Kay Arthur, Bible study author and Precept Ministries cofounder, dies at 91; ministry leader trained 250,000 study leaders across 190 countries, authored works selling 18.5M copies worldwide

May 22, 2025 (Publisher's Weekly) –

Kay Arthur , an acclaimed Bible study author, teacher, and cofounder of a ministry offering Bible resources worldwide, died on May 20 . She was 91. Arthur was honored in April with the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Pinnacle Award, presented for "outstanding contributions to the industry, church, and society."

Born in Jackson, Mich. , Arthur began her career as a registered nurse--but when she married a missionary, Jack Arthur , she found her calling. They launched Precept Ministries in 1970 to train Bible study leaders and provide Bible Resources; the company went on to train more than 250,000 study leaders in nearly 190 countries and offers resources in 90 different languages. For 20 years, Arthur hosted a syndicated Bible television program, Precepts for Life, which is broadcasted in 30 countries and earned her a spot in the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame .

Arthur wrote more than 100 books and Bible studies for such religious publishers as Harvest House Publishers and WaterBrook & Multnomah, and her works have sold more than 18.5 million copies worldwide, according to the ECPA. Four of her books won top honors from the association's annual awards program: Marriage Without Regrets; The New Inductive Study Bible; His Imprint, My Expression; and Lord, I Need Grace to Make It Today.

"WaterBrook has been so honored to serve as Kay Arthur's publisher for 50 different titles, including her 40-Minute Bible Study Series," said Campbell Wharton , SVP and publisher of PRH Christian Publishing Group , in a statement. "Her writing is a testament to her dedication to help everyone know God more intimately and to deeply understand His word. It was a privilege for WaterBrook to become her publisher when it was a fledgling new imprint, and it remains our calling for years to come to share her insights and love for the Lord with readers."

ECPA president Jeff Crosby told PW, as he prepared to present Arthur with the Pinnacle Award in April, that the author had a special way of connecting with people--and that her writing and ways of teaching the Bible had worldwide reach in translation. He recalled: "When my wife and I were bookstore owners back in the 1980s, whenever a new Kay Arthur book came out, people flowed into the store to get it."