After years of steady decline, Bible engagement in the United States has ticked upward for the first time in four years, driven largely by a surprising demographic: younger men.

According to the 2025 State of the Bible report, published by the American Bible Society (ABS), approximately 11 million more Americans are reading the Bible this year compared to 2024. The rise is especially pronounced among millennials, Gen Xers, and men—groups that had previously shown diminished engagement with Scripture.

“We were incredibly encouraged,” said Dr. John Plake, Chief Innovation Officer at the American Bible Society, in an interview with Christian Daily International following his presentation at the recent Evangelical Press Association (EPA) annual convention in Branson, Missouri. “It’s not yet a trend, but it’s a significant step in the right direction.”

The State of the Bible report, now in its 15th year, surveys a representative panel of U.S. adults annually to assess their relationship with Scripture, church involvement, and faith. The latest findings, collected in January 2025, suggest a notable shift in how Americans are interacting with the Bible, especially in traditionally disengaged regions and demographics.

Bible Use Rebounds from Pandemic Decline

In 2021, 50 percent of American adults qualified as “Bible users”—defined by ABS as people who read Scripture outside of religious services at least three to four times a year. But after the pandemic’s brief spiritual bump, the number plummeted: 40 percent in 2022, 39 percent in 2023, and 38 percent in 2024.

Then came a 3 percentage point rebound in early 2025. The ABS team was stunned. “That amounts to 11 million people picking up the Bible who didn’t last year,” Plake said.

This uptick wasn’t uniform. Among women and older adults—the traditional backbone of Bible readership—engagement remained flat. But men registered a 21 percent increase, millennials surged by 30 percent, and Gen Xers rose by 14 percent.

“This tells us something is stirring, particularly among young adult men,” Plake noted. “And that’s not what we expected to see.”

Geographically, the most striking increases occurred in some of the country’s most secular areas.

In the Northeast, Bible users rose from 28 percent to 33 percent—a statistically significant 18 percent increase. The Western U.S. saw an identical 18 percent increase, while the Midwest experienced a 15 percent jump. In contrast, Bible use in the Southern states—often called the Bible Belt—held steady.

The San Francisco Bay Area, long known for low religious affiliation, also yielded surprising results. A special regional analysis by ABS found that while only 19 percent of Bay Area residents aged 61 and older are Bible users—compared to 46 percent nationally in that age group—millennials and Gen Z residents in the area were more engaged than their counterparts nationwide.

Among Bay Area millennials, 40 percent were identified as Bible users, slightly edging out the national average of 39 percent. For Gen Z, the difference was 37 percent in the Bay Area versus 36 percent nationally.

“These findings challenge the assumption that places like the Bay Area are spiritual deserts,” Plake said. “It’s not that younger generations are closed to Scripture—it’s often their elders who are more disengaged.”

Cultural Shifts and a “Movable Middle”

The report’s authors are cautious not to overinterpret the findings, but Plake believes this could signal deeper cultural undercurrents.

Last October, the Wall Street Journal reported a 22 percent year-over-year increase in Bible sales, with evidence that many purchases were by first-time buyers—particularly younger individuals. That, paired with ABS’s own data, suggests spiritual curiosity may be growing.

“There are 71 million Americans in what we call the ‘movable middle,’” Plake explained. “They’re curious about the Bible, but uncertain. They need someone to come alongside them, answer their questions, and help them discover the bigger story of Scripture.”

ABS’s research also shows that nearly half of all Americans who identify as Christians but are not actively practicing—termed “non-practicing Christians”—are open to re-engaging with the Bible and learning more about Jesus.

“They may be disenchanted with church or the way the Bible was presented to them,” Plake said. “Often, they’ve been taught Bible stories as morality tales—Samson, Jonah, Noah—but they’ve missed the grand narrative that points to Jesus. That’s where we need to do better.”

While the report highlights 52 million Americans identified as “Bible engaged”—those who consistently interact with Scripture in ways that shape their relationships and life choices—many don’t feel equipped to share their faith.

“These people love God’s Word and have been deeply transformed by it,” Plake said. “But they don’t always know how to advocate for it. That’s the next challenge for churches and ministries: helping them share that message naturally and effectively.”

Plake sees this not just as an institutional opportunity, but a personal one.

“If you care about the Bible, now is the time to speak up,” he said. “Your friends, neighbors, coworkers—they’re asking spiritual questions. Many of them are open, even if they’re not in a pew on Sunday. And you could be the one to walk that road with them.”

In addition to domestic trends, ABS has started comparing its findings with global data. Chapter Two of the 2025 State of the Bible report includes insights from the PATMOS World Bible Engagement Study, a new international survey conducted by the British and Foreign Bible Society in partnership with Gallup.

Released on April 30, the PATMOS study provides a comparative snapshot of Bible engagement across 85 countries. ABS’s chapter draws connections between U.S. trends and global spiritual movements.

“We’re seeing how the U.S. fits into this larger spiritual ecosystem,” Plake said. “It’s fascinating to see where Americans align with or diverge from other parts of the world when it comes to Scripture engagement, human flourishing, and faith identity.”

Another upcoming chapter will explore human flourishing in more depth, using data from a global study also published in April 2025.

Connecting Text to Context

Plake, who joined ABS in 2017, brings a unique combination of pastoral experience, academic research, and missiological insight to his work. He sees data not just as numbers, but as stories waiting to be understood.

“My goal has always been to help connect the text of Scripture to the context of people’s lives,” he said. “Numbers don’t change lives, but they help us understand the world we’re trying to reach.”

Plake hopes the 2025 report will encourage churches and Christian leaders—both in the U.S. and globally—to lean into the opportunities, not just the challenges, of our current moment.

“Yes, fewer people are reading the Bible than we would like,” he said. “But the fact that the number is rising, especially among those who’ve traditionally been disengaged, means the ground is more fertile than we think.”

A Word to the Global Church

Speaking to those outside the U.S., Plake emphasized that while the State of the Bible report focuses on the United States, its implications extend far beyond American borders.

“The global church can learn from what’s happening here—and we can certainly learn from what’s happening abroad,” he said. “The spiritual hunger we’re seeing among younger Americans might mirror trends elsewhere. That’s why these international comparisons matter so much.”

Plake pointed to the importance of collaboration between Bible societies worldwide and noted that ABS remains committed to global Scripture access, translation, and digital innovation.

“Whether it’s through apps, print, trauma healing programs, or oral storytelling, we want people everywhere to encounter God through His Word,” he said.

With future chapters of the 2025 State of the Bible report set to unpack topics like trauma recovery, Scripture and mental health, and the role of faith in public life, Plake believes the research will continue to equip Christians to serve more faithfully and compassionately.

“The data isn’t the mission,” he said. “It’s just a tool. But it’s a powerful one when it helps us understand where the Spirit is already at work—and how we can join in.”

For more information on the 2025 State of the Bible report, visit AmericanBible.org.