One of the hardest challenges facing the Canadian Bible Society is the declining status of the Bible among Canadians.

For most of the past century the society has been funding the translation, production and distribution of Scriptures throughout the world. There’s never been enough money for the task.

“We turn down $60 million worth of opportunities each year,” says Erwin Van Laar, director of donor support and development for the Canadian Bible Society.

But the need in Canada itself is growing. Polling data back in 1993 revealed that only a quarter of people who attend church every week regularly (i.e., weekly) read the Bible. This suggests that the general population of Canada has virtually no Scripture in their lives, a vast change from previous generations.

This lapse into biblical illiteracy is making it increasingly difficult to find Canadians willing to support the demand for Scriptures in other countries. “How do you inspire people who don’t read the Bible themselves to give to Bible projects elsewhere?” asks Van Laar.

This realization is changing the way the Canadian Bible Society goes about its business. “We need to promote and encourage Scripture reading in our homeland,” says Van Laar. “We firmly believe that God’s Word changes hearts and changes lives.”

One important way of promoting and encouraging the use of Scripture is to connect with churches and agencies that share the same values. That’s a major reason why the Canadian Bible Society will provide Bibles for every person baptized in churches willing to establish an ongoing relationship with them.

Other partnerships are developing. At the top of the Canadian Bible Society’s partnership priority list is the need to encourage Bible use among young people. Youth evangelist Darrien Kovacs of CanadaFire, for example, distributes a special edition New Testament at his organization’s events and credits the society for their partnership at every opportunity.

Street people also figure high in the Canadian Bible Society’s scheme of who needs Scripture in Canada. A relationship with Church in the City in Toronto is currently being developed and more partners are in the offing. Other groups on the society’s radar include adult non-readers (e.g. deaf, visually impaired, illiterate), First Nations people and various ethnic communities.

Van Laar believes initiatives to encourage the use of Scripture in Canada will strengthen the society’s ability to assist with projects around the world. “I don’t want to say ‘no’ to anyone ever again,” he says.

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