Anxiety, Hope and Healing: YouVersion Reveals What the World is Searching for in the Bible This Year
Worldwide daily use reached 18.5 million as more people turned to Scripture for comfort, setting the stage for this year's Global Bible Month
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- YouVersion, creator of the world's most downloaded Bible App, is marking another year of growth with more installs, more daily engagement, and a wave of searches for comfort in the Bible App. As momentum builds, the ministry is preparing for the return of Global Bible Month this November, inviting even more people into Scripture.
After celebrating one billion installs last November, YouVersion added more than 160 million new installs across its Family of Apps in 2026. Daily engagement grew even faster than installs, a sign that people aren't just downloading the app, they're returning to it. Compared to 2025, daily use grew by over 13%, reaching 18.5 million people turning to the Bible each day.
Some of the reasons people continue to open the app every day are reflected in what they search for. Terms like "anxiety," "hope" and "healing" were among the year's most searched, with "Psalm 91" ranking as the year's single most-searched term. The Psalm encourages readers to turn to God for refuge and comfort in difficult times. Together, these searches offer a glimpse into the personal questions and hopes people are bringing to Scripture.
Uniting the World Around Scripture
Global Bible Month is a movement bringing together churches, ministries, Bible societies and publishers, and familiar brands like Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Mardel's to celebrate the impact of God's Word across the world. At its heart is the 30-Day Bible Challenge, encouraging people to engage with God's Word every day during November, whether through a favorite print Bible or digitally through an app.
In 2025, nearly 3 million people worldwide signed up for the first year of the Challenge. This November, YouVersion hopes its community will build on that momentum, with the Challenge returning with a new feature that lets users track their progress and see how their friends are engaging alongside them.
"This year, we've been encouraged by how many people are turning to Scripture for answers to their questions," said Bobby Gruenewald, Founder and CEO of YouVersion. "Global Bible Month is our chance to celebrate that and invite even more people to experience it for themselves, whether that's reading the Bible in their heart language for the first time or joining millions in the 30-Day Bible Challenge. It's amazing to see how God is working through our global partners, local churches and individual believers to reach more people with His Word."
In celebration of Global Bible Month, YouVersion will bring Scripture to some of the world's most recognizable public spaces, including Times Square in New York, Piccadilly Circus in London, and the Dotonbori District in Osaka, Japan. The activations will reach people in some of the world's busiest locations, bringing Scripture into everyday life. Partners such as The Chosen, BibleProject and 24-7 Prayer will be featured across these activations, joining YouVersion in celebrating the ongoing impact the Bible has had on billions of lives around the world.
A Growing Global Network
YouVersion's Family of Apps offers access to 3,800 different versions of the Bible in 2,400 languages, helping people around the world engage with Scripture in their own languages and cultural contexts. The organization works with a global network of more than 45,000 churches and partners, including Christian publishers, ministries, and individual creators. Together, this network helps make Bible content available to people across countries and communities around the world.
Hunger for Scripture transcends geographic and cultural boundaries, with some of the highest levels of Bible App engagement seen in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. In response to this momentum, YouVersion is creating a growing network of regional hubs, including in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico and more, to support local ministries and church communities.
To find out more about Global Bible Month, visit globalbiblemonth.com.
About YouVersion
YouVersion, a digital ministry of Life.Church, invites everyone into a daily rhythm with God's Word through its free Bible apps. Learn more at youversion.com.
SOURCE YouVersion
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