God’s Word Is Reaching the Nations

Since it was first published, the Reformation Study Bible, edited by Dr. R.C. Sproul, has been helping Christians around the world gain a deeper knowledge of God’s Word. Complete with verse-by-verse commentary, study notes, historic creeds and confessions, and topical articles, this trusted resource is now available in English, German, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. It is also actively being translated into French, Arabic, Russian, and Polish.

Placing Reformation Study Bibles into the hands of Christians is strategic for the sake of the Great Commission, because knowing God’s Word is paramount to discipleship. The study notes serve as a single-volume commentary on Scripture, which is a tremendous tool for pastors and church leaders, especially when reliable commentaries and theological education are scarce in many countries. It is a privilege to share how the Lord is equipping the global church with His Word through the distribution of this trusted resource.

Africa

By God’s grace, more than 65,000 Reformation Study Bibles have been distributed throughout Africa since the launch of Ligonier’s Study Bibles for Africa campaign. Our goal is to distribute 100,000 copies by 2028. Through this campaign, Bibles have been distributed to pastors and students in several African countries, most recently in Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia. One Bible recipient in Kenya shared,

“My passion and commitment to read the Bible has increased since I got the study Bible. Understanding the Bible sometimes is a challenge, especially difficult passages and verses in the Scriptures. One thing the study Bible has done is helped me deepen my understanding of the Bible and grow my relationship with God.”

At the request of the Anglican archbishop of Uganda, 4,000 Bibles were sent this year for each pastor in the Church of Uganda. The first 2,000 copies were distributed at the church’s once-in-a-decade conference this past July.

Copies of the Portuguese edition have been distributed in Angola and Mozambique this year. Other widely spoken languages in Africa include French and Arabic. Translation work has begun on the Arabic translation, which will be a multi-year project. We expect to release the French edition of the Reformation Study Bible in 2024, Lord willing. With the release of the French Reformation Study Bible, we will be able to reach more people throughout the French-speaking world—not only in Europe but also across Western and Central Africa, and Madagascar.

Asia

To date, more than 3,000 copies of the Reformation Study Bible have been distributed to pastors and students in cities across India. One Bible recipient in India told us,

“I am very happy and thankful for the Reformation Study Bible. The explanatory notes will be helpful for my spiritual life and will even be a resource in studying passages for teaching opportunities. I look forward to understanding the Word of God with more clarity with the help of this study Bible. Thank you so much for the wonderful gift!”

Thanks to the generous support of churches involved in Ligonier’s Church Partnership Program, more than 200 copies of the Korean Reformation Study Bible were gifted to pastors and church leaders at a Christian conference in Seoul, South Korea. The recipients, most of whom are serving in small or mid-sized churches around the country, were overjoyed to receive this trusted resource. One pastor responded,

“This Reformation Study Bible was a surprising gift! I’m impressed by the fact the Bible includes creeds and confessions and so many helpful comments and articles based on the Reformed tradition. I believe that this will be extremely beneficial for studying, teaching, and expounding God’s Word for the church I serve. Thank you so much!”

Latin America

More than 19,000 copies of the Reformation Study Bible in Spanish have been freely distributed to pastors in Latin America since the release of this translation in 2020. Congregations serving with Ligonier through the Church Partnership Program have enabled the recent distribution of Spanish Reformation Study Bibles to pastors in remote mountainous regions of Peru, to attendees at a pastors’ conference in Honduras, and to attendees at a Spanish-speaking conference for pastors and church leaders in London. A pastor in the Dominican Republic told us,

“This resource will hugely impact Latin America. We need to teach the doctrines of grace and Reformed theology as the church continues to grow in Latin America. This Bible will serve the church for generations to come. Thank you, Ligonier Ministries, for being an instrument of God to spread sound and biblical resources in the Dominican Republic.”

Additionally, your support has made it possible to gift more than 6,000 copies of the Portuguese Reformation Study Bible to pastors in Brazil since this translation’s release in 2021.

Support This Outreach

This outreach depends on the prayers and financial generosity of faithful donors such as you. Thank you for your support in translating and distributing trusted teaching so that more people around the world may know the holiness of our sovereign God and His saving grace in Christ.