Scripture distribution:
How many Bibles does the world need?
by Justin D. Long
It should first be noted that, for measurement purposes, the term 'Scripture' covers 4 distinct types of literature: whole Bibles, New Testaments, portions (e.g. gospels), and selections (usually small leaflets reproducing Scripture passages).
Present distribution of the Holy Scriptures is of two kinds: organized and unorganized. Unorganized distribution arises through the uncoordinated efforts of large numbers of individuals and small groups who obtain copies in one country and then mail or otherwise distribute them in another, or who import or print and distribute secretly or illegally. Since no records are kept or compiled centrally, this is impossible to quantify, although the totals probably are small relative to organized activity.
Organized distribution arises through the ongoing activities of 3 kinds of major publishers, who through local production and/or imported stock undertake 3 different types of distribution: (1) free distribution (Gideons International, and the "Bible-smuggling" societies organized to distribute scriptures clandestinely or illegally); (2) subsidized distribution (subsidized to local prices that local recipients can afford: by the United Bible Societies and other non-UBS Bible societies) and (3) commercial distribution (prices fixed by commercial considerations by professional secular or religious publishers).
Between all of these operations, the present annual distribution is: Bibles, 64 million; New Testaments, 99.3 million; Portions, 1.8 billion. The actual totals of Scriptures produced by publishers, of course, are almost always responses to demand. They are the aggregate demands or requirements of markets, populations, churches and other major agencies. In certain Western countries, however, modern methods of mass production have led to the markets there becoming increasingly saturated. If such saturation could be avoided, undersupplied countries in the Third World could be assisted.
So, the question of the day: how many copies of the scriptures does the world and its populations need each year, from the Christian point of view, bearing in mind publishers' limited resources of money, paper, time and distribution personnel, and the need to avoid waste, duplication and saturation?
The world does not necessarily need the printing of a complete Bible for every person on earth, especially as a goal to be accomplished by a specific date (e.g. AD 2000). Firstly, vast numbers cannot read, and at least a quarter of the world are too young to read; more, distribution cannot take place in many areas due to religious or irreligious hostility to Christianity.
A more reasonable and limited intermediate goal is that proposed by the United Bible Societies at their 1963 Asia Bible Societies Conference in Manila: the provision of "a Bible for every Christian home, at least a New Testament for every Christian, and at least a scripture portion for all who are literate." (At the time, the deadline for this goal was AD 2000).
Taking into account the realities of age and illiteracy, we can introduce greater precision and define the immediate goal of distribution to be ownership as follows: a complete Bible for every literate Christian home or family or household, a New Testament for every literature adult Christian individual, and a scripture portion for every adult or reader in the population; all of these, ideally, in the individuals' mother tongue.
This limited goal does not exclude, strictly speaking, extension projects such as the placement of Bibles in public places or provision of Bibles or Testaments for evangelistic outreach to non-Christians. It is well known, for example, that a large percentage of the New Testaments given to the Chinese house church movement are actually given away to non-Christian seekers as part of the process of evangelism. This is good, and results in huge quantities of converts; unfortunately it is also bad, in that it does nothing to help meet the goal stated above. (This is not to say we recommend the house church movement to stop giving away Bibles! Far from it. Rather, we recommend more Bibles be brought in.)
What is the total number needed? The number of literature adults in our world is presently 2,685 million (e.g. 2.6 billion). Of these, I would roughly estimate that 880 million (33%) are Christians. This would equate to an equal number of New Testaments, and about half that many Bibles (one for each Christian household). Further, an additional 1.8 billion Portions are required for non-Christian literates.
Based on the average yearly distributions from the first edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia and our later publications, we can calculate the total number of Bibles presently in distribution at close to 1.1 billion--more than enough for 880 million literate Christians. Similar results can be seen for New Testaments, and we see above that the annual distribution of Portions ought to be enough to meet the existing need.
Has this goal been met?
No--again a problem of distribution rather than one of production. In the 10/40 Window, Bibles are hard to come by, while in the West Christians often own more than one. I, like others I know, personally have five on my shelf (each a different version, and only one that I regularly use).
The solution, as always, is to rebalance distribution:
1. Increase distribution of Bibles to the 10/40 Window. Bible deliverers constantly tell me that if support is provided, methods can be found to deliver Bibles, despite restrictions.
2. Those who can afford to purchase multiple Bibles: put your money toward sponsoring a Bible into the 10/40 Window instead. A $60 Bible in the United States could sponsor 5 to 50 Bibles into World A, depending upon the country and the current matching gifts programs.
3. Publishers ought to increase, where possible, the monies given to support the distribution of Bibles in restricted-access nations. Bible sales would increase, I think, if people knew a certain percentage of their purchase price went toward a Bible in a restricted-access country. If one were to purchase a $50 Bible, and the publisher promised to set aside 10% for a Bible in, for example, China, then the purchaser would know that with his purchase, he had just donated something that would yield on average 10 new converts. What a powerful promotional tool that would be -- and what a massive impact for the Kingdom of God! Why don't you write a Bible publisher today and suggest this program?
