Kanye West’s Jesus Is King Prompts Fans to Seek Answers About Christianity; Bible Group Gives Away Over 9,000 Bibles in Response
Kanye West’s Gospel album Jesus Is King just dropped last month, but it already has thousands of his fans wanting to know more about Christianity and West’s new faith.
Giving Away the Good News
After questions like “What do Christians Believe?” skyrocketed on Google, the American Bible Society (ABS) offered to give away 1,000 free copies of the Good News Translation. Requests were much more than ABS anticipated. They’ve already given away over 9,000 copies to West’s fans.
Dr. John Farquhar Plake is the director of ministry intelligence at ABS. He told FOX News that ABS never dreamed they’d get the overwhelming response. They couldn’t be “more thrilled.”
“Our hope is that these Bibles will allow Kanye fans to get to know the extraordinary person of Jesus, who inspires not just musicians, but millions of believers around the world.
“When we saw an influential cultural figure like Kanye inspiring young people to curiously seek out answers to their faith questions, we saw that as an opportunity to do what we do best as an organization: to provide God’s word and point people to it as a source to their questions about faith.”
A Christian Revival?
Some believe that West’s conversion and his “Sunday Services” have sparked a wave of Christian revival. In an article titled “Kanye West … and the Next Great Awakening?” Stream contributor Bruce Dunn noted the historic similarity between the fervor surrounding Kanye and previous awakenings and revival movements of the past. And, of course, God’s habit of using unlikely people to carry out His will. West will conduct a “Sunday Service” this weekend at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston. Record crowds are expected.
ABS conducts an annual “State of the Bible” survey. They found that 61% of millennials and 58% of Gen Zers said they’re curious about the Bible. “Kanye’s album just points to this cultural curiosity,” said Plake, “and we’re happy to stand in the gap and say if you’re curious about the Bible, we want to provide one to you.”
West’s fans can still receive a free Bible through November 22 at abs.bible/kanye.
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
