07/10/2026
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Recently I have found myself returning often to the words of the prophet Hosea:
“Take away all guilt; accept that which is good, and we will offer the fruit of our lips… Assyria shall not save us… We will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands… In You, the orphan finds mercy.” (Hosea 14:2–3)
Every generation is tempted to trust its own “Assyria.” Sometimes it is political power. Sometimes it is technology. Sometimes it is wealth, influence, or even religious activity. Yet the Lord continually calls His people back—not first to greater activity, but to greater faithfulness.
I believe that is the great need of our generation.
Our deepest crisis is not merely moral, political, or cultural. It is biblical. We have forgotten the story that explains all other stories. We have lost confidence in the living Word of God. We know more information than ever before, yet often possess less wisdom.
This conviction continues to shape the work of the Mission for Biblical Literacy.
For more than four decades (MBL) and eight (Christian College of Georgia) our purpose has remained remarkably simple: to help people encounter the Scriptures, understand them faithfully, pray them expectantly, and live them obediently. We are convinced that biblical literacy is never an end in itself. It exists so that men and women may know Jesus Christ, follow Him joyfully, and participate in His redeeming work in the world.
That conviction has also given birth to a new initiative we call “The Seventy”.
When Jesus appointed the Seventy, He sent ordinary disciples into ordinary places to bear extraordinary witness to the Kingdom of God. They were not selected because they were famous or powerful. They were faithful.
The Seventy is an invitation—not into another program, but into a season of Christian formation. It is designed for ordinary believers who desire to become trustworthy witnesses wherever God has placed them: in their homes, churches, neighborhoods, workplaces, campuses, and communities.
Our vision is wonderfully uncomplicated.
We hope to see homes where the Bible is opened every day.
Churches where Scripture is taught faithfully.
Families where prayer becomes as natural as conversation.
Young believers who discover that God’s Word is not merely ancient literature but the living voice of their Shepherd.
Older believers who embrace the privilege of mentoring the next generation.
Communities where Christians increasingly think, speak, and serve with biblical wisdom.
To support that vision, The Disciples College continues to provide a pathway of non-formal Christian formation. Education, in this sense, is not merely informational; it is transformational. Ordinary life becomes the classroom. Ministry becomes the laboratory. Scripture becomes our daily companion. Faithfulness becomes the measure of progress.
Our prayer remains centered on four lifelong practices:
* Read the Bible attentively.
* Understand the Bible faithfully.
* Pray the Bible expectantly.
* Live the Bible obediently.
If we recover these simple practices, I believe we will begin to recover something much larger: churches marked by holiness, families strengthened by grace, leaders shaped by humility, and disciples whose lives quietly point others toward Christ.
Thank you for walking this journey with us. Your prayers, encouragement, friendship, and generosity have enabled this ministry to continue advancing the Word of God across generations and nations. Together we seek not merely to distribute biblical information, but to form faithful disciples who know the Word, love the Lord, and serve His Kingdom with wisdom, humility, and joy.
As I often remind myself, the goal is not simply to teach people how to read the Bible. It is to help people learn to read reality again through the light of Scripture.
In a fractured age, the Church does not merely need louder voices. It needs trustworthy witnesses.
May the Lord find us among them.
With gratitude and hope,
Robert L. Harris, Ph. D.
President, Mission for Biblical Literacy
President, The Disciples College
