Zondervan's The Story, an abridged, chronological version of the Bible, has reached a major milestone with more than 1 million copies sold. Using the updated New International Version translation, The Story condenses the Bible in 31 chapters in the format of a novel.

"It is quite an accomplishment when any title crosses the 1 million units sales milestone, but seeing The Story do so in just 20 months is gratifying because it shows that people still love the greatest story ever told," said Chip Brown, senior vice president and publisher at Harper Collins Christian Publishing and Zondervan. "It is especially rewarding to have provided churches with a Bible engagement resource that has helped them see significant increases in both attendance and engagement."

Zondervan is celebrating the milestone by giving away 20 free copies of The Story signed by authors Max Lucado and Randy Frazee, who both wrote the foreword. The contest, which started March 14, can be entered through The Story's Facebook page. 

Zondervan created a church campaign kit with The Story for small groups, Bible studies, Sunday schools and sermons. More than 3,100 churches and hundreds of thousands of people have participated in campaign since it first launched in 2010, company officials said. The Story has also topped the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Bible best-sellers for months.

Click here for more information on The Story.