U.S. Christians Called to Celebrate Christmas Without Bibles

By By Eric Young

A Christian literature ministry is calling on believers in America not only to celebrate this Christmas without a Bible in hand, but also to clear their shelves of many of the Bibles they may have.

"If American Christians were willing to keep one family Bible and send the rest of their Bibles overseas, millions more people would be exposed to the life changing effects of God's Word," explains Fred Palmerton, executive director of Christian Resources International (CRI), in an announcement.

As for celebrating Christmas without a Bible, CRI is hoping that more American Christians will try to memorize Scripture and become more aware of the hardships encountered by believers overseas, many of which are without a Bible while the average U.S. Christian has about nine Bibles.

"Churches in the United States should try and conduct one worship service this Christmas the way that our brothers and sisters in the Third World regularly have to worship: without a Bible," says Palmerton. "Often, the only resource worshippers in developing countries have is their memory, or what they write down on scraps of paper after visiting a church that does have a Bible."

Every day, more than 122,000 people become Christians, according to CRI, and most are in Africa, Asia, and South America.

“They’re attending churches where even the pastors have no Bibles,” reports the ministry, which claims to receive more than 400 letters a month from pastors and Christian workers in developing countries requesting for their first Bible as their churches own no Bibles or Christian books.

The United States, meanwhile, has a much more impressive average number of Bibles per person.

This discrepancy is why CRI launched “Operation Bare Your Bookshelf,” a project to make it easy for American Christians to send a Bible (and a Christian book or two) overseas.

To participate in the project, Christians just enter their name, address, and denomination in a form online and CRI will send them, at no cost, all the mailing materials they need to send a Bible to a specific pastor, Christian worker, church member, or seeker overseas.

“Because the mailing materials bear CRI’s return address, you need not worry that you’ll be personally contacted by anyone overseas,” the ministry adds. “But CRI will personally pass on to you the thank you letters generated by the packages they send.”

Denominations are requested on the form so that CRI can match participants with recipients who are members of a denomination most similar to theirs, ensuring that the material they send will actually be used in the recipient’s church.

"Imagine what it would be like for your family to read the story of the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke for the first time," Palmerton poses as Christmas approaches for many around the world.

While the package has a four-pound limit, participants are also encouraged to slip in a tract or other Christian book as space allows. CRI has included a list of suggestions on the types of books that are most needed aside from Bibles.

The ministry is inviting individuals, churches and groups to sign up for Operation Bare Your Bookshelf, and send the Christian books “that will bring tears of joy to someone's face and a lifetime of spiritual enrichment to an entire church full of people.”

"Help Christians around the world get the books they desperately need," it urges.

On the Web:

cribooks.homestead.com/bareyourbookshelf.html

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.

Top Stories