In 2023, the Center for Biblical Engagement released findings from a groundbreaking 8-year study. They tracked over 100,000 people, ages 8 to 80, across 20 countries, analyzing everything from emotional health and moral behavior to spiritual growth and how actively people lived out their faith.
✏️ You can read the full study here.
Here's what they were trying to understand: Does reading the Bible really make a difference in someone's life? So, how did regular Bible engagement impact those areas?
The Power of 4x
They found that reading the Bible once or twice a week had little to no measurable impact. Three times? A slight improvement.
But at four times a week, the numbers jumped off the charts.
People who engaged with Scripture at least four times a week experienced:
- A dramatic drop in destructive habits.
- A noticeable lift in emotional well-being.
- A surge in spiritual practices like giving, sharing their faith, and discipling others.
And just to be clear, this study wasn't comparing Christians to non-Christians. It compared churchgoers who occasionally read the Bible with those who read it consistently. The difference was massive.
What Changed? Everything.
Here are just a few of the findings. Among people who read the Bible at least 4x a week:
Unwanted habits dropped significantly:
- Excessive drinking: ↓62%
- Viewing pornography: ↓59%
- Sex outside of marriage: ↓59%
- Gambling: ↓45%
- Lashing out in anger: ↓31%
- Overeating or food issues: ↓20%
- Mishandling money: ↓20%
Emotional health improved:
- Bitterness: ↓40%
- Destructive thoughts: ↓32%
- Discouragement: ↓31%
- Loneliness: ↓30%
- Anxiety and fear: ↓14%
Spiritual practices increased dramatically:
- Giving to the church: ↑416%
- Memorizing Scripture: ↑407%
- Discipling others: ↑231%
- Sharing faith: ↑228%
- Giving to other causes: ↑218%
- Feeling spiritually stagnant: ↓60%
- Feeling like they can't please God: ↓44%
The data speaks for itself. Engaging with God's Word isn't just a "nice idea" — it's transformational.
So What Does This Mean for You?
If you've been trying to break free from habits that don't serve you…
If your mental or emotional state has felt shaky…
If your faith feels more like a subscription than a mission of purpose…
Get in God's Word.
Not as a checkbox. Not out of guilt. But as a way to reconnect to the only source that truly transforms from the inside out.
Because nothing changes the human heart like regularly reading, praying through, and reflecting on the truth of God.
Start with Four.
Set a simple goal: Read the bible four times this week.
You don't need a perfect plan—just start. Pick a Gospel. Choose a Psalm. Open the Bible app. Use a reading plan. Get quiet. Be honest. Show up. Because the single greatest discipline for a life of worship isn't hype or hustle—it's being devoted to the truth that shapes us.
And that truth? It's already waiting for you.