A new survey has found that less than a third of Protestant churchgoers in America read the Bible daily.

CBN News reports Lifeway Research also revealed other statistics that are likely to spark conversation within Christian communities.

“According to the State of Discipleship study, around 61% of Americans who attend religious services at least once a month, regularly read the Bible,” Lifeway reported.

“That includes 31% who read every day and 30% who do so a few times a week.”

HUGE ADVANCE ON BIBLE READING OVER PAST DECADES

These statistics haven’t changed much since the previous survey in 2019 when 59% stated at the time that they were regular readers.

But they have improved considerably on a 2012 survey which recorded 46% of churchgoers reading the Bible regularly, including 19% daily.

In 2007, only 36% were regular readers, with just 16% reading every day.

Overall in the latest survey, 90% of Americans “have read at least some” Scripture with just 22% reporting having finished the entire Bible once.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CHRISTIANS LAPSE FROM REGULAR BIBLE READING

Lifeway Research also analysed the effects of missing regular Bible reading, with many respondents reporting negative impacts.

It found 62% feeling a desperate need for this time with God when they go a few days without reading Scripture.

Notably, 58% also reported feeling unfulfilled when they go a few days without studying the Bible.

“Protestant churchgoers overall report they are engaging the Bible, but on any specific question as many as 1 in 5 say they are not following Jesus Christ in that way,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.

“This reflects an overall pattern in assessments of churchgoers where the direction is often good, but far from the standard seen in Scripture.”

LONG-TERM RISE IN SCRIPTURE ENGAGEMENT

Although daily Bible reading remains low, the study shows a long-term rise in Scripture engagement.

The research showed that Bible engagement is strongly linked to discipleship, especially for young people.

It revealed that children who regularly read scripture are more likely to remain faithful as young adults.

“Most of those engaging the Bible regularly are doing so because they enjoy what the practice brings to their lives,” Mr. McConnell observed.

“Movement toward more Bible engagement requires intentionality, but movement away from this devotion can start out as a slow drift,” he added.

DIVISIONS OVER THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE

The research concluded that US Protestant churchgoers generally hold the Bible in high regard, though not all consider it fully authoritative.

Around 74% say scripture has authority over every area of life, but only 40% strongly agree.

Similarly, 72% think about Biblical truths throughout the day, yet only 31% strongly agree that this is regularly the case for them.

“The Bible can’t have full authority in someone’s life if they don’t know what it says or aren’t considering what it says about the specific things they are facing,” Mr. McConnell asserted.

“The portion of churchgoers reading the Bible a few times a week or more on their own has levelled off recently after rising dramatically since 2007,” he noted.

CHURCHGOER POPULATION CHANGING

The head of Lifeway Research explained that the churchgoer population was also changing during this period.

“A lower percentage of Americans attend a Protestant church once a month today than when this series of studies began,” Mr. McConnell revealed.

“Clearly, the remnant of Americans attending church each month are more willing to regularly read the Bible on their own than when churches were more populated.”

IMPACT OF MODERN CULTURE ON BIBLE READING

Regarding the 2019 study, Dirk Smith, vice president of the Bible distribution ministry Eastern European Mission, wrote in the The Christian Post last year that he believed the low numbers were because of “the culture we’ve built around distraction, quick fixes and shallow spirituality.”

“We take the Bible for granted and allow ourselves to ‘unwind’ by doom scrolling — only to increase anxiety and depression levels,” he added.

“The consequences are undeniable. Weak churches, weary Christians and a restless society searching for peace in all the wrong places.”

“The growing churches in America right now aren’t the ones with the flashiest worship teams or trendiest branding.”

“They’re the ones that open the Bible and teach it line by line, verse by verse, book by book.”

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