Hobby Lobby Gives 500,000 Free Books Inviting a Christ Encounter

In a powerful display of faith this Christmas season, Hobby Lobby is giving away 500,000 free copies of Lee Strobel’s newly revised book, The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger. The initiative, which began in early December 2025, has shoppers across the nation receiving the book as a complimentary gift at checkout.

Former atheist and award-winning journalist Lee Strobel announced the giveaway on X, sharing: “Hobby Lobby is giving away half a million free copies to customers at their stores! I’m praying God uses them to point people to Himself!”

Photos flooded in from grateful shoppers, some capturing books handed out at registers or displayed with signs reading “Free Book!! Please Take One. Merry Christmas!”

Strobel and his wife Leslie even visited a store in Paducah, Kentucky, to see the response firsthand. The book, refreshed in 2025 with the most current research, explores historical, archaeological, and biblical evidence for Jesus’ birth, answering the question: Who was the Child in the manger, really?

This echoes Strobel’s own dramatic conversion. After his wife’s faith journey prompted him to investigate Christianity, his two-year quest led him to declare: “It would take more faith to maintain my atheism than to become a Christian.” God transformed every aspect of his life, a testimony he shares widely.

A Legacy of Bold Christian Witness

Owned by the Green family, Hobby Lobby operates over 1,000 stores with a clear mission: “Honoring the Lord in all we do by operating the company in a manner consistent with biblical principles.” This includes closing on Sundays, running full-page Gospel-focused ads in newspapers for decades, and their landmark 2014 Supreme Court win affirming religious freedom.

This year’s Christmas newspaper ad boldly proclaims “Jesus is the Gift,” paired with Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” It features a touching image of a young girl gazing into a snow globe with a Nativity scene. Hobby Lobby’s décor even echoes their 2025 Christmas message: Jesus is the greatest Gift.

In a culture often distracted by commercialism, Hobby Lobby’s massive giveaway, which has the potential of reaching half a million homes, is an invitation to encounter the evidence for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

If you’re near a Hobby Lobby this week, head in for your holiday crafts and walk out with a free resource that could change someone’s eternity.

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