On Opening Weekend of "Noah," People Read or Listened to the Biblical Noah Story on Bible App 389,794 Times—YouVersion Data Show

Aimee Herd-Commentary : Apr 4, 2014
Phil Cooke – Charisma News

It's the highest number of people exploring that passage that they've ever experienced.

The movie "Noah" may be controversial for its straying from the Biblical account, but it has accomplished one very important thing… (Photo via Charisma News)

It's prompted seekers.

According to reports from both YouVersion and Bible Gateway, that both offer numerous versions of the Bible via an app and online, there was a tremendous increase in those reading the story of Noah from the book of Genesis during the movie's opening weekend.

The YouVersion Bible App team noted that during the three-day weekend of "Noah's" release, the Biblical account of Noah was read or listened to 389,794 times, or about 129,931 times per day.

It was the "highest number of people exploring that passage that they've ever experienced," according to the Charisma News report. (Screen Shot of YouVersion-Genesis)

Similarly, Bible Gateway saw a 223 percent increase in those reading the Biblical story.

The American Bible Society reportedly discovered that 87 percent of respondents to a poll on the subject said they were reading the account of Noah in Genesis because of the film.

Writing for Charisma News, Phil Cooke notes that is only three online sources, but there were likely many more who also read the story of Noah right out of a printed Bible.

Senior pastor of The Church at South Las Vegas told Charisma that their "church members are reporting over and over that the first thing they're doing after seeing the movie is to pull out their Bibles and reread the story."

Hopefully, with faith-based movies still-to-come this year—"Heaven Is For Real" and "Left Behind," this trend will continue and increase.

Wouldn't it be just like God to use a source as unlikely as Hollywood to spark a revival?!