Every second, the world conducts more than 40,000 Google searches, creates 5 new Facebook profiles, and opens YouVersion’s Bible App 112 times.
In the app, three bookmarks are created, four verses are shared, and 18 verses are highlighted. More than 50 Bible chapters are listened to, and 342 chapters are read.
YouVersionYouVersion, launched by Life.Church in 2008, announced today that the Bible app has topped 200 million installs. The app now offers the Bible in more than 1,200 versions and 900 languages.
“What God is doing through YouVersion is incredible—changing mobile devices into Bibles that people carry with them everywhere they go,” said Bobby Gruenewald, innovation pastor at Life.Church. “As we see the magnitude of 200 million installs, what we’re really celebrating is what that number represents: countless moments of individuals transformed by their time in the Bible.”
YouVersionAs part of its annual review of user activity, YouVersion highlighted the most popular Bible verses in the 10 countries where it has been installed the most.
The verse that was bookmarked, shared, and highlighted more than any other in the app’s history was also the top verse for the US and Brazil in 2015.
That verse was Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will." [All verses in this blog are NIV translation.]
Other top verses were also favorites in more than one country (and proved popular last year as well).
Mexico, the United Kingdom, and South Korea engaged the most with Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Likewise, Nigeria, South Africa, and the Philippines all engaged the most with Jeremiah 29:11: “'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
Canadians engaged most with Ephesians 1:23: "[And the church] is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Meanwhile, Chinese engaged most with 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
The overall most shared, highlighted, and bookmarked verse of 2015 was Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
YouVersion also broke out which verses were shared the most over email, text, and social media.
The top five:
- Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
- Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
- Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
- Romans 12:2: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
- Romans 15:13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
YouVersionOne of the app's most-used features is its Bible reading plans, which guide users through daily readings. YouVersion reports that 20 million plans were completed in 2015, up from 8.3 million in 2014.
Although New Year’s resolutions cause a spike in one-year Bible reading plans, use of such plans drops by one-third by the end of February, according to Bible Gateway's Stephen Smith. By May, half the traffic has dropped off.
YouVersionOne big reason for the many successful completions of YouVersion's plans: they’re short. All of the top 10 most completed Bible plans—covering topics like hope, finding God’s purpose for life, forgiveness, marriage, and prayer—take only a week or less to complete. (The one exception is Joyce Meyer’s “New Day, New You” plan, which is 14 days long.)
Those Bible reading plans can be shared with friends via Bible App Friends, a capacity YouVersion added in 2014 to foster a communal experience for readers. Friends can also choose to see each other’s highlighted verses, bookmarked passages, and notes.
YouVersionIn the past year, the top cities where people connect to each other the most were Bogota, São Paulo, and Houston. Rounding out the top 10 were Singapore, London, Santiago, Mexico City, Lima, Rio de Janeiro, and Oklahoma City.
The two international cities that are the most interconnected are London and Lagos, Nigeria.
The Bible App has now been installed in every country, YouVersion stated. Since it reached the 100-million install mark in 2013, engagement with the app more than tripled in Pakistan (up 240%), Thailand (247%), Namibia (250%), and Greece (261%). Engagement more than quadrupled in Swaziland (up 341%), China (359%), Mozambique (370%), and Uruguay (388%). Use of the app is five times higher in Bulgaria (up 413%), six times higher in Cameroon (up 562%), and seven times higher in Suriname (up 670%).
CT often covers YouVersion, including the 10 most popular Bible verses of 2014 (sorry, John 3:16) and of 2013 (cheer up, John 3:16), how the Bible App achieved more than 1,000 translations, and Life.Church’s new domain name.
CT looked at how the world's top 10 countries search the Bible differently, and how 150 million Bible readers were searching most for love in 2014.
CT also wrote about whether Christians should feel guilty about not reading through the entire Bible in a year, and whether cell phone use during church services is appropriate.
