Copyright futurefive
YouVersion is set to reach a milestone of one billion installs across its family of Bible apps this November, reflecting sustained global demand for digital access to Bible content. The YouVersion Bible App, first launched in 2008, is now available in over 2,300 languages, including Chinese, Malay and Tamil, supporting the diverse needs of a global audience. In Singapore specifically, the app has been downloaded more than three million times. The company reports that this development comes amid a year of worldwide growth in Bible engagement. Globally, installs of YouVersion apps have increased by more than 12% year over year, and daily app usage has grown by 18%. The app is currently used in every country, with the platform's software opened a billion times every 39 days. "We're seeing incredible global momentum around Bible engagement, and it's humbling to be part of what's happening," said Bobby Gruenewald, Founder and CEO of YouVersion. "Every day we hear stories of lives being changed-someone overcoming addiction, marriages being restored, people encountering Scripture in their own language for the first time. This milestone is really a celebration of the Bible itself and what happens when people around the world work together to get it into the hands and hearts of more people." International reach Since its inception, YouVersion has expanded through partnerships with more than 31,000 organisations worldwide, comprising over 7,200 content partners and more than 25,000 churches. In Singapore, local collaborations with organisations such as Hope Singapore, Heart of God Church and Bethany Church have supported the development of resources specifically tailored to the local community. "A remarkable transformation is unfolding across Singapore as more people connect with Scripture every day," said Harun Lie, YouVersion Singapore Representative. "When Singaporeans access the Bible App and encounter content crafted by local voices, in their heart language, God's Word resonates in profoundly personal ways. It's a privilege to offer Scripture to our multicultural community in ways that speak authentically to their experiences and transform their everyday lives." Global Bible Month To commemorate the one billion installs milestone, YouVersion is introducing Global Bible Month in November, in collaboration with partners including Glorify, Hallow, and The Bible Project. This campaign includes the 30-Day Bible Challenge, encouraging individuals to engage with Scripture each day for a month via the app, other digital platforms or traditional printed Bibles. As of now, over 1.5 million people globally have registered to take part in the challenge. "In a world where everyone's searching for what's real and true, we've seen one thing consistently transform lives, and that's daily engagement with Scripture," said Gruenewald. "That's why this November, we're simply inviting people to try something different: read the Bible for 30 days and see what happens. You might just find that the answer you were searching for has been there all along." YouVersion is also organising a celebratory event at the Paycom Centre in Oklahoma City. This event will feature Christian leaders and Bible-focused organisations, musical performances by artists such as Lauren Daigle, Phil Wickham, and Brooke Ligertwood, and addresses from speakers including Christine Caine and Craig Groeschel. The event will focus on individual and community stories of change related to Bible engagement and will provide a vision for the next phase of digital scripture accessibility. App development and content The origins of YouVersion trace back to founder Bobby Gruenewald's idea in an airport security queue, pondering how technology might improve Bible accessibility and routine. The app initially launched as a website before gaining significant exposure when released as one of the first mobile applications on the App Store in 2008. Seventeen years on, the app now offers over 3,600 Bible translations and extensive supporting content, including Bible Plans, a daily Verse of the Day, Guided Prayer, video material, and tools designed for both individual and community use. The platform regularly adds more than 1,200 new content items, such as videos and devotional plans, each month. YouVersion continues to focus on making Bible content broadly accessible and relevant in a digital context, with its suite of apps designed around daily routines and user needs. Current offerings include the principal Bible App, Bible App Lite (developed for users with limited offline capability or device/storage constraints), and the Bible App for Kids, which uses interactive features to help children engage with Scripture.
