Americans rising to the challenge of bible reading in 2026
A growing number of Christians are resolving to focus on spiritual as well as physical fitness in the coming year. Although only an estimated one in five Americans have read the entire Bible in a year, scripture sales surged by 11 percent, more than 18 million last year.
Much of the increase in purchases were by young adults and teenagers in the days and weeks following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. So astonishing was the trend that even NPR took notice, writing, “This is curious given how frequently we hear that Americans are not as religious now as they’ve been in the past. What’s going on with this Bible boom?”
The trend continued through Christmas with bibles a popular gift this year.
“I do think increasingly, our world is falling apart,” Corné Bekker, dean of divinity at Regent University, told CBN News. “The foundations of our society are being eroded at a record speed and people are longing for that which is eternally true, that which is ancient, that which is unchanging.”
However, planning to read scripture and actually finishing the Bible are two different things. Of the 2.2 million people who started a yearlong plan on the YouVersion Bible App this year, it’s predicted that only 20 percent will finish. Bekker, who reads through the Bible roughly three times each year, said doing so brings a deeper reverence for God.
“So, the extraordinary prophet Isaiah speaks for God in chapter 66, and he says, ‘I will look on the one who trembles at my word,'” he said. “And God’s word is holy and pure, and alive and finer than gold, and sweeter than honey. I want to sit and tremble before God’s word.”
Reading scripture four or more times a week is the single biggest predictor of spiritual growth, a study by the Center for Bible Engagement found. It’s about consistency, not perfection. By reading just four chapters each day, readers can finish the Bible in a year. Brentwood Baptist Church in Tennessee uses structured plans, such as the Read and Remain campaign, to help its members build that consistency together.
READ: Bible reading surges among young generations
“I would say it really sparked a fire in almost every part of our church life,” Lead Pastor Jay Strother said. “The first time we did this, we had a 99-year-old member of our congregation who said, ‘I’ve read through the Bible 60 times and I want to make it 61.’ I answered, ‘Why is that?’ and she replied, ‘Because God shows me something new every time.'”
The path can be challenging, however, especially with unfamiliar books or difficult passages. The journey requires daily discipline and often involves spiritual wrestling, Bekker said.
“Wrestling is a normal part of the spiritual walk,” he said. “ And so, this is what I would say to people: bring all of your wrestling to the reading/ Bring it to the Lord. The Lord can help you. And the Lord is big enough to handle any wrestling that you might have.”
–Alan Goforth
