Mike’s on a bike for ‘Tour de Tyndale’

A passionate Scripture-lover is undertaking what he calls a “Tour de Tyndale” to “encourage people to read, know, and love the Bible”.

Michael Smith regularly shares the Bible at his local community hub near Bath each Wednesday morning at a gathering called “Bread and Bread”. Every week, a meal is provided and then a Scripture passage discussed.

But this summer, inspired by his love of Bible scholar and Protestant martyr William Tyndale, he is cycling 732 km from Vilvoorde, near Brussels – where Tyndale was executed – to Constance in southern Germany, where fellow Reformer Jan Hus was martyred. “Their stories represent countless men and women who gave their lives so that others could have access to God’s Word,” says Mike on his fund-raising page at justgiving.com. The aim is to raise funds for Bible Society.

Asked why he is so passionate about Scripture, Mike told Bible Society: “If you want to know God you need to know this book.” And explaining what it is about William Tyndale that inspires him, he said: “When you get to know him and what he did – he gave his life, gave everything so that folk like me, you and the ploughboy could have access to the Bible. He left the country he loved, never got married, gave up a good job – gave it all up so we could have access to the Bible. And it cost him his life. He gave it all up so that the Bible would be accessible to everybody.”

On his “Tour de Tyndale” Mike is taking copies of Mark’s Gospel in his panniers to hand out en route and raising funds for people around the world to receive study Bibles and resources.

Bible Society is taking the whole of 2026 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s 1526 New Testament – the first time the New Testament was translated from the Greek and made available in English. And on 16–17 September, Bible Society supporters and staff are taking on a 26-mile sponsored walk in Tyndale’s footsteps. They say they are “celebrating Tyndale’s core belief that the Bible is for everyone and raising £5,000 to invite more people to discover its message for themselves”.

More details of Mike’s ride and about William Tyndale are on Bible Society’s website.