Historic impact and bold vision mark 70th Anniversary

A simple prayer launched Bible League’s mission to send God’s Word into action. A church elder asked God to spare the life of William Chapman, a desperately ill Chicago-area businessman, and give him a new life dedicated to kingdom service. When Chapman recovered in 1938, he and his wife went door-to-door in Walkerton, Indiana, giving a Bible to anyone in need in exchange for a promise to read it.

The desire to help lead people to Christ through God’s Word has expanded to Bible League’s present ministry of placing Bibles into waiting hands in more than 60 countries. Over the past 70 years, Bible League partners have helped provide more than 730 million Scriptures worldwide. Still, hundreds of millions of people remain Bible-less.

Bible League’s board, staff, and volunteers are praying toward a bold new vision, adopted in 2008: “In our role of helping people come into fellowship with Christ and His Church, the Bible League will endeavour to train 10 million nationals to engage 100 million people in the study of God’s Word through the placement of Bibles and New Testament by the year 2020.”

“We fully embrace John 4:35,” said Bob Cole, president of Bible League. ‘I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.’ Scripture’s direction is not muddy—it’s very clear. Bible League is uniquely positioned to help reap the harvest. We already share the goals of Vision 2020 with our partners, so we just need to move ahead together!”

Bible League remains committed to serving churches worldwide by providing Bibles and training to indigenous Christians who share the transforming Gospel of Christ. Through evangelistic and discipling Bible studies, people “meet” Jesus in the Bible. Many commit their lives to Him and continue to grow in faith by the power of God’s Word. Christians trained by Bible League also establish new churches in areas where there are none.