On the heels of setting New Year’s resolutions, the YouVersion Bible App posted a record-breaking number of new plan subscriptions last January 1. With more than one million new subscribers, the app said it is 62% higher than last year’s figures, indicating an increase in Bible engagement.
YouVersion was launched in 2008 and is installed in more than 355 million unique devices worldwide, offering a free Bible experience in different gadgets. It is also available at Bible.com. The app enables subscribers to use audio, video or religious content for their daily Bible passages. They can also read through the Bible through a year, half a year or just 90 days. The app currently has 13,000 plans available in over 50 languages.
According to founder Bobby Gruenewald, one of the best ways to make reading the Bible a daily habit is by having a Bible Plan. “Over the years, we’ve added several features focused on developing a habit of reading or listening to the Bible every day, and we’re encouraged to see Bible engagement numbers continue to increase year after year.” “Our hope is that by leveraging all the features offered in the Bible App, [users] develop a love for engaging with the Bible daily so they can begin to recognize God’s presence in their everyday lives,” he added.
According to founder Bobby Gruenewald, one of the best ways to make reading the Bible a daily habit is by having a Bible Plan.
YouVersion has seen an increase in the number of daily active users of the app in January by about 20% compared to the previous month. Since many find it hard to stick to their New Year’s resolutions, the app has been on the lookout for ways to make it easier for subscribers to make Bible reading and engagement a habit.
According to John Piper, founder of DesiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minnesota, motivation is a key element to develop the daily habit of reading the Bible. “If we lose motivation, we will not read the Bible. And if we don’t read the Bible, we miss everything God has for us through the Word.”
“If you want faith, if you want holiness, if you want joy, they all, Jesus says, come through encountering God in His Word. That’s how we get motivated,” he said. “I think this is just absolutely crucial that we see how to motivate ourselves, because if we go blank when we’re reading the Bible, we quickly lose motivation.”
Sources:
http://youversion.com
