Original Article: (CBN.com)
Cely Vazquez, a 28-year-old artist and influencer, recently bought her first Bible and documented it in a video published on her TikTok account. Photo: Cely Vazquez
God’s truth is reaching new eyes, with Bibles reportedly flying off shelves this year.
In fact, Bible sales are up 22% this year through the end of October when compared to last year’s sales during the same time period, making for “a golden age of Bible publishing,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
And here’s why this figure matters. U.S. book sales were up less than 1% during that same period, meaning the Bible’s growth in sales far outpaced what was happening more generally in the print literary space.
The WSJ crunched the numbers and found Bible sales increased from 9.7 million in 2019 to 14.2 million in 2023. In the first 10 months of 2024, 13.7 million copies were sold, with still two months left to count.
So, why the increase, you ask? It seems chaos and uncertainty in the world, among other factors, could be turning people back to the Lord.
“People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren,” Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, told the WSJ. “It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK.”
One bookstore manager told the outlet she’s seeing many first-time buyers come in looking for the Scriptures — people she said are on a quest for “hope.”
Young people, in particular, could be looking for answers to some of life’s tough questions, especially as cultural confusion grows. And with new editions and versions of the Bible hitting the market, there are more options than ever for these individuals to engage in Scripture.
Some of the other potential reasons for the increase mentioned by the WSJ are celebrities speaking out about faith and influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms sharing their beliefs with new audiences.
As CBN News reported in 2023, research backs the idea young people have a growing curiosity about faith. The “State of the Bible 2023” report released at the time did reveal a steady decline among young people engaging with Scripture. Yet, 44% of Gen Z adults between the ages of 18-26 were either very or extremely curious about Jesus and/or the Bible.
And nearly half of Gen Z said the Bible has transformed their lives. Among older Gen Z adults aged 18-21, 49% reported this transformation, with 52% of those aged 22-26 stating the same.
Months later, Dr. John Plake, chief program officer at the American Bible Society, told CBN News 21% of Gen Z adults said in his organization’s 2024 “State of the Bible” survey — the wave that followed the 2023 data — that “they’ve actually increased their use of the Bible within the last year.”
“They’re leaning into the Bible,” Plake said. “They’re really trying to engage in their faith and they are kind of a bright hope for us as a young generation of American adults.”
Other recently released data shows the full power a regular connection with God can have on a young person’s life. It will be interesting to see if the trend continues in 2025 — and beyond.
Cely Vazquez, a 28-year-old artist and influencer, recently bought her first Bible and documented it in a video published on her TikTok account. Photo: Cely Vazquez
God’s truth is reaching new eyes, with Bibles reportedly flying off shelves this year.
In fact, Bible sales are up 22% this year through the end of October when compared to last year’s sales during the same time period, making for “a golden age of Bible publishing,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
And here’s why this figure matters. U.S. book sales were up less than 1% during that same period, meaning the Bible’s growth in sales far outpaced what was happening more generally in the print literary space.
The WSJ crunched the numbers and found Bible sales increased from 9.7 million in 2019 to 14.2 million in 2023. In the first 10 months of 2024, 13.7 million copies were sold, with still two months left to count.
So, why the increase, you ask? It seems chaos and uncertainty in the world, among other factors, could be turning people back to the Lord.
“People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren,” Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, told the WSJ. “It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK.”
One bookstore manager told the outlet she’s seeing many first-time buyers come in looking for the Scriptures — people she said are on a quest for “hope.”
Young people, in particular, could be looking for answers to some of life’s tough questions, especially as cultural confusion grows. And with new editions and versions of the Bible hitting the market, there are more options than ever for these individuals to engage in Scripture.
Some of the other potential reasons for the increase mentioned by the WSJ are celebrities speaking out about faith and influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms sharing their beliefs with new audiences.
As CBN News reported in 2023, research backs the idea young people have a growing curiosity about faith. The “State of the Bible 2023” report released at the time did reveal a steady decline among young people engaging with Scripture. Yet, 44% of Gen Z adults between the ages of 18-26 were either very or extremely curious about Jesus and/or the Bible.
And nearly half of Gen Z said the Bible has transformed their lives. Among older Gen Z adults aged 18-21, 49% reported this transformation, with 52% of those aged 22-26 stating the same.
Months later, Dr. John Plake, chief program officer at the American Bible Society, told CBN News 21% of Gen Z adults said in his organization’s 2024 “State of the Bible” survey — the wave that followed the 2023 data — that “they’ve actually increased their use of the Bible within the last year.”
“They’re leaning into the Bible,” Plake said. “They’re really trying to engage in their faith and they are kind of a bright hope for us as a young generation of American adults.”
Other recently released data shows the full power a regular connection with God can have on a young person’s life. It will be interesting to see if the trend continues in 2025 — and beyond.
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