Major gift jumpstarts plan to provide all Liberty students with custom tour of Museum of the Bible in Washington

The Bible is the living, breathing Word of God, and its impact will never diminish through the generations. Throughout Liberty University’s history, the school has remained steadfast in its commitment to ensure that all students develop a lasting appreciation for the Bible’s role in the Christian faith.

A group of 50 Liberty Resident Shepherds (residence hall leaders in the Office of Spiritual Development) recently traveled to the Museum of the Bible in Washington for a custom tour highlighting the preservation and transmission of Scripture. The experience helped strengthen confidence that our English Bibles faithfully represent the earliest biblical manuscripts while also deepening appreciation for the sacrifice required to translate God’s Word from its original languages into English. The museum opened in 2017 and is dedicated to helping visitors engage deeply with the Bible.

The trip was free for the students, made possible by a $60,000 seed gift from an anonymous donor that serves as a springboard for a larger vision initiated by the Office of Spiritual Development to see all residential students have the opportunity to take the same trip during their time at Liberty. Five more trips are being planned this semester for Liberty’s almost 300 Resident Shepherds and plans for more trips for the student body will be announced as the program develops.

“My wife and I are thrilled to come alongside the vision of giving every Liberty University student the opportunity to experience the Museum of the Bible,” the donor said. “Our initial gift is helping Liberty pilot and refine the experience with approximately 300 spiritual life student leaders, creating a tour that is engaging, meaningful, and impactful for future students.”

“Our prayer is that this is only the beginning,” the donor added. “We pray that the Lord will raise up other cheerful givers who share this vision and want to join us in making this experience available to every Liberty student. Together, we believe this vision can become a reality and a distinctive part of the Liberty experience for generations to come.”

The trip is unique to Liberty and goes beyond the usual guest experience at the museum. Students are led by an expert tour guide through various exhibits while simultaneously receiving the extensive history of items on display. The trips are another way Liberty is advancing its mission of Training Champions for Christ both through coursework and extracurricular opportunities.

“There is an undeniable sense of revival amongst the next generation, and in light of that, the urgent and pressing need is biblical literacy,” Vice President of Spiritual Development Josh Rutledge said. “That is why the Museum of the Bible is such a gift. It provides a person the opportunity to immerse themselves deeply in the question, ‘What is this book?’ But the aim of that question is to help equip someone to better read and understand it as the very Word of God.”

For psychology senior Case Lewis, a Resident Shepherd on Commons IV, the recent trip was a chance to experience church history in a whole new light. He especially enjoyed viewing the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Megiddo Mosaic (an ancient church floor excavated in Israel).

“We’re fortunate enough to have people who have uncovered some of those ancient relics that point toward the validity (of Scripture),” he said. “It’s been just another reason to be confident in the faith I have and rejoice in the fact that God didn’t necessarily need to keep the Megiddo Mosaic or originally copies of the Bible around, but He does, and we are fortunate enough to see that. It makes it really tangible for a minute. For a lot of people, that’s beneficial.”

“College is so formative for an individual,” Lewis added. “This experience gives an output for these college students to experience something, to grow, and to not only become more educated, but grow in their faith through the environment of the Museum of the Bible. It’s formative for young students to grow and learn more about their faith and the Bible they profess belief in. That in and of itself is worthy of a donation.”

Junior Bethany Bray said the trip helped her recognize the unique role each believer has in proclaiming the Gospel. She said one highlight was hearing OSD Executive Director Tommy Schrock share about various Bibles on display at the museum and their significance in light of world and church history.

“If you are a Christian, you are part of the story being told at the Museum of the Bible,” she said. “That is something you can be encouraged in and edified by previous believers in history. It was motivation for me to continue the good work I get to do. Some of those people from the past had the goal of translating the Bible and my role now is continuing to spread the Good News. It’s super cool seeing how while the people in God’s mission have changed, the mission itself never has.”

Contributions to the Museum of the Bible Student Trips Fund are being accepted. Those interested in joining the initiative are also encouraged to participate in the university’s annual Giving Day on Sept. 30.