BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)--As of May 18, one of the largest Bible printing facilities in the world is putting copies of the Word out by the millions -- right in the heart of China.

A huge new plant -- one of the world's largest dedicated to Bibles -- has increased Amity Printing Company's output to 12 million volumes a year, most of which are distributed through China's church bookstores.

Since 1987, Amity has printed a total of 55 million Bibles, 43 million of which have stayed in mainland China.

"When I first visited the Amity printing plant in 1988, the building was in the middle of rice fields and stood out on the horizon," said Lynn Yarbrough, an Alabama native who teaches in China. "When I next visited in 1998, I could hardly locate the building, it was so surrounded by urban development."

That plant eventually outgrew its space, so a new facility was built in Nanjing.

Besides printing Bibles, the plant also prints hymnals and other books and literature for the China Christian Council and seminaries. It also is printing special-edition Gospels featuring the Olympic rings.

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