Although Philadelphia is affectionately known as the “City of Brotherly Love,” it does not always seem loving. Many Philadelphians are isolated from God, other communities, and even themselves. Amidst such pain, it can feel impossible to find a way out.

But there is a way out, and it’s found in the hope, unity, and belonging found in Scripture. To engage Philadelphians with the life-changing power of God’s Word, we are working alongside local churches and ministries to maximize new initiatives, programs, and approaches in Philadelphia.

Opportunity

As the 5^th most populous city in the U.S., Philadelphians face similar challenges to other big cities every day. Many of them:

• are isolated. City neighborhoods are often cut off from each other, which leads to silos of class and culture. This sense of isolation doesn’t get much better when it comes to Christians. With so many churches in Philadelphia, it is easy for Christians of various church traditions to stick to their own corners of the city.

• face traumatic events. Across Philadelphia, people suffer from crime, violence, and abuse. The pain of trauma not only affects civilians who encounter crime and violence—it also affects members of law enforcement. Because of the tough persona that many police officers feel forced to play, members of law enforcement often suffer from trauma silently. This can lead to seclusion and hopelessness. In fact, more U.S. police officers take their own lives than are killed in the line of duty.

• do not engage with the Bible. While 77% of Philadelphians identify themselves as Christians, only 35% of them read the Bible on a weekly basis. This reveals a startling contrast between Christians who regularly connect with God’s Word and those who too often keep their Bibles closed.

Transformation

God’s Word offers the hope Philadelphians need. It provides healing to those who are isolated and hurting. And it encourages Christians of all church traditions and cultures to gather around their shared faith.

That is why we are working on the ground with churches and community leaders in Philadelphia to bring God’s Word to all those who need it.

We do this by leveraging resources and igniting initiatives, such as:

• Trauma Healing Equipping Sessions: Trauma healing brings hope to sufferers of trauma using Bible-based mental health best practices. Equipping sessions held in the Philadelphia metro area empower leaders and ministries to leverage the trauma healing method in the Greater Philadelphia community and beyond.

• Trauma Healing Community of Practice: In March 2017, we hosted a 3-day trauma healing conference at American Bible Society’s headquarters. This annual event is a time for Christian mental health professionals and ministry partners around the world to convene, learn about the latest mental health best practices, and strengthen the worldwide network of trauma healing ministries.

• Strength for the Street: Many men and women police officers face on-the-job trauma and stress, which can lead to feelings of depression and isolation. We wanted to help police officers find hope and strength in God’s Word, so in 2016, we launched a Bible engagement program called Strength for the Street. This program contains Bible resources—including a Study Bible and handbook—that police chaplains can share with their police community.

• Philadelphia Community Bible Experience: Community Bible Experience encourages Christians from different churches across Philadelphia to join together in reading God’s Word. This spring, more than 75 churches in Philadelphia embarked on a 40-day journey to read through the entire New Testament together.

• Listening and Equipping Sessions: By hosting listening sessions with local church and ministry leaders, we're able to hone in on how to best support them. Together, we work to find creative ways we can collaborate on projects and initiatives that will bring a diverse range of people together to dive into the Bible. Equipping sessions offer tools, strategies, and resources to help local leaders engage their communities with God's Word.

• Baseline Research: In partnership with Barna Research, we are conducting baseline research on the way Philadelphians currently perceive and interact with the Bible. Armed with this information, we will be able to serve Philadelphia in the most strategic ways possible.