream what will happen as these Hindi Bibles are
distributed to the new believers and the lost as well."