Spiritual Trends
Engaging with your Bible at least four times per week is the strongest predictor of spiritual growth among Christians.
This is what an eight-year study by the Center for Bible Engagement discovered after analyzing 100,000+ participants in 21 countries. The research assessed moral behavior, emotional struggles, faith practices, and self-perceived growth, combining behavioral analysis with self-assessment metrics.
Why This Matters
For people wondering if the Bible truly makes a difference in an individual life, this study helps answer that question with a resounding “yes!” Among all spiritual disciplines, Bible engagement proved the most predictive of spiritual transformation.
While practices such as prayer, church attendance, and small groups contribute to faith formation, none had as strong an impact as Scripture engagement. In fact, individuals who engage with Scripture regularly reported feeling less spiritually stagnant (-60%) and less as though they are failing to please God (-44%).
Other key findings for regular Bible engagement from this study include:
* Proactive faith: Regular Bible engagement significantly increases the likelihood of financial giving, Scripture memorization, and sharing faith with others.
* Improved mental health: Those who engage with Scripture frequently are less likely to experience bitterness, discouragement, destructive thinking, or difficulty with forgiveness.
* Lower risk of destructive behaviours: Regular Bible reading correlates with decreased engagement in behaviours such as excessive drinking (-62%), pornography use (-59%), and gambling (-45%).
Next Steps
To read more from the Center for Bible Engagement’s study, click here.
How does your ministry or broadcast encourage regular Bible engagement to foster spiritual growth?
Jonathan Andrews
Director of Media | jonathan@eaglecom.ca