because I’ ve also sensed it the last year, this renewed interest in the Bible and in the scripture particularly. Some of the research that I’ ve discovered said that 2024 was the lowest year of engagement for the Bible in 20 years. It was 2024, which was when this project started I guess.
And now coming into 2026, the last year and a half, we’ re now on track for a 25-year high in Bible engagement, Bible interest. And Bible sales, I think increased 18 % last year in the US when book sales generally are flattening out. So there’ s these... And I mean, we’ ve talked about with you, Bruce, what you’ ve seen of the arc of generations and the story of generations. It just feels like we are in this age where there’ s this question … the Pilate question I call it,“ What is truth?” People are going,“ Well, there doesn’ t seem to be any absolute truth around me. So perhaps the Bible has it.” So we see this curiosity in the Bible and this turning to the word. So that’ s something that excites me.
[ WM ] You mentioned that sometimes you would think you had a scripture, but actually that you’ d wait, and a different scripture would pick you. That’ s an interesting process.
[ Brooke ] Yes.
[ WM ] Did you use different translations? How did that work out as far as picking translations for the lyrics to flow?
[ Brooke ] That’ s a great question. Well, the first song that was written is the only KJV( King Brooke Ligertwood- Though War Break Out Against Me( Official Lyric Video)
James Version) song. So that was a song called“ Nations,” which is the last track at Psalm 117. And that one I actually did decide to write.
The NIV( New International Version), as I would say,“ My home scripture.” I feel like the translation that you often discover Jesus with, is the one that you return to and travels with you. So NIV is that for me. So there’ s a lot of NIV, but then there’ s also a couple of ESV( English Standard Version), particularly with, there’ s a song called“ Participation,” which is a communion song, and I just was so compelled. The way that the ESV puts it … the melody just sprung forth from that. And then there’ s one NLT( New Living Translation) as well. And I was deliberate about making sure I didn’ t want to use just one translation because I also wanted it to be a uniting thing. And I personally hate when people get snobby about scripture translations. I’ m like,“ Just read the Bible. It’ s a great place to start.” Yeah.( laughing)
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