Publishers reporting surging interest in the Bible due to COVID-19 crisis

Tyndale House Publishers, a major publisher of Bible and Christian books based in the US, has noticed a “considerable increase” in interest in the Bible since the start of the COVID-19 panic.

In an interview with the Christian Post, Tyndale executive Jim Jewell said that there has been a 60% increase in the sales of Immerse Bibles and a 44% increase in Life Application Study Bibles.

He also added that the number of people visiting the company’s Facebook page for the New Living Translation in March was triple the numbers of March last year. The page features Scripture verse memes. There has also been a substantial increase of visits in 2020, as the page recorded a 72% increase of visits between March and April.

Jewell attributes this significant growth to the COVID-19 crisis that has “upended almost everyone’s lives in some way.” He added that people are turning to the Bible for “clarity.”

Tyndale is not the only Bible publisher to see growth. According to an article on Fox News, Alabaster Co. has noticed a 143% increase in sales over last year and Lifeway a 62% increase.

In an interview with Fox News, Alabaster business director Brian Chung made an interesting point noting that people are buying Bibles even as their finances take a hit:

“Even amidst suffering and financial hardship we’ve continued to see people engage with Alabaster by utilizing our free resources and purchasing Bibles as encouraging gifts for loved ones.”
Brian Chung, Albaster Co., Fox News

Not only are people looking for hope in these trying times, but another reason for this increased interest may be due to the Bible’s warning of end times events paving the way for the second coming of Christ.

Ironically with Easter soon upon us, just prior to His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples there would be several signs leading up to His second coming. One of them was pestilences or plagues:

10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
Luke 21:10-11 NIV

Notice how Jesus warned of pestilences (notice the plural) meaning there would be several and Jesus also added that they would show up in “various places.”

According to a recent survey by Lifeway Research of 1000 Evangelical pastors, 80% believe the events unfolding on earth today are connected to the imminent return of Christ.

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