4/4 4/c process OCTOBER 2015 The Grand Lobby: A Digital Canvas Comes to Life INSIDE Artifact Alliance p.2 GSI: Logos Conference p.3 Buenos Aires p.4 Trips of a Lifetime p.5 Museum of the Bible Rocks! p.7 A Personal Word p.8 First impressions are important. This one will be spectacular! Imagine you enter Museum of the Bible and turn right out of the ticketing area, then left down a grand entry arcade. There you take in a most magnificent sight: a gigantic video canvas, featuring fantastic, ever-changing, biblically inspired images all along the ceiling, and reflected in the surrounding glass walls. A stunning digital ceiling, its breathtaking visual and corresponding audio will afford museum guests like you a unique experience of heavenly and celestial worlds converging on a single, vibrant, living canvas. It will be an awe-inspiring moment everyone s introduction and welcome to the incredible Museum of the Bible experience that awaits them! This 150-foot-long digital canvas think half the length of a football field to put it in perspective is just one of the exciting features our team of designers, scholars, and experts are preparing to enable every guest to discover and interact with the Bible in a state-of-art setting. Museum of the Bible will offer millions of visitors each year an unparalleled experience, using cutting-edge technology Heavenly and celestial worlds converging on a single, vibrant, living canvas. to span time, space, and culture, allowing people of all faiths, traditions, and backgrounds to explore the Bible. Construction continues. Progress is steady. The excitement is palpable. In fact, follow the construction by visiting the Museum of the Bible website. There you will find both a time-lapsed camera and a live camera view of the progress. You can also get updates and view pictures by following Museum of the Bible on social media. You too can be a part of the team. Learn more about how you can get involved in this thrilling venture, how you can help present the Bible to the world in the most unique, credible, and highest quality way, by visiting the Museum of the Bible website today. www.museumofthebible.org Museum of the Bible P.O. Box 470485 Tulsa, OK 74147-0485 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 1 10/23/15 7:41 AM
Ancient Artifacts, Brand-New Alliance Thousands of ancient artifacts some of which haven t even been discovered yet will be coming to Museum of the Bible from among Israel s National Treasures. Museum of the Bible has just signed a major longterm alliance with the Israel Antiquities Authority, allowing us to display a selection from the two million ancient artifacts in Israel s National Treasures in a special dedicated gallery, set to debut when Museum of the Bible opens its doors in the fall of 2017. Through this multi-year agreement, archeological objects from the Israel Antiquities Authority, the organization in charge of all matters of archaeology in Israel, will be exhibited at Museum of the Bible. This long-term agreement, bolstering Museum of the Bible s giant collection, is even more exciting when you consider that the Israel Antiquities Authority currently has 39 active archeological digs going on all around Israel some of the artifacts that might be displayed in Museum of the Bible may not have even been discovered yet! Museum of the Bible is also dedicated to the excavation of archaeological sites in Israel. We are currently beginning a dig at Tel-Shimron, one of the 39 active archaeological digs underway today! largest and most historically significant sites in Israel. What an exciting alliance! Bringing the Bible s history to life in the present plays a vital role in engaging millions of Museum of the Bible visitors each year. 2 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 2 10/23/15 7:41 AM
GSI s 2015 Logos Conference Ideas are born in broad community. Logos brings scholars together. At this year s Logos Conference, 36 students from 20 universities in six different countries were put under the tutelage and mentorship of some of the greatest biblical scholars in the world. The result: scholarship in community. Logos focuses on the importance of scholarship done in community with others, said Dr. Stan Rosenberg, Director of the Logos Conference. Dr. Rosenberg also serves on Wycliffe Hall s faculty of theology and religion at the University of Oxford in the UK. He is but one of the many accomplished scholars that students at the Logos Conference spend time with and learn from during their two weeks at Oxford. Logos participants are chosen from among the many students already engaged in the study of the museum s collection through GSI. These students are the best of the best in their fields of study. During the two-week conference, they attend various lectures, participate in workshops, and dine and live together in a Victorian mansion. And the experience is truly hands-on. Many of them have studied ancient languages, but haven t seen original manuscripts or inscriptions. Logos provides these students with direct access to original materials! The interaction with the scholars boosts the students Logos students and mentors punting down the river in Cambridge. confidence, as they work side-by-side and begin to feel like peers, encouraged in their pursuit of biblical studies. This unique community, scholars and students alike, is at the forefront of biblical research today. For the students, the experience is truly hands-on. Logos students and mentors enjoying a welcome picnic on the lawn of the SCIO student s lodging, The Vines. 3 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 3
Destacados de la Green Collection Amazing tablets from Abraham s day biblical texts that survived the Spanish Inquisition some of the rarest antique Bibles in the world... The people of Buenos Aires, Argentina, just got a special look at rare biblical artifacts! Forty-eight items from the museum s collection were on display at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica from July 16 to August 1 in an exhibit entitled Destacados de la Green Collection ( Highlights of the Green Collection ), presented by Museum of the Bible. Among the items guests who attended the free exhibit were able to see include: Dead Sea Scroll fragments from the first century BC Ancient cuneiform tablets dating to the time traditionally associated with Abraham An array of biblical texts on papyrus Torah scrolls from around the world, including those that survived the Spanish Inquisition and the Nazi Holocaust during World War II First editions of the King James Bible and other rare, printed Bibles Items from the collection have been on display through Museum of the Bible s traveling exhibits in six U.S. cities, at the Vatican, in Israel, Cuba, and recently at the World Meeting of Families Congress in Philadelphia, in advance of the pope s first U.S. visit. Many of the artifacts seen in Destacados de la Green Collection and the other traveling exhibits will become part of the 430,000-square-foot Museum of the Bible when it opens in Washington, D.C., in 2017. Forty-eight items from the museum s collection were on display in Buenos Aires this summer. MOTB President Cary Summers (left) and Founder Steve Green visit the Buenos Aires exhibit with local community leaders. 4 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 4
Trips of a Lifetime Young Christian Leaders Travel to Israel For tomorrow s Christian leaders, standing with Israel can begin by standing in Israel. A new program that organizes trips to Israel for Christian student leaders at colleges and universities is affording young people the opportunity to do just that stand in Israel for just $500 thanks to underwriting by Museum of the Bible and other generous sponsors. Participants are chosen from across the country based on their leadership on campus, their desire to become advocates on behalf of Israel, and their devotion to strengthening their faith. During their 11-day trip, students experience where biblical history happened and Students see the Bible s past and present firsthand and return home as goodwill ambassadors discover the vibrant meaning of modern-day Israel. Hundreds of students embarked on these trips this past summer, with more to follow during the winter break this year and thousands to come in future years. These students see the Bible s past and present firsthand and return home as goodwill ambassadors, sharing their experience with their own communities. Eden (pictured on left) was the Ramat Gan Bible Quiz winner! Ramat Gan Bible Quiz The first annual citywide Bible Quiz of Ramat Gan, Israel, is done! Sponsored by the Municipality of Ramat Gan and Museum of the Bible s partner in education technology, Compedia, 10 finalists were tested on stage as an audience excitedly rooted for their favorite ninth-grade contestants. And the winner is? A young lady named Eden took first prize an allexpenses-paid trip for her and her teacher to visit the U.S. and do some sightseeing. Surrounded by cheering friends, Eden could hardly speak through all of her tears of joy and excitement. She shared with Compedia Senior Advisor David Decker that while she s a good student in all her subjects, her special love has always been for the Bible. Congratulations, Eden! 5 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 5
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Singer/Songwriter Chris Tomlin (left) poses with MOTB Founders Steve and Jackie Green, and MOTB Chief Development Officer Tim Smith. Museum of the Bible Rocks! One invitation to just the right person sometimes that s all it takes to open the door of opportunity. One invite to a Museum of the Bible awareness event in Nashville opened the door to a new partnership with Worship Night America. I got this invitation in the mail. It was from Museum of the Bible, so my wife and I went, recalls Chris Tomlin, contemporary Christian music artist, worship leader, and songwriter who has sold nearly 30 million records. Worship Night America kicked off to a soldout crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Two more sold-out events, at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado and Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, followed. Audiences enjoyed music by Tomlin, Matt Redman, Rend Collective, and more. Max Lucado and Louie Giglio shared powerful messages. In just three nights of the Worship Night America Tour, nearly 37,000 people heard the incredible story of Museum of the Bible firsthand from Chris Tomlin. Museum of the Bible staff also traveled to Midland, Texas, where thousands gathered over three days to Rock the Desert. Museum of the Bible s banner flew over the main stage, and Michael and Lauren McAfee shared the museum s vision with the crowd. Visitors to Museum of the Bible s tent had the opportunity to explore Augmented Reality plus (AR+) technology that will be featured in the museum. Thousands left Rock the Desert with museum swag. In addition to giving away three skateboards and a guitar signed by the festival s artists, we also gave away branded backpacks with a Museum of the Bible water bottle, bracelet, and information card. With our artist partnerships, Museum of the Bible is expanding its reach to the next generation. We are excited about the future of this new outlet for sharing our story and its potential for inviting all people to engage with the Bible! In fact, we are honored to be part of Chris Tomlin s upcoming Fall and Christmas tours, as well as Winter Jam. When and Where? Visit www.christomlin.com/ love-ran-red and http://2015. jamtour.com/shows for the location nearest you! I got this invitation in the mail. It was from Museum of the Bible, so my wife and I went. Chris Tomlin 7 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 7
A Personal Word Dear Friend, Every day I am thankful! I believe Museum of the Bible is going to be the greatest collaboration of the Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant communities. No one has ever attempted this before a Museum about the Bible and of this magnitude. For me, it is the honor and privilege of a lifetime to be part of this team. And from my vantage point, it is exciting beyond words! We re making astounding progress toward opening in the fall of 2017. Doors are opening, new and exciting alliances continue to dawn, and everywhere word is being spread, enthusiastic response and support result. While construction continues on the museum, our research arm, GSI, continues its groundbreaking work, while helping to equip the next generation of biblical scholars. And on the education front, the Bible curriculum we ve helped develop continues to wow students and educators in classrooms in Israel, and is now expanding its reach. Museum of the Bible is taking flight! And now is the time for you to get even more involved! I really believe this is the opportunity of a lifetime a chance for you to help present the Bible in the most unique, interesting, and highest quality way possible. As you read this newsletter, I hope you ll consider it your opportunity to be a part of this exciting venture. Thank you in advance! Timothy Smith Chief Development Officer 8 MOTB October 2015 Newsletter Final Art.indd 8