On May 15, 2021, Armed Forces Day, we will honor the brave men and women who currently serve in the U.S. armed forces. Annually celebrated on the third Saturday in May, Armed Forces Day was instituted in 1949 by President Harry S. Truman as a joint celebration of all six branches of the Military: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and most recently created Space Force.

For more than 200 years, American Bible Society has shown its gratitude for our active duty Service members by providing Bibles and Scripture-based resources to aid them through the daily challenges of Military life. Since officially launching our Armed Services Ministry to our nation’s Military in 1863, we have distributed more than 60 million Bibles!

Serving Those Who Serve

Scripture engagement has proven to rebuild and restore resiliency, heal trauma, and offer hope. Our Scripture engagement programs help Service members and their families discover God by deeply engaging in his Word. Here are some of the resources we hope will engage Service members in God’s Word:

• Military Bible Challenge. Military Bible Challenge is an easy-to-use, self-paced, 75-day Bible reading plan. Users will build a habit of consistent daily Bible reading that leads to advanced understanding of who Jesus is and clarity about God’s will for their lives.
• God Understands. This is a series of self-guided Bible studies that address various struggles Service members often face. It features stories of Veterans and Military personnel, relevant lessons from the Old and New Testaments, and guided quiet time to reflect and pray.
• Never Alone Trauma Healing. This 7-module program provides a self-paced and self-reflective opportunity to engage with Scripture-based content that facilitates learning and healing. The courses are designed to specifically address the needs of the U.S. Military and the high incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that occurs among those who serve our country.

Military life can be hard, but God’s Word offers strength. Join us as we pray for our nation’s heroes to be comforted through the pages of Scripture.

Let’s Pray Together

Father, thank you for each member of our U.S. armed forces. We ask you to strengthen, protect, and encourage them through your Word. We pray they will stand securely on the truth which David declares in 2 Samuel 22:3 (GNT): “My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. He is my savior; he protects me and saves me from violence.” We also ask you to help Military chaplains and organizations make these resources available to as many of our nation’s Military members as possible.