While gym memberships and diet plans often top New Year's resolution lists, a growing number of Americans are choosing a more profound goal: reading the entire Bible in a year. 

If you've set out to do this, you're in select company. Estimates suggest only 13-20% of Americans have completed the feat. But that number is expected to rise, as early data shows a significant surge of people committing to the challenge in 2026. 

This trend is reflected in Bible sales, which rose 11% in 2025 with more than 18 million sold. Those numbers should surpass the 20-year-high reached the year prior. So many people are picking up the Bible now.

CBN Bible App: Read the Bible in a Year

According to Dr. Corné Bekker, Dean of Divinity at Regent University, it's a response to cultural instability and a deep hunger for truth. 

"I do think increasingly, our world is falling apart. The foundations of our society are being eroded at a record speed – and people are longing for that which is eternally true, that which is ancient, that which is unchanging," said Dr. Bekker. 

Yet planning to read scripture and finishing the Bible are two different things. Of the 2.2 million people who started a year-long plan on the YouVersion Bible App this year, it's predicted that only 1 in 5 will finish. 

As for Dr. Bekker, he's among a select group of individuals who've read the Bible several hundred times, and roughly three times each year – saying each read-through brings him to a deeper reverence for God.

"So, the extraordinary prophet Isaiah speaks for God in chapter 66 – and he says, 'I will look on the one who trembles at my Word,'" said Bekker. "And God's Word is holy and pure, and alive and finer than gold, and sweeter than honey. I want to sit and tremble before God's Word."  

A study by the Center for Bible Engagement found that reading scripture four or more times per week is the single biggest predictor of spiritual growth. It's about consistency, not perfection. By reading just four chapters each day, you can finish the Bible in a year. 

That's why churches like Brentwood Baptist in Tennessee are turning to structured plans, such as the 'Read and Remain' campaign, to help their congregation build that consistency together.  

"Yeah, I would say it really sparked a fire in almost every part of our church life," said Lead Pastor Jay Strother at Brentwood Baptist. "The first time we did this, we had a 99-year-old member of our congregation who said, 'I've read through the Bible 60 times and I want to make it 61.' I answered, 'Why is that?' and she replied, 'Because God shows me something new every time.'" 

And that fire spread there as roughly 5,000 people completed the entire year-long plan. The path can be challenging, however, especially with unfamiliar books or difficult passages. The journey requires daily discipline and often involves spiritual wrestling. 

"Wrestling is a normal part of the spiritual walk. And so, this is what I would say to people: bring all of your wrestling to the reading," said Dr. Bekker. "Bring it to the Lord. The Lord can help you. And the Lord is big enough to handle any wrestling that you might have."

Ultimately, that is the heart of this resolution, not merely checking a box, but engaging in a year-long conversation that has the power to transform a life. 

CBN Bible App: Read the Bible in a Year