My
trip to Local Church Bible Publishers
Parker
Memorial Baptist Church and LCBP are located in Lansing Michigan about 80 miles
from me. On a pretty July day I drove up
there.
On
arriving all the missionaries were out.
I met several volunteers. Kind,
warm, and helpful. Like the Fundamental
Baptist I knew as a child in the 60's.
Here
are some interior pictures of storage and printing rooms:
While
waiting for the director I took pictures inside of the sales room.
After
about an hour the executive director Dr. Dennis Deneau arrived. He began this ministry 35 years ago from the
Bearing Precious Seeds movement. He has
been the publisher and involved in design and production ever sense.
Cambridge
closed its USA printing and binding and the small bindery in Woodstock Vermont
closed too. Dr. Deneau's son bought the
equipment and moved it to Cadillac Michigan, it's present home. Currently Bible production and shipping are
done from there.
Talking
with Dennis one factor became overwhelmingly clear. This is a 100% American Bible. Paper from Michigan. Cowhide from Ohio. Printed in America. I love American made!
Dennis
explained that he and LCBP are committed to the 1769 Cambridge text KJV. LCBP distributes over 20,000 Bibles a
year. Most over the internet. Representatives crisscross the country speaking
with pastors and to groups. I also
learned our Bible friend Derek Jones has been selected to preview new products
on his Youtube channel.
What
other things did I learn. Here are a
few.
1)
No
goatskin in the future. Indian
subcontinent sources are unreliable.
2)
Their
paper. 22 lb., opacity 82. I was very impressed with the latest paper's
quality. It reminded me of Cambridge
differing from their previous paper. A
20 lb. paper is being sourced for future thinlines.
3)
Paragraph
Bibles? Yes in the future.
4)
315
Scofield is changing to center the printing giving an inside margin. A 10% increase in print size too.
5)
TCR
is coming back! Large print, red letter,
in the large size Bible.
6)
Prices? Going up later this year.
7)
Overseas
shipping? No. Dennis shared stories of fraud ranging into
the 10's of thousands.
8) Longprimer
challenged? With a smile he told me what
he would charge for a LCBP Longprimer!
Then
Dennis showed me the new Signature Series art gilded hand-sized Scofield. I bought one (added Berisford ribbons
later). The dedication and sacrifice of
the missionaries and volunteers us astonishing! As was Dennis' experience and
knowledge in Bible publishing. Whatever
differences some have with their translation position it is certain that LCBP
Bibles are leading people to Christ.