More people than ever are reading the Bible online. We have the data to prove it

Back in 2006, if someone wanted to read the Bible, they had to have a physical copy on hand. They had to seek it out, sit down and read. My own struggles to do this eventually led to the idea for YouVersion. I wondered if there was a way for technology to help me read the Bible more consistently. Could it become more convenient and accessible? And if it could help me, could it help others too?

Record high reading

Twenty years later, YouVersion’s Bible apps have been installed over one billion times worldwide, an incredible milestone we could never have seen coming. And people aren’t just installing the apps, they’re consistently using them to engage with the Bible.

This year, Easter Sunday set a new record as 21.6 million people worldwide engaged with scripture in a single day. Of these, nearly 500,000 users were in the UK. And it’s not just digital. Print Bible sales are at an all-time high, too.

It’s also encouraging to see what people are turning to the Bible for. It’s not just seasoned believers reading it, but the faith-curious, the unsure, or those simply looking for answers. Across 2025 in the UK, among the most searched words in YouVersion’s apps were ‘stress’, ‘anxiety’, ‘fear’, ‘temptation’ and ‘hope’, indicating that people are looking to God’s Word for guidance and truth.

As scripture becomes increasingly accessible on the devices we carry everywhere, engagement has steadily climbed over the years. For churches, this digital engagement is an exciting on-ramp for potential new believers.

Some of the best conversations around scripture start with the humility to say, “I don’t know.”

The opportunity in front of the Church right now is to meet people where they’re already engaged and help them take their next steps in and beyond that digital space through discipleship.

We’ve consistently seen that people who read the Bible alongside others tend to stick with it longer and gain more understanding. Some of the Bible app’s most used features are built around studying scripture together and helping people stay connected between Sundays.

Technology works best when it points people toward real relationships, like a friend who’s willing to walk with you on your faith journey or a small group willing to work through questions together.

Uncertainty is the invitation

We weren’t meant to figure this out alone, and the people around us are often the best resource we have for helping us move from curious to rooted in faith. We have the opportunity to be a living example of what happens when someone allows God’s Word to change their life.

People who are new to reading the Bible often have hard questions about miracles, suffering, and whether these things really happened. Instead of seeing it as a problem to fix, I’d encourage a mindset shift. We’ve heard countless stories where those questions are what drove someone deeper. The tension they felt was the beginning of something. So when those conversations come up, it’s worth leaning in rather than deflecting because honest engagement with scripture tends to produce more faith, not less.

Some of the best conversations around scripture start with the humility to say, “I don’t know.” That’s because it’s often followed by the real value in two people searching and genuinely trying to understand together.

While it can be easy to feel like scripture was written for a different time and different people, the stories in the Bible hold timeless truths that apply to our everyday lives today. Regardless of our circumstances, whether we’re battling anxiety or experiencing real joy, scripture has something relevant to say to each of us. 

When someone is having a hard time making that connection, it’s ok to draw on other resources for help.

When we reach the end of our knowledge, pointing someone toward a book, a podcast, or a ministry that speaks to what they’re wrestling with isn’t passing them off. It’s recognising that the right resource at the right moment matters. That’s why the Bible App offers a variety of biblical resources, so it’s a place you can grow personally and find tools to help the people around you grow, too.

None of us have it all figured out. Thankfully, we don’t need all the answers to help someone take their next step. We just have to be willing to use the tools available to us. Our responsibility is to point people to God so He can do what only He can.