Professional book-tracking agency Circana BookScan tabulated a definite Bible sales spike in a 12-month period ending October. The Bible was outpacing the sale of other books. It’s no secret the Bible is the best-selling book of all time, with an estimated 5-billion copies acquired over the years. But this recently flurry of biblical interest is getting a lot of attention, especially with the ‘why?’
For thoughts on this we went to Jeff Crosby, the President and CEO of Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. He’s onboard with the numerical finding.
“Circana BookScan, which is what that 22% number is based on, is the primary tracking service of sales of publishing. So it is, and that's both Christian and what we call general trade. So, its number is really the most reliable and it's also authoritative. But anecdotally, I know the sales of bibles at christianbook.com, one of the primary outlets of Bibles these days, and then also anecdotally directly from publishers to individuals and bookstores, it all affirms the data. But Circana BookScan that the 22% is based on is definitely the authoritative figure.”
Jeff’s reaction when he first learned about the numbers? “Yeah, I suppose in short, it was the sense of gratitude and hope. I've worked in Christian publishing and book selling for 41 years, and I've seen ebbs and flows of sales of all kinds of products, including Bibles and then companies coming and going, advancing, declining. But the sales reports for Bibles and the interest that's generated from media in recent weeks and knowing why it's happened did make me grateful and hopeful. I track sales of ECPA member titles both books and Bibles monthly, so it really wasn't a surprise. I could see it building throughout the year and sales of Bible editions have been strong even longer than 2024, dating back to the Pandemic when we were all inside our homes and things were a bit dark. But this year's growth, it has been exceptional and I'm grateful for what it could mean in the lives of readers here in North America and around the world.” He paused, “But as we know, the sale of a book or a Bible doesn't necessarily mean someone is reading it and it's in the reading that lives have a chance to be transformed.”
Why the increased interest in the Bible?
“When the Wall Street Journal called me, and I spent about 45 minutes to an hour with Jeffrey, the reporter, and he was delving into that question and I referenced a number of things that I believe are at work, a couple of which the Wall Street Journal used, but for you a few more beyond what you would've seen in that. I do believe, as a current general trade bestseller by Jonathan Haight suggests, that we live in an anxious generation. And I believe that parents and grandparents like me, I have six grandchildren, I think that we are suggesting to the young people in our lives that the Bible is a source of guidance and comfort and reassurance in this anxious generation. And Bibles are often given as gifts. That's been true for as long as I've been in this work. But I think special editions with features for young people, whether it's teens or younger, things such as the Action Bible from David C. Cook Publishing, they're having a tremendous season of growth.
So, the idea of an anxious generation and products that are really being tailored to them. But other things which a Wall Street Journal did pick up on in my remarks, like artificial intelligence, which is really stirring up a lot of anxiety, social media, negativity whenever there is a global war - and particularly war in the Middle East, there tends to be an uptick in interest in Bible reading and reading of Christian books. I think the past three election cycles and all of the polarization that we've seen there, people are looking for kind of an anchor. And I think scripture provides that. It's a source of wisdom, of direction, of consolation. And then I also, just from a publishing strategy standpoint, I think Bible publishers have done a great job of offering special products that really meet readers where they are things like Bibles that have journals built in.”
The revenge of analog
I asked Jeff, “Do you sense that there's a new interest in holding a Bible in your hand? I mean so many people now are using their phones and so forth, which is fine, it's still the word of God, but is there an interest in a hardcover or softcover bible where you actually sit and concentrate, read and change pages?” Jeff responded, referencing a quote from writer David Sachs who coined the term the revenge of analog. “People are buying vinyl again records, and they're also buying print bibles. I think many of the newer editions we're seeing from ECPA member publishers are designed with great care, they're designed with beauty in mind. I think of in papers, I think of pictures that are inside that are works of art. And I think that that all enhances the reading experience. So, I suspect you're right that there's something about holding that print Bible in your hand.”
Jeff has an amazing overview of the world of books, and in our complete podcast interview, just below, he shares what books are trending, what topics are getting attention, and gives us a glimpse of another book of his own coming soon.
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content.