92% of Bible Readers Say Message "Has Transformed My Life," According to Study
Many Americans feel that reading the Bible and applying its principles to their life has positive benefits.
A current study conducted by The American Bible Society found that more than 90 percent of Americans who read the Bible feel it has a transformative impact.
The way that people engage with the Bible was also explored, with study participants being asked about their method of Bible usage.
Of those who consider themselves to be practicing Christians and say they attend church at least twice a month, 51 percent tend to read a few verses at a time. Those who attend less than that came in at 48 percent.
Other methods used less frequently included selecting passages based on their mood, reading full chapters or a story, a scheduled plan or program.
When asked if America would be better or worse off if people didn’t read the Bible, 45 percent of Americans believe the country would be worse off, with only 14 percent believing it would be better off. About 41 percent felt it would be about the same.
That being said, about 77 percent of Americans overall own a Bible. The younger a person is, the less likely they are to own their own copy of the Bible.
The number of people who read the Bible on their own seems to be on the decline overall, with only about 40 percent of Americans reading the Bible on a regular basis, though it’s not yet been determined as to why there has been a decline.
Some of the top reasons why people choose to read it include:
- Bringing them closer to God
- Discerning God’s will
- Wisdom
- Comfort
- Better understanding of how to treat others
- Learning more about the nature of God
The Bible is still considered to be the best-selling book of all time, with estimates ranging from 5-7 billion, according to Guinness World Records.
