For the past 10 years, the coming of spring for Wilma Hart has meant reading the Bible around the clock outside the courthouse in Ozark.
Starting April 28 and culminating on the National Day of Prayer on May 2, Hart and fellow participants in the Bible Reading Marathon gathered and read God’s word aloud.
And this year, for the first time, there have been participants who have read in other languages. One man used sign language to share a passage in Genesis while someone else read it aloud, and the next day a woman from Thailand opted to read in Thai from a Bible she’d brought with her.
The event draws volunteers from several local churches of different denominations. It also attracts the attention of passersby, which is one of Hart’s favorite parts.
“We share the gospel plenty of times with people [who watch and listen to the] Bible Reading Marathon,” said Hart, organizer of the event and a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Ozark. “We’re prepared to tell the Word when it’s needed, and we’re right on the sidewalk next to the traffic and we have a microphone so people can easily see and hear us.”
Being at the courthouse offers a unique opportunity, Hart said, noting that the event is seen by people heading into court, often facing serious situations.
Many times, as people are walking into the courthouse, they’ll stop by the Bible Reading Marathon tent to ask for prayers.
Meanwhile, in Troy, a similar marathon celebrated its seventh anniversary this year. As in Ozark, the Troy event attracts readers from a variety of different Christian denominations.
Though the marathon is quite an undertaking to coordinate, there’s always a worthwhile outcome, said Linda Adams, a member of Good Hope Baptist Church, Troy.
“There’s always someone who comes and tells you how much they appreciate it, how glad they are you’re doing this,” she said. “This event helps us plug them into a church, pray with them — the possibilities are endless.”
She especially looks forward to the moments when she or another volunteer is able to pray with someone in need.
This year, a man who had been recently diagnosed with cancer stumbled upon the reading and told the volunteers that he felt such peace listening to God’s word.
“Those moments make it worth it, those people who come with tears and are filled with the spirit,” Adams said. “It’s given us the dedication to continue with this. Seven years — that’s pretty good.”
Ninfa Austin, a member of Liberty Park Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills, helps spearhead the Birmingham Bible Reading Marathon, now in its third year.
She said local churches are beginning to become more familiar with the event, helping to make their volunteer base more robust.
“We’re seeing certain people who want to return and who make it a priority in their schedules,” she said. “We even had people call us back in January to make sure we were still having the event this year, which we were thrilled about.”
This year’s event — held at Southside Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham — garnered support from a variety of denominations but also from a variety of cultures. There were readings in several languages, including Korean, German, Mandarin and Swahili.
“Our goal for this event hasn’t changed: It remains, of course, to honor God’s word,” Austin said. “We’ve added a specific Scripture for our readers — 1 Timothy 4:13 — which calls us to devote ourselves to public reading, so here’s an opportunity to do just that.”
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