Jack Turner became a Christian early in life. But he never read an entire book of the Bible until he was 35 years old. Then, once he started reading, he couldn’t stop. When someone gave him a New Testament as a gift, he tucked the Bible—a paperback Bible from American Bible Society—into his shirt pocket to replace his pack of cigarettes. He read it so much that he completely wore it out—he had to have a friend who repairs shoes put a new cover on his Bible, which is still on his desk today. “I made a commitment to the Lord, and I got immensely interested in studying the Scriptures,” Turner says with a smile. “I had an intense desire to tell people that your faith is worthless unless it’s based in the knowledge of the Scriptures.” Soon, sharing that message became a lifelong pursuit. He has been visiting inmates in local jails for more than 45 years to bring Bibles and messages of encouragement and hope. “In local jails the people might average two to four months in attendance. During that period of time, we encourage them to read through the Bible,” Turner explains. “We encourage the Gospel of John and Proverbs. They have a greater fervor and desire studying the Scriptures in jail than I’ve ever experienced in any church.” His passion also led Turner and his wife, Sammie, to support the work of American Bible Society—to bring God’s Word to those who need it most in the United States and around the world. In 2013, Turner visited projects supported by American Bible Society in Cambodia and Vietnam. “We even went into offices where people were in the process of translating into the Hanoi languages. I am so inspired to know that people are being reached even in these remote countries,” Turner said. In addition to his regular prayers and financial gifts throughout the years, Turner and his wife support American Bible Society’s work through charitable gift annuities. These allow them to benefit from a dependable income during their lifetime and support Bible ministry in the future. At the end of the day, supporting American Bible Society is one more way that Turner can share his love of God’s Word with as many people as possible. “The greatest vehicle that we have available to us worldwide is the Bible Societies, and American Bible Society is how I got introduced to this massive worldwide ministry of making the Bible available. I am so grateful to American Bible Society.” Watch Jack Turner’s story below.