December 2025 | 13
What’s Your Bible Reading Plan for 2026? After years of decline, something unexpected is hap- pening. Americans are opening their Bibles again. New Barna data from the State of the Church 2025 reveals a surge in weekly Bible reading among U.S. adults, climb- ing to 42 percent—a 12-point uptick since Bible reading bottomed out at a 25-year low in 2024.* By Steve Hopkins, associational and prayer consultant
George Müller wrote: “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.” Why? Reading scripture isn’t just a godly exercise in discovering information about Jesus; it is the Spirit’s exercise in aiding our transformation until we look more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit shepherds us through the word he inspired, allowing us to see Jesus more clearly. Jesus prayed that the Father would sanctify us—set us apart as his people—by his word of truth. (John 17:17) We learned in Bible school – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) It is a needed lamp for today and light for tomorrow. Peter encouraged us to “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:2-3) Do you have a Bible reading plan for 2026? If we don’t have a reading plan, we too often fumble our way through the scriptures—if we read them regularly at all. Consistency is more important than quantity. That is, it’s better to read a few verses of the Bible each day than to read several chapters only one day per week. Consis- tency puts us in a place to hear from God every day. Be consistent in your reading, even if you must slow down the pace. If you want help selecting a Bible reading plan for 2026, send me a note, and I’ll send you some options. Steve- Hopkins@scbo.org.
Young adults led the way: Millennials jumped an unprec- edented 16 points, reaching 50 percent—half now say they read the Bible weekly. Gen Z mirrors this pattern, rising from 30 percent to 49 percent in just one year. Bar- na’s 2025 reports show increasing commitments to Je- sus and church attendance—primarily fueled by young adults. The spike in Bible reading appears to follow those trends. “2025 is showing a major rebound of Bible reading, along with a surge in usage among younger gener- ations,” commented David Kinnaman, CEO of Bar- na Group. “This aligns with other signs of spiritu- al interest and reinforces the finding that Christian faith and practice are experiencing a reset moment.” barna.com/trends/bible-reading-trends/ One thing… Research says there is one thing you can do to make 2026 a better year spiritually. George Guthrie found, “The number one predictor of spiritual maturity among those who regularly attend church was reading the Bible daily.” (Read the Bible for Life, p. 6)
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