Pastors Give Away Free Bibles To Inspire Faith
A recent survey conducted by Lifeway Research reveals that most Protestant pastors in the United States are taking active steps to encourage their congregants to engage with Scripture outside of church services. The survey, which gathered responses from 1,003 pastors between August 8 and September 3, 2024, showed that the most common method pastors use to encourage Bible reading is by providing free Bibles to those in need. In 2024, 93% of pastors offered free Bibles, marking an increase from 86% in 2016.
The survey also revealed that pastors frequently remind their congregations during sermons to read the Bible independently. In fact, 92% of pastors included this reminder, a rise from 86% in 2016. Furthermore, 73% of pastors included Bible readings during worship services, although this was a slight decrease from 76% in 2016. While offering free Bibles was the most widespread approach, many pastors also provided printed Bible reading plans, with 59% of respondents offering these resources to their congregants.
Digital and social media tools have become increasingly popular methods for pastors to encourage Bible reading. The percentage of pastors using social media for this purpose increased from 52% in 2016 to 56% in 2024, particularly among Methodist and Pentecostal pastors, where 69% reported using social media. Email reminders to read the Bible were also commonly used, with 49% of pastors utilizing this method, although this has remained consistent over the past few years.
Interestingly, fewer pastors are offering digital or online Bible reading plans, with only 37% of respondents using this approach in 2024, a slight decrease from 40% in 2016. This trend reflects a lower emphasis on digital tools for Bible engagement compared to other methods like printed reading plans or social media. The Church of Christ was the denomination most likely to provide digital reading plans, with 49% of pastors adopting this strategy.
Overall, the survey indicates that nearly all pastors use some form of strategy to encourage independent Bible reading, with less than 1% of respondents saying they do not encourage this practice. This shows a continued commitment by pastors to help their congregants connect with Scripture outside of church settings, with various methods being employed to meet the needs of a diverse and evolving congregation.