Modern Famine: New Report Reveals Over 100 Million Christians Still Without Access to a Bible
A new global study has described the lack of Bible access as a “modern famine”—a spiritual crisis affecting millions of Christians around the world. According to Wybo Nicolai, researcher and co-creator of the Bible Access List, more than 100 million believers still do not own or have access to a Bible. “Once people come to faith, they want to know Christ,” Nicolai told Premier Christian News. “But how can you deepen your faith or share it without access to God’s word? That is really hard.” Released by the Bible Access Initiative, the report highlights how vast sections of the global Church remain “spiritually starved,” despite technological advancements and digital resources.
The comprehensive report, which surveyed 88 countries, ranked nations by both legal restrictions and practical barriers to obtaining Scripture, while also measuring the scale of unmet demand among believers. The five most restricted countries—Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, North Korea, and Mauritania—remain places where owning a Bible can cost one’s life. In contrast, nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, India, and China face massive shortages, each lacking more than ten million printed Bibles. Nicolai emphasized that digital solutions alone are not enough: “Hundreds of millions live in areas with no internet, no electricity, or heavy government surveillance,” he said, underscoring the urgency of physical distribution.
The Bible Access List, created in partnership with Open Doors International, Biblica, Digital Bible Society, and other global agencies, seeks to inspire both prayer and action. Nicolai hopes the report will become a rallying point for churches, donors, and missionaries, much like the Open Doors World Watch List that mobilized awareness for persecuted Christians. “This isn’t just about statistics—it’s about souls,” he said. “When people finally receive a Bible in their own language, it changes everything. Our prayer is that the global Church will rise to end this famine once and for all.”
