by BY EVANGELICAL FOCUS DECEMBER 17, 2019
https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3696
YouVersion, the popular Bible app, has published its annual statistical report, in which they review some of their global usage trends.
Around the world, the Bible verse most engaged with throughout the year is Philippians 4:6: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done”.
The report also revealed the Bible verse images shared most often during 2019 by language across the global YouVersion community.
In English, the verse has been Psalms 103:13: “The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him”.
“WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEE MANY PEOPLE TURNING TO THE BIBLE”
YouVersion founder Bobby Gruenewald, said they “are encouraged to see so many people turning to the Bible remembering what God has done in their lives, and choosing to trust in His faithfulness”. “What we are seeing in global engagement is exciting to us, because with every verse highlighted, plan completed, or audio listened to, that’s a person who is being transformed by knowing God more intimately, through spending time in the Bible”, he added.
Gruenewald pointed out that “every year, when we dig into these numbers, we are overwhelmed by how God is using this app to deliver His message of hope and love to a hurting world”.
478 MILLION VERSES SHARED IN 2019
According to the report, “people read and listened to the Bible 30% more this year compared to last year. In total, YouVersion saw 5.6 billion chapters listened to and 35.6 billion chapters read”.
The greatest increase in Bible engagement during 2019 took place specially in places where the access to Bibles is very restrictive.
“This year alone, the YouVersion community completed a record-breaking 1.1 billion Bible plans.
Many even took the extra step to tell others how the Bible was impacting them, resulting in more than 478 million verses shared”, the report added.
The app is present in devices from practically all over the world.
Poland was one of the fastest-growing countries with a 75 percent increase. India saw 51 percent more engagement in 2019 compared to last year. Bible engagement also grew across Southeast Asia in countries like Cambodia and Vietnam, seeing increases by 36 percent and 37 percent, respectively.
Signfigant growth was also seen in places where the access to Bibles is very restrictive, such as Morocco, Myanmar and Afghanistan.
“4.7 MILLION PEOPLE WILL HAVE BIBLE IN THEIR LANGUAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME”
Right now, the Bible App offers more than 2,000 Bible versions in more than 1,350 languages. However, over a billion people globally do not have access to a complete Bible in their native language.
The report stressed that “through the generosity of the YouVersion community, translation projects in Republic of Congo, Malawi, Benin, Indonesia, Croatia, Madagascar, and Serbia, will give more than 4.7 million people the first portion of Scripture ever available in their language”.
“Experiencing the Bible in your own language is a powerful gift, and we are eternally grateful to our partners who share our dream of making the Bible for everyone”, Gruenewald said.
