Nearly 500 public officials, ministry leaders and well-known figures are preparing to take part in a weeklong public reading of the Bible in Washington, D.C., an initiative organizers say is aimed at encouraging a renewed national focus on Scripture ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.
The event, titled “America Reads the Bible,” is set to begin Sunday at 9 a.m. at the Museum of the Bible, where participants will read Scripture for 12 hours each day, covering the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Organizers say the marathon will continue through April 25 and will feature more than 450 speakers, including six cabinet members, six governors and 20 members of Congress.
An opening celebration scheduled for Saturday at Capital Turnaround will include appearances by actresses Candace Cameron Bure and Patricia Heaton, along with Michael Cloud and Tony Perkins.
In an interview, Christians Engaged founder Bunni Pounds said David Barton will present a "history lesson of the Bible in our American culture." At the same time, musicians Leeland Mooring and Phil King will sing.
Pounds explained that the goal of the event is to “call the American people back to daily Bible reading for the well-being of our country,” adding that she hopes future leaders "will rise to really fix the leadership crisis that we have in our country.”
Describing the scope of the effort, she said, “We are going to read the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, over seven days, livestreamed to the country.”
Pounds said the idea for the event was influenced by her reading of the biblical figure Ezra, and after more than a year of preparation, she secured support from 122 ministry partners.
She described the gathering as “the Body of Christ coming together in unity” during a significant moment in U.S. history and said that after seeing no similar initiatives planned, she believed, “Maybe God gave me this idea.”
Reflecting on the spiritual significance of the effort, Pounds said, “I really feel like we’re laying an offering at the feet of Jesus,” adding, “Everything we do in government, politics, media, education — all these spheres of influence — is critically important,” while emphasizing that “what we do as leaders comes from our devotion to the Lord.”
