For the fourth time in the past five years, Chattanooga, Tennessee, topped the list of “America’s Most Bible-Minded Cities”—an annual study conducted by American Bible Society in partnership with Barna Group.
The top five cities in the report are all located within the area of the United States known as the “Bible Belt.” Birmingham, Alabama; Roanoke/Lynchburg, Virginia; Tri-Cities, Tennessee; and Shreveport, Louisiana all boasted high levels of Bible belief and engagement. The report shows that nearly 50 percent of the population in these areas reads the Bible frequently and advocates for the spiritual authority of Scripture.
Other cities that scored high in Bible-mindedness include Charlotte, North Carolina; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Knoxville, Tennessee. And some cities made significant progress in 2017. Springfield, Missouri moved up from spot 11 to 7 while Jackson, Mississippi moved up from spot 15 to 12.
The information gathered in the study better equips American Bible Society to accomplish its goal of seeing 100 million people in the U.S. actively engaging with Scripture by the year 2026.
“American Bible Society endeavors to provide cutting-edge ways for people to experience the life-changing message of the Bible,” says Samuel Harrell, Director of U.S. City Ministry at American Bible Society. “This data helps us identify how and where we can best deliver Bible content across the country.”
Currently, only 20 percent of the American population engages with the Bible on a regular basis. That’s why American Bible Society is committed to identifying barriers to Bible engagement, advocating for the Bible in culture, and equipping local leaders to share God’s Word in their churches and communities.
To find out where your city ranks and to read more about the study, check out the full 2017 “America’s Most Bible-Minded Cities” report.
