WHEREAS, 1990 was declared International Year of Bible Reading by the Southern Baptist Convention, the President of the United States, thirty-five governors, a number of world leaders and other denominations and Christian groups; and
WHEREAS, Efforts are under way to promote Bible Reading Marathons (public reading of the Scriptures) on college and university campuses, at annual conventions, and in capital cities around the world during the decade; and
WHEREAS, Recent surveys show that the majority of Christians, including Baptists, have never read through the entire Bible even once; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have historically maintained a commitment to the entire Word of God; Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, June 4-6, 1991, declare the 1990s the Decade of Bible Reading; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we as Southern Baptists intensify our efforts in promoting world-wide Bible reading and Scripture distribution during the decade of the 1990s; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we encourage pastors and others in leadership to promote reading through the entire Bible yearly during the decade; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we support and encourage the efforts of other Christian groups and denominations in promoting world-wide Bible reading as a vital part of fulfilling the Great Commission.