Skeptical About Attending Church, Bible Apps Are Bringing Scripture To Gen Z
In his 2025 hit, “Dusty Bibles,” Josiah Queen sang, “We got dust on our Bibles, brand new iPhones, no wonder why we feel this way,” but what if our Bibles were on our iPhones?
Apps like Dwell, Through the Word and Biblez are transforming the way young people engage with Scripture by bringing immersive audio, interactive games and daily streaks directly to their smartphones.
Barna’s 2025 State of the church report found that Millennials and Gen Z are driving a Bible-reading comeback, with nearly half engaging with Scripture weekly. Over the past year, weekly Bible reading among Millennials rose from 34% to 50%, while Gen Z’s weekly Bible reading jumped from 30% to 49%.
Daniel Copeland, Vice President of Research at Barna, attributes this trend to young people’s desire for clarity in uncertain times.
“There’s something to understand about the cultural moments that we’re all finding ourselves in where people have more access to information and media than at any time in human history, yet we live in more chaotic and tumultuous times,” he said. “We believe that people need help and Scripture offers a place for that.”
Through the Word is a nonprofit ministry dedicated to equipping people to read, understand, apply and regularly engage with the Bible, according to its website. Launched by Kris Langham in 2011, the platform provides clear, concise and relatable daily audio guides that can be accessed through its app.
With over one million downloads, the platform offers more than 150 reading plans that have garnered over 10 million completions.
Langham has always wanted to help young people engage with Scripture. His ministry began during his time as a youth pastor when he started creating weekly guides to help his students better understand Scripture. Fifteen years later, TTW continues to reach young people by prioritizing authentic connection over passing trends.
Langham said the platform's authenticity is what appeals to young people.
“A lot of the younger generation is still skeptical towards going to church, [but] there is an openness towards reading the Bible,” he said. “Because of that, leading the younger generation in a genuine way and in a place that’s safe, like their phone, is an effective and powerful way to reach [them].”
Priya Kress, 22, of Denver, Colorado, has been regularly using TTW since 2019.
After discovering the platform through YouVersion, she continued using it for its chapter-a-day approach to Scripture.
Having completed nearly every reading plan on the app, she has used what she learned to lead Bible study discussions at her university.
Kress said the platform empowered her to share her faith with others.
“I have shared with many of my friends about Through the Word, and we’d often listen to [the plans] together or listen to them on our own and talk about them together,” she said. “I really love doing that, and it’s given me a good foothold for sharing my Bible reading with my friends.”
Dwell is an audio Scripture platform that is helping users reclaim the ancient practice of listening to Scripture as a modern rhythm, according to its website. Launched by identical twin brothers Jonathan and Joshua Bailey in 2018, it combines cinematic music, narration and a refreshing interface to create an immersive listening experience.
With over three million downloads, the platform features a range of distinct voices narrating more than 18 Scripture versions to over 40,000 daily listeners worldwide.
Jonathan and Joshua created the platform to combine their passion for Scripture and audio. After struggling to find high-quality, audio-first Bible tools, they built the app to bring an ancient tradition into the modern era.
Dwell offers daily, bite-sized audio devotions that appeal to young people on the go.
Jonathan Bailey said the platform has been especially useful for young mothers seeking practical ways to engage with Scripture.
“Our demographic has mainly been younger moms that struggle to find time to sit down and read their Bible,” he said. “With Dwell, they can listen while they’re folding clothes or making a meal or vacuuming or doing other stuff around the house.”
Tiffany West, 29, of Fort Worth, Texas, has been regularly using Dwell since 2025. A wife and a mother of 3-year-old and twin 1-year-old daughters, she uses the platform to study Scripture throughout the day.
West said she enjoys how the platform allows her to listen to Scripture while completing daily tasks around the house.
“I can do all of my house chores and take care of my girls while it’s playing in the background,” she said. “It’s super user-friendly, especially for a mom who’s really busy most of the day.”
Biblez is a Bible engagement platform designed specifically for teenagers, according to its website. Soft-launched by Stan Williams Jr. in April 2026, the platform uses daily streaks, games and redeemable rewards to help teens build consistent Bible reading habits. With over 500 downloads, the platform is expected to officially launch in 2027.
Williams created the platform four years ago to help students build regular Bible reading habits. Combining Scripture engagement with economic empowerment, the app rewards teenagers for consistently reading the Bible.
Biblez offers gamified reading plans that reward teenagers with “ZCoins” that they can redeem for gift cards in the app's Z Store.
Williams said the platform is meant to meet teenagers where they are.
“Many people are trying to fight to get [teenagers] off of their phones, but what Biblez is trying to do is engage them on their phones,” he said. “I don’t think we have to be afraid of Instagram and Tik Tok and Snapchat, I think we can offer something that takes their attention away from that.”
Reaghan Barnes, 13, of Jacksonville, Florida has been regularly using Biblez since it soft-launched. One of the first teenagers to test the platform, she uses the app’s interactive games and modern translations to better understand the text.
“[Biblez] is helping me have more faith in God,” she said.
Allana Haynes is a community news reporter covering Howard and Carroll counties for Baltimore Sun Media. In 2017, she graduated with a Master of Science degree in journalism from Columbia University.