The Bible Society of Sierra Leone (BSSL) has donated a collection of scholarly edition Scriptures and reference works to various theological colleges across the country as part of its ongoing commitment to theological education and faithful Bible engagement.
The non-denominational organisation, a member of the global United Bible Societies (UBS) fellowship, seeks to increase access to high-quality biblical resources while also assisting pastors, theologians, and students preparing for ministry in Sierra Leone.
Mr Edwin Fraser, BSSL’s General Secretary, led the distribution of academic volumes to several institutions in Freetown, as well as colleges in Makeni, Bo, and Kono. Rev. Dr Warren Fornah welcomed the Bible Society team and led them to the college chapel, where students had assembled for the session. Mr Fraser delivered a chapel message based on Proverbs 29:18 with the theme “Truths That Will Carry You in Ministry.” He encouraged students to persevere in their studies, to be truthful on exams, and to cultivate integrity as they prepare for pastoral and ministry work.
Among the books presented to TECT were important scholarly tools for biblical study and textual criticism: the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28), a Greek-English dictionary; A New Approach to Textual Criticism (hardcover); Synopsis of the Four Gospels; Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament; and an English Bible Atlas. Rev. Dr Fornah accepted the volumes on the college’s behalf.
In his vote of thanks, Rev. Sawo Koroma, the college registrar, stated that the donation arrived at an appropriate time. He stated that the library required current, authoritative texts to support rigorous study and research, and he promised that the institution would take good care of the materials, which he described as both costly and valuable to student development.
The Bible Society then paid a visit to the College of Theology, Management, and Church Training Centre on Wesley Street in Freetown. Principal Rev. Dr Ken Luseni greeted the team warmly and emphasised the importance of theology to the institution’s mission, noting that many pastors and bishops have graduated from its programs. Mr Fraser explained the donation’s purpose and the importance of providing students with critical scholarly resources. Registrar Rev. Selina Pratt expressed gratitude for the gift, noting that many of the volumes are not available in local bookstores and that their cost puts them out of reach for many institutions and individuals. She described the donation as a significant contribution to the expansion of theological education in Sierra Leone, promising that the books would be used wisely.
Theological colleges in Makeni, Bo, and Kono all received similar presentations on the scholarly Scripture editions. The Bible Society of Sierra Leone has announced plans to make additional donations to remaining colleges that offer theology as a major, as part of its ongoing collaboration with churches, colleges, universities, and other partners to promote informed engagement with God’s Word.
