GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODBM), a global non-denominational nonprofit, announced today it has acquired the Institute for Bible Reading (IFBR), an action-oriented, nonprofit think tank that aspires to “Change the Way the World Reads the Bible.” The acquisition includes the award-winning Immerse: The Reading Bible as well as Immerse for Schools, InstituteforBibleReading.org, The Bible Reset podcast, and other intellectual IFBR properties.

“We are very excited about having the Institute for Bible Reading join our ministry,” commented Dr. Matt Lucas, president and CEO of ODBM. “We seek to fuel a global Bible engagement movement but cannot do it alone. That is why one of ODBM’s key strategies is to come together with like-minded organizations to extend our reach and increase our impact.”

IFBR was formed in 2014 when a small group of Bible publishing executives came together to explore the unsettling research finding that while access to Bibles in North America had skyrocketed, Bible reading was in a severe decline. The acquisition of IFBR with its unique blend of research, education, resources, and mobilization, follows ODBM’s recent acquisition of the Center for Bible Engagement (CBE) and absorption of the Bible Literacy Coalition (BLC) into the ministry.

Scott Bolinder, IFBR’s co-founder and board chair said, “We are delighted to join ODBM to advance our mutual goal of Bible engagement. For more than a decade we’ve had a front-row seat to watching people fall in love with the Bible. Aligning with ODBM will create exponential opportunities, both in North America and around the world.”

IFBR’s co-founder, Paul Caminiti, will join ODBM as senior director of the Institute for Bible Reading at Our Daily Bread Ministries, bringing his extensive experience and expertise into ministry to catalyze the impact of the acquisition. “In our rigorous due diligence, we were excited to discover ODBM to be a deeply kindred spirit, with multi-faceted competencies, and a remarkable global footprint,” Caminiti states. “While the Bible reading crisis worldwide is real, it is not hopeless. There is much to be done. It’s an exciting time!”

About Our Daily Bread Ministries
Our Daily Bread Ministries is a global Bible engagement ministry with a staff of 700 serving in 32 offices to distribute more than 60 million resources in 58 languages throughout 150 countries. Often known for its global devotional, the ministry produces short form Bible content across print, video, audio, and digital platforms with the goal to fuel a global Bible engagement movement. For more than 85 years, the ministry’s mission has remained the same: to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.

About the Institute for Bible Reading
The Institute for Bible Reading is an action-oriented think tank uncommonly focused on providing resources and experiences that fundamentally change the way people read the Bible, so it can achieve its mission and become the story that defines their lives. IFBR’s first resource, Immerse: The Reading Bible, was awarded the Gold Medallion “Bible of the Year” by the ECPA in 2022. IFBR’s mission is to invite people into God’s transformative story by changing the way they read the Bible.

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Contact:
Londa Alderink
Our Daily Bread Ministries
616.566.4936
londa.alderink@odb.org

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Religion News Association.