Crosswords to encourage people to delve into the Bible 

Baptist church member Jim Saxton is creating an interactive crossword for every chapter in the Bible 

Jim's website bible-crosswords.co.uk currently features dozens of interactive crosswords, including one for every chapter of the four gospels. Jim, of Spalding Baptist Church, plans to have ultimately one for every chapter in the Bible - 260 in the New Testament, 928 in the Old. 

The website doesn't carry the crosswords' answers 'since the objective is to get individuals to read and study the Bible.' 

'My hope is to encourage lapsed and new people to read the Bible,' Jim explains, 'and this is one way of achieving it.' 

Jim's initiative initially began in 2007, but he revamped his website this year after his church ran a London Institute of Contemporary Christianity course encouraging people to use their gifts to reach out.  

This means his website still features printable versions for the rest of the New Testament and much of the Old. These will be replaced once the new interactive versions are ready. 

'I first starting compiling Bible crosswords back in 2007 following a home group session called “Tools for the Job”, which was about our gifts,' says Jim, an engineer who worked in Rolls Royce's Aerospace division.  

'I spent six months praying and talking to my vicar - I was with an Anglican church at the time. Eventually, the Lord convinced me that Bible crosswords would reach out and encourage people to read the Bible. 

'Over a couple of years I compiled crosswords for New Testament and quite a bit of Old Testament - more than 600 crosswords.

'At that time I had many posts on the site for those who had found it beneficial. Some has said they had sent paper versions to their partners in prison and it had become a regular item for them. 

'Over time the crossword compiler software became obsolete, although the paper copies were OK.

'Last year I moved to Spalding and with my wife Ann and joined a lovely Baptist church. Our minister Karen Smiley ran a course on Fruitfulness on the Frontline encouraging us reach out to people in the workplace, shop and everywhere.

'We all tackled this in different ways. Mine was Bible crosswords and using modern, up to date software.'

Jim has created crosswords for every chapter of the four gospels, and is halfway through Acts.  

'I'll start the Old Testament once the New Testament is complete. It is my intention to modify the website so those who have completed a crossword will be taken to a page that will allow them to record comments.' 

 

Visit bible-crosswords.co.uk