Star-Studded Opening Launches National Bible Reading for America’s 250th Anniversary
Candace Cameron Bure, Patricia Heaton, and Cameron and BJ Arnett join national call to Scripture, April 18
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 11, 2026) — A star-studded gathering of celebrities, ministry leaders, and elected officials will kick off America Reads the Bible, a week-long, nationwide Scripture-reading event commemorating America’s 250th birthday, with a live-streamed opening celebration, April 18 at 7 PM ET.
The event will be held at the National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Great American Pure Flix has the honor of streaming the 90-minute opening celebration, which will feature some of the nation’s most recognizable voices sharing personal stories about the transformative impact of the Bible in their lives.
Featured Participants
Participating in the opening ceremony are Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond, The Middle), representatives from Congress and the Administration, and national spokespersons Cameron and BJ Arnett (The Forge, CEO's Camy Arnett Production Studios) and Candace Cameron Bure (Actress and CEO CandyRock Entertainment).
In addition, David Barton (WallBuilders) will highlight America’s rich biblical history, while Pastor Allen Jackson (World Outreach Church), Tony Perkins (Family Research Council), Matt Potter (Pray.com), Dr. Adam Wright (Dallas Baptist University), Doug Deason (Great American Media), Kyle Lance Martin (Time to Revive), and Bunni Pounds (Christians Engaged) share personal testimonies of the power of the Bible and call the nation back to its foundational truth for the wellbeing of America.
Throughout the evening, worship leaders Leeland Mooring (Way Maker) and Phil King (Heal Our Land) are scheduled to lead the nation in worship through music.
Vision and Purpose
“National leaders from every sphere of influence will testify to their dependence on the Bible as some of the busiest people on the planet and call America back to God’s Word daily,” said Pounds, who is founder and president of Christians Engaged and the visionary behind America Reads the Bible. Pounds said the initiative was inspired by the book of Ezra, where Scripture was read publicly as a catalyst for spiritual renewal.
“We believe the Word of God simply read and listened to can transform hearts, families, communities, and nations,” Pounds added. “We’re inviting Americans to listen or read aloud together in a powerful act of unity and faith for our 250th Birthday of America.”
Bill Abbott, President and CEO of Great American Media, said, “America Reads the Bible is a reminder that the values and freedoms we cherish didn’t appear out of nowhere, they were shaped, in many ways, by the Word of God.
“We’re grateful to partner on this historic event, and we’re honored to make the livestream available through Great American Pure Flix so families across the country can participate, wherever they are.”
April 19–25, National Scripture Reading and Readers
The national observance will continue April 19–25 with seven consecutive days of public Scripture readings from the World Stage Theatre at the Museum of the Bible, where more than 100 national ministries and 475+ national leaders will read the Bible aloud—from Genesis to Revelation. The public is invited to attend in person at the Museum of the Bible or register to join the livestream at AmericaReadsTheBible.com.
Among the latest confirmed participants include comedian Chonda Pierce, business icon Kathy Ireland, singer Colton Dixon, and John Cooper, Skillet lead singer, along with a whole list of actors and creatives - Nathan Gamble, Kevin Sorbo, Todd Terry, Jen Lilley, Brett Varvel, Julia Reilly, Ashley Wood, Laura Osnes and Butch Hartman. Other Christian voices in the arts involved as readers include filmmakers - Dallas Jenkins, Andy Erwin, Chris Juen and Chad Gundersen and musicians and songwriters – Danny Gokey, Kim Walker-Smith, Meredith Andrews, Leeland Mooring, Phil King, Dustin Smith, Marty Goetz, Daniel Calveti, Matt Gilman, UPPERROOM, Chichi Onyekanne, Hannah Brazney, Jack Mooring, Klaus Kuehn, Clayton Brooks, Bethany Stephens, and Jennie Lee Riddle. More participants are being announced every day here.
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MEDIA:
To schedule select audio or video interviews with the visionary behind this movement, Bunni Pounds, Bill Abbott, or our national spokespersons – Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron and BJ Arnett, contact:
Gregg Wooding
972-567-7660
gregg@iampronline.com
Debbie Davis
512-537-1414
