Bible Sales Jumped 22% in America This Year

Religion,

The Wall Street Journal reports Americans are buying more Bibles this year.

From January through October of 2024, book tracker Circana BookScan found that Bible sales were up 22% compared to the same time period last year.

Overall, sales of printed books have risen 1% this year — meaning people are buying more books, but Bible sales far outpaced the sale of other books.

According to the article, the increase in Bible sales has been driven by factors such as rising anxiety and a search for meaning, noting:

“People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren,” said Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. “It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK.”

The article also noted that this jump in Bible sales comes despite evidence that Americans are growing less religious:

The Pew Research Center found that about 28% of adults in the U.S. now consider themselves religiously unaffiliated. Yet Bible sales rose to 14.2 million in 2023 from 9.7 million in 2019, and hit 13.7 million in the first 10 months of this year. Readers are also stocking up on related titles that provide guidance, insights and context—even sets of stickers to flag particularly meaningful passages. 

By most accounts, the Bible is the bestselling book of all time and the single most widely-read book in the history of human civilization. The Bible has had such a profound impact on American society that in 2013 Arkansas lawmakers passed Act 1440 letting public schools offer elective academic courses where students may learn about “the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics.”

It’s good to see more Americans turning to the Bible for the answers to life’s challenges. Of course, it isn’t enough simply to own a Bible. The Bible is meant to be read, learned, and lived out in daily life. Still, buying a Bible is a great start.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Americans Say Homelessness, Crime, Personal Finances Have Gotten Worse. We Believe Churches Can Help

Religious Freedom, ,

Polling shows Americans feel homelessness and crime are growing problems in America, and they say their personal finances have gotten worse.

In October, Rasmussen published results of a survey showing 61% of American adults believe homelessness in America has gotten worse over the past four years.

In a separate survey, 40% of American adults told Rasmussen their personal financial situation had worsened in the past six months.

Rasmussen also found nearly half (47%) of American adults feel crime has gotten worse in their communities.

Each survey polled more than 1,000 people.

Stories like these underscore why Family Council launched the Church Ambassador Network initiative earlier this year.

The Church Ambassador Network builds relationships between church leaders and elected leaders regardless of their political leanings. Our goal is for elected officials to see churches as a resource that can address many of the problems that communities face.

Many Americans do not fully appreciate how much churches do for their communities. Nationwide, researchers estimate that churches, ministries, and religious charities provide hundreds of billions of dollars worth of services every year.

Our Arkansas Church Ambassador Network currently has about 400 churches in it. In the coming months, we want to help elected officials and churches work together to address issues like foster care, fatherless homes, addiction, and human trafficking in Arkansas.

If you help lead a church or similar ministry in Arkansas, we would invite you to join the Church Ambassador Network for free today.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Gov. Sanders Unites Faith Leaders to Tackle State’s Key Social Issues

Religious Freedom,

CBN News recently reported from Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Faith Summit in Little Rock.

Family Council and our Arkansas Justice Institute division were pleased to support the summit.

CBN News reports:

Flanked by her father, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Sanders spoke candidly about her belief that faith is a driving force behind addressing issues like food insecurity, foster care, social media concerns, and educational freedom.

“I hope this becomes an annual event in Arkansas,” said Stephanie Nichols, of the Arkansas Justice Institute, who emphasized the importance of school choice in education and how the state’s LEARNS Act provides funding for parents of eligible students who choose private schooling or homeschooling.

Nichols added, “One example I encouraged attendees to consider is how my kids attend a homeschool co-op held in a church. If more churches opened their facilities for educational purposes, we’d have more children educated with biblical worldviews.”

You can learn more by watching CBN’s news coverage below.

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