Both of these Bibles are the Word of God, but surely no one would say the format doesn’t matter. The presentation of this Bible says something about the accessibility and availability of Scripture. The second Bible is a pocket New Testament with a tiny font. The presentation of this Bible says something about the value of these words. The first Bible is leather-bound with gilded edges and opens up to a beautifully designed single-column interior.
Just consider two forms of the Bible in print. Let’s set aside the question of Bible apps for a moment. The form matters, because it affects the way we encounter God’s Word. At the same time, I wonder if many Christians assume the format for a Bible is neutral, that it’s irrelevant where or how you engage with the Bible, so long as it’s the Bible you’re engaging. That’s why our team devotes attention to multiple digital platforms while caring deeply for the value of printed Bibles. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church, says “open your Bibles” and “turn on your Bibles,” and has remarked at the change in years past from the rustling of paper as people flipped through the text to the soft white glow of people today accessing the Bible via their phones.Īdvertise on TGC Does the Form of Your Bible Matter?Īs a Bible publisher, I’m thrilled to see people engaging the Bible, whatever the format. But many pastors tell me that they’re showing up less often in the hands of congregants at church on Sunday. Needless to say, printed Bibles aren’t going away. (In case you’re wondering how those statistics hold up generationally, consider the fact that three out of four millennials say they prefer a print Bible.) So, the trends show exponential growth in digital Bible engagement alongside a strong preference for a print Bible reading experience. That percentage holds true even though more than 90 percent of Bible readers also indicate that they engage with the Bible on digital platforms and through an app. A surprising statistic in research on Bible engagement among Americans is that more than 90 percent of regular Bible readers prefer print to digital.
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