NPC: Tell us a little bit about your organization, American Bible Society. Why was it started?

Autumn Black: American Bible Society exists to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so all people may experience its life-changing message. The American Bible Society also equips churches and mission organizations with Bibles, Bible study resources and educational materials to teach others about the Bible’s life-changing message.

NPC: Who does it serve?

Autumn Black: American Bible Society serves people of all faiths, no faith, and across the Christian faith—Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant—American Bible Society increases people’s engagement with God’s Word.

NPC: How long have you been in operation?

Autumn Black: American Bible Society is one of the nation’s oldest nonprofit organizations. It has been in operation since 1816. We were established in 1816 and maintain a strong, nearly 200-year old history that is closely intertwined with the history of a nation first shaped only a couple of decades earlier.

NPC: How many people did you serve your first year? And, this year?

Autumn Black: American Bible Society partners with 145 national Bible Societies working across 200 countries and territories through the United Bible Societies, founded by American Bible Society in 1946, and together we have served and touched a total of 5,100,831 for fiscal year 2009 alone. This number has grown tremendously since American Bible Society’s inception in 1816 where we served 6,410 lives. This year we plan on continuing to provide more than 5 million Bibles and Bible study resources to people in some 30 countries so they can experience the Bible’s life changing message.

NPC: What is your most difficult challenge as a nonprofit?

Autumn Black: Fundraising is one of our most difficult challenges. In these tough economic times, donor’s giving may get smaller, but their hope for effective charity actually gets larger. They see the needs and struggles of people and want to respond in a way that clearly makes a difference. We are focused on serving these donors well, extending their reach and the good news of the Bible where needed most.

NPC: What was your most difficult challenge starting out?

Autumn Black: From the beginning, the American Bible Society’s mission was to respond to the spiritual needs of a fast-growing, diverse population in a rapidly expanding nation.
From the new frontier beyond the Appalachian Mountains, missionaries in America sent back dire reports of towns that did not have a single copy of the Bible to share among its citizens. State and local Bible Societies did not have the resources, network, or capability of filling this growing need. This was one of our most difficult challenges starting out and ever since American Bible Society has committed itself to organizational and technological innovation to make the Bible available where it is needed most.

NPC: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a nonprofit?

Autumn Black: The most important thing, when starting a nonprofit, is having a passion for your cause. American Bible Society works hard to challenge the notion that the Bible is a dusty, outdated rule book by helping people engage with God’s Word to make sense of life.

NPC: How can people get involved?

Autumn Black: People can get started right away by visiting American Bible Society’s website and signing up for a scripture journey at http://journeys.americanbible.org/.

NPC: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Autumn Black: We hope to always be a resource to churches and individuals who have engaged with and experienced the Bible for themselves and now passionately and enthusiastically join us in making the Bible as widespread as the water that cover the sea — so that all may experience its life changing message.

Autumn Black is the Director of Public Relations for American Bible Society. For more information about this organization, please visit the website at www.americanbible.org.