Hobby Lobby — a Christian-owned retailer — is giving away half a million copies of investigative journalist and author Lee Strobel’s book defending the biblical story of Jesus’ birth.
Strobel appeared on the latest episode of CBN’s “Faith in Culture,” where he announced the craft store was giving away 500,000 copies of “The Case for Christmas,” a gesture he described as “wonderful.”
Strobel’s book — and Hobby Lobby’s decision to give thousands of copies away — comes at a time when Americans are more open to spiritual themes.
According to data from Lifeway Research, while fewer than 50% of Americans attend religious services during the Christmas season, more than half (56%) have said it is likely they would go to church during the holidays if someone they knew invited them, including 40% of the religiously unaffiliated.
“I think that is such a powerful statistic,” said Strobel, referencing Colossians 4:5-6, in which the Apostle Paul wrote, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (NIV).
He continued, “Here we have the Christmas season — this is an opportunity for us to seize. … Invite them to Christmas Eve services at your church. Yeah, it’s a little uncomfortable to do sometimes, but take a spiritual risk and invite them. Don’t just say, ‘Hey, why don’t you come?’ Offer to pick them up and take them. … Then you’re pretty much 100% assured they’re gonna show up.”
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The author, who came to faith in Jesus years ago as a journalist for the Chicago Tribune when he set out on an ultimately failed endeavor to disprove the Gospel, encouraged believers to boldly share their faith.
He referenced a conversation he had with the late evangelist Luis Palau at the end of his life. Palau told Strobel, “Lee, when you get to the end of your life and all is said and done, you’ll never regret being courageous for Christ.”
“Let’s not leave anybody behind this Christmas,” Strobel said. “Let’s share the Gospel far and wide, let’s invite people recklessly to come to church with us and you’ll be surprised at how many people — as that statistic indicated — will say, ‘Yes.'”
Strobel originally published “The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger” in the early aughts, but released a “completely revised and updated version” in September, telling CBN News he thought a rewrite was needed due to “new discoveries” in linguistics and archaeology that warranted “a fresh version of the book.”
As for Hobby Lobby, the company — which has more than 1,000 stores across the lower 48 U.S. states — is known for its commitment to Christian principles.
On its website, Hobby Lobby says it is “committed to [h]onoring the Lord in all we do by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles, offering our customers exceptional selection and value, [and] serving our employees and their families by establishing a work environment and company policies that build character, strengthen individuals, and nurture families.”
CBN News has reached out to Hobby Lobby for a statement on the giveaway.
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