Bible Project--Spreading the Word for 54 Years

CHICAGO — For more than half a century, the Bible League has been quietly distributing millions of Bibles and other religious literature to churches, prisons and hospitals throughout the world.

When William Chapman, a Chicago-area businessman, founded the nonprofit organization in Walkerton, Ind., in 1938, he had just 1,000 Bibles bought with his savings. He and his wife, Betty, began canvassing their neighborhood and distributing the Bibles to anyone promising to read them.

As news of their work spread and requests increased, the door-to-door ministry developed into the Bible League.

Since its founding, the ministry, based in suburban South Holland, has placed more than 425 million Bibles, New Testaments and biblical study materials in more than 90 countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe. Of that total, 27.3 million were placed during the last fiscal year, compared with 13.7 million in 1983.

“In an average year we would print in about 65 languages,” said the Rev. David Stravers, vice president of ministries.

The interdenominational league devotes its efforts to the Third World and to countries where Christianity is not prevalent.

The league sends the literature at no charge to local churches to distribute in other countries. In the United States, the materials are available at printing cost and, in special cases, free.

“We don’t stand on the corner and hand out Bibles,” Stravers said. “We believe the local churches best know who needs them.”