OPINION:
Something fascinating is afoot in America — and around the globe. Despite raging uncertainty, chaos, war and moral confusion, a positive dynamic is unfolding: Bibles are flying off the shelves.
New data from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, an organization devoted to the spread of the Bible, indicates stunning increases in the number of Bibles sold throughout the U.S. and U.K.
In America, Bible sales hit a 21-year high last year, with sales in the U.K. doubling to their highest ever. To underscore just how sweeping the increase has been, there was a 134% jump in British Bible sales since 2019.
Some might wonder why these massive swings are unfolding, and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge is offering some compelling theories.
“This isn’t just a publishing story,” the organization wrote in an article. “It’s a sign that many are searching for meaning and stability in a changing world.”
This observation is astute. The world is, without a doubt, in crisis. From chaos in the Middle East to people struggling economically, socially and culturally in America, uncertainty abounds.
In the midst of it all, you have a crop of young people who have been raised to believe moral relativism’s derangement is somehow a viable platform on which to build their lives.
From the foisting of transgender madness on children to the faux claim there’s no need for a God, society has been force-fed lies on a massive scale — and many young people have been propelled to learn the hard way that such whims are untrue and spiritually dangerous.
This has sparked a thirst for truth in many hearts, leading people back to the Bible.
“People of all ages, particularly younger adults, are searching for meaning, stability and hope in an increasingly uncertain world,” the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge said. “This often takes the form of renewed curiosity, reflection and openness to spirituality, even if not expressed through traditional church attendance.”
This interest and intrigue offer a powerful calling to churches, pastors and Christians more broadly. With so many people desperately seeking truth — and willing to head to the store to buy Bibles in an effort to discover reality — there’s an unprecedented opportunity before us.
With it come some important responsibilities and some dangers if the faithful refuse to step up to the plate and properly foster these curiosities.
First, Christians need to be ready to answer questions. Too many of us have become apathetic and lazy about our own Bible reading and knowledge. Researcher George Barna estimates, based on his extensive surveying, that just 4% of Americans hold a biblical worldview.
And that extends well beyond Americans overall, with Mr. Barna noting that Christians, too, have fallen prey to misunderstanding.
“Only 53% of self-identified Christians name the God of the Bible as an existing and influential spiritual authority, while 22% do not recognize Jesus Christ as a present, living force,” he said last year. “Even more striking, 21% of self-described Christians believe in the existence of Satan, despite his clearly defined role in Christian theology.”
With so many people flocking to buy Bibles, it’s time for Christians to crack open their own Bibles daily and to be ready to answer the questions that these inquisitive minds may have.
Beyond Bible-buying, we also know Generation Z and millennials are flocking to church and the pews in record numbers. Research shows that, for the first time in eons, young people are attending houses of worship more regularly than older generations.
Now is the time to look around at our churches and Bible studies to find these people, disciple them and help them one-on-one to learn more about Jesus. We must allow and encourage them to ask questions — and be ready with answers to their curiosities.
A failure to make this intentional effort fails to meet the moment.
Christians, in particular, must stand up to the plate to help positively transform American culture. Amid so much uncertainty and diabolical behavior, there’s been a stunning shift since 2024, when a political and social awakening caused many to push back on secularism and hyper-progressivism.
People are now more open to political and cultural truth, and the only solution to these dynamics is spiritual, not material.
There’s a real opportunity to further shift the nation’s tone back to one that honors the Almighty and sets America on a healthier path. Such dynamics can’t be healed politically. Sure, policies help usher in sanity, but until hearts are permanently changed, minds and behaviors won’t shift.
Now is the time for Christians to stand up and seize upon these incredible patterns of Bible-buying and church attendance to help bring more people to a place of truth, sanity and individual success. It’s how we heal not only individual hearts — but also our land.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” Mr. Hallowell also is the author of four books.
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