Know All About The Bible Museum

This post isn't about the Washington, DC-based Museum of the Bible. Instead, it's about the interesting journey of The Bible Museum and how it grew up to become a popular name worldwide from its modest start. It all began without any plan, but by God's grace, it grew so big that people from far and wide now come to the online site as well as the physical store to browse and buy ancient and rare Bibles and Bible leaves.

Since 1987, The Bible Museum has been the largest dealer of antique and rare Bibles globally. Its sales figures for rare Bibles are significantly more than the collective total of all other dealers selling rare books worldwide. Since 1996, the online shop of The Bible Museum has been functioning at GREATSITE.COM. This popular website finds preference with thousands of other websites of ministries, churches, and individuals who enthusiastically link to it. Perhaps this popularity explains why the site attracts thousands of daily visitors. The Bible Museum also has a physical showroom in Phoenix, Arizona, that stays open round the clock. If you're wanting to learn more about The Bible Museum, read on the learn more.

Beginning of the Bible Museum

It all began in 1987 when Dr. Craig Lampe, who was then the World Bible Society's International Director, shared his idea of building a unique company with Dr. Jonathan Byrd - his old friend. This friend was one of the bigshots in Indy Car Racing and was chosen in 2002 for the Indianapolis Speedrome Hall of Fame. Dr. Lampe's idea was to capture the market of antique and rare Bibles by establishing an organization to repair and conserve the antique printings of God's Word for upcoming generations and put these magnificent assets up for sale. This idea was to grow this organization into the world's principal source for antique and rare Bibles.

At that time, Dr. Byrd had just sold all seven franchises of his Kentucky Fried Chicken and was getting ready to construct America's largest cafeteria. But perhaps it was divine intervention that made him decide to support his friend's idea financially. This paved the way for establishing the company named Jonathan Byrd's Rare Books Bibles. This company didn't have any brick-and-mortar store or public display area during its early days. It was positioned in a small storage room without any windows in the offices above Dr. Byrd's Cafeteria in Indiana's Greenwood. It was just people's word-of-mouth referrals that helped others find their way to the company. Surprisingly, by 1989, the company grew to become the largest dealer of antique and rare Bibles globally.

In 1994, a hobby collector of old Bibles named John Jeffcoat was feeling disheartened as he couldn't find Bibles printed before the 1800s. From a rare book dealer, he got the phone number of Dr. Craig Lampe. After two short calls, he took a 1,200+ miles round-trip to visit Dr. Lampe's little shop that had established its near-monopoly in the field of antique and rare Bibles. He returned home two days later, armed with his first purchase from the store.

Two years later, John Jeffcoat shared his idea of creating a website with Dr. Lampe that he said would display a sampling of the company's extensive and magnificent inventory of antique Bibles and Bible leaves. Jeffcoat planned to leverage printed advertisements and search engine listings for the website to make the public aware of his splendid material that they could easily access. And thus, GREATSITE.COM was born that houses The Bible Museum.

The Bible Museum's Story Continues

The site and The Bible Museum got such a great response that within a few weeks of the site going live, John quit his full-time job to ensure he could easily handle the deluge of incoming emails and calls from around the world.

The Bible Museum encouraged several people to turn into collectors as nothing could be as rewarding as owning the earliest and some of the rarest prints of God's Word. You could hardly find anything more precious than these antique Bibles. Even when it comes to family heirlooms or astute investments, it is hard to imagine a more intriguing investment than these rare Bibles offered by The Bible Museum.

As the website grew and started raking in annual sales to the tune of millions of dollars and 1,000+ daily visitors, the need for a more elegant storefront showroom was felt. Dr. Byrd was then constructing three new lavish hotels in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. Finally, in 1999, the company headquarters shifted from Indiana's Greenwood to Arizona's Goodyear.

Today, The Bible Museum is located in the Grand Lobby of one of the most stunning new hotels in Arizona, where the showroom stays open 24/7 for visitors. However, you can only make in-person purchases at The Bible Museum during standard business hours, by appointment.

Original Source: https://greatsitethebiblemuseum.blogspot.com/2022/05/know-all-about-bible-museum.html

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Ancient Bibles

Saint Jerome once said that lack of knowledge of sacred scripture is equivalent to ignorance of Christ. This may send you rushing for your Bible, but instead of having your usual copy, why not get your hands on an ancient Bible? A rare, ancient Bible is worth the investment, especially if you steer clear of the dubious elements and buy from a reputed and reliable dealer of rare and ancient Bibles.

Not sure why you should buy an ancient Bible? Here are the top five reasons:

Keep Yourself Grounded, Albeit In Style

All of us are God’s children. However, in today’s fast-paced, highly competitive, stress-filled world, it could be very easy for you to lose touch with this reality. You could forget who you truly are when battling life’s blues. Taking some time out to browse through the leaves of your ancient Bible will help to keep you grounded by reminding you of who you truly are. When you read the scripture often, you’ll realize Christ is with you, even on your stress-filled, sloppy days or during those times when everything seems to go wrong. Though you can read your standard Bible too to stay grounded, leafing through your ancient Bible will give the activity a dash of class and style.

A Great Item to Display

For devout Christians, an ancient Bible that’s 300 to 500 years old and comes beautifully bound in leather is an item to cherish and display with pride. Even if you aren’t a devout Christians, an antique Bible is a stunning addition to your home for sure. Not every house you walk into will have a rare and ancient Bible on display. This makes acquiring your copy of an ancient Bible all the more significant. If you’re looking for great display items for your abode and want to steer clear of the usual fare, you can consider getting an ancient Bible. Whether you’re spiritually inclined or not, getting an ancient Bible printed in the 1500s and 1600s will make a marvelous addition to your abode.

A Good Conversation Starter

Since people are typically quite willing to discuss religion, having an ancient Bible can be a great conversation starter. If you’re entertaining guests you’re meeting for the first time, such a rare copy of the Bible can also act as an ice-breaker. Instead of forcibly starting some religious discussion, which could seem extremely intimidating and awkward, answering questions about your ancient Bible can set the stage for free-flowing conversations with your guests. Those who marvel at the ancient Bible in your possession are likely to ask questions like where you got it from, what encouraged you to buy it, what are your opinions about the purchase now that you have it, and a lot more. This could be a fun way to talk about your prized possession and even steer the discussion to a different topic after you and your guests settle down comfortably.

Could Become a Family Heirloom

An ancient Bible is much more than a mere item to display in your abode. This prized possession of yours can become a family heirloom that’s passed down from you to your children and from them to your grandchildren. By passing down this ancient Bible from one generation to the other, you not only ensure its safekeeping but also help your family members understand the significance of the religious scripture. You may even attach your personal notes and reflections to this ancient Bible. For instance, saying that you believe in your children and in God who loves they will be a real encouragement to them, especially during stressful times when you would no longer be present in person.

A Great Gift

An ancient Bible is a great gift for your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc. You can give the Bible as a gift at weddings, Christmas, baptisms or baby christenings, graduations, or when welcoming new members to the church. By sending your recipients God’s wisdom through His own words, together with His unending love, you can make them feel special. And since this isn’t your ordinary Bible but a rare, ancient Bible, it makes the gift all the more special and thoughtful.

Ready to Buy an Ancient Bible?

Now that you have learned the top five reasons for buying an ancient Bible, are you ready to act? Find a reliable and reputed dealer here for antique and rare Bibles to buy your copy of an ancient Bible for the world's most unusual gift-shop.