The episode features Father Mike Schmitz, Catholic priest and host of The Bible in a Year, reflecting on the podcast's fifth anniversary and its global impact since launching in 2021. The podcast was created in collaboration with the Ascension team and Jeff Cavins.

Father Mike shares stories of the podcast's reach across 150+ countries, including listeners in nations where Christianity is illegal or restricted. He recounts conversion stories, family participation spanning ages 8 to 99, and the unexpected scale of the podcast's success.

The episode announces new bonus commentary for the 2026 season, available exclusively through the Ascension app for the early world time period (days 1-5). Father Mike encourages both new and returning listeners to engage with scripture again.

Throughout the message, Father Mike emphasizes that the podcast's success is God's work rather than human achievement, highlighting the transformative power of scripture and the Holy Spirit's movement through the platform.

Five Years of Global Impact and Unexpected Reach

The Bible in a Year launched in 2021 with no anticipation of its eventual reach. "None of us, the Ascension team, Jeff Cavins, or myself, had any idea what God was going to do with it" - Father Mike.

The podcast became the number one religious podcast in the world and has maintained that position for five years, reaching listeners in over 150 countries.

The podcast has hit number one in the entire U.S. podcast charts multiple times, typically at the beginning of each year when people start new listening habits.

The podcast is approaching 1 billion downloads, representing unprecedented engagement with scripture through digital media.

Conversions and Faith Stories from Restricted Regions

Father Mike recalled praying years ago while watching a Christian movie about a Muslim woman converting through audio preaching. "God, that would be incredible. It would be incredible to be able to do that" - Father Mike.

The podcast has received messages from people raised Muslim who have professed faith in Jesus, including listeners in countries where publicly becoming Christian means their lives are forfeit.

One listener reported living in a country where openly practicing Catholicism or Christianity is illegal, using multiple VPNs to circumvent restrictions and access the podcast.

"Oh my gosh, Lord, that's what I prayed for" - Father Mike's reaction upon hearing the first conversion story from a Muslim listener.

Diverse Listener Demographics and Personal Connections

Listeners span ages from 8 years old to 99 years old, with Father Mike hearing from a 99-year-old listener earlier on the day of recording.

One atheist man in his 40s, who had raised his children as atheists and read the Bible multiple times on his own, engaged with the podcast during its first year.

Father Mike's own family members have participated, including his parents who listened together and his sisters. One brother just completed day 365 for the first time and texted Father Mike about it.

"It's one thing to have stories of people who I've never met before. It's another thing to be able to bring this to people that you love more than anyone in the world" - Father Mike.

College students, Father Mike's own bishop, and people in prison have all engaged with the podcast, with prisoners reporting that scripture has given them hope again.

Production Complexity and Team Effort

Each episode requires passage through approximately 19 different production stations, involving extensive team coordination across social media, correspondence, and technical production.

Recording began in 2020, a year before the 2021 launch, with Father Mike never imagining what God would do with the podcast.

"This is God's work, right? I mean, all of this, I got to be the [voice]. But this is God's work" - Father Mike attributing success to divine intervention rather than human effort.

New Features for 2026 and the Ascension App

For the first time in five years, the 2026 season will include exclusive bonus commentary available only through the Ascension app for days 1-5, covering the early world time period.

The bonus content will address things Father Mike didn't share the first time and answer questions that listeners ask every year during those initial episodes.

The Ascension app provides the optimal listening experience with integrated features, including the ability to tap for immediate answers to questions that arise during episodes.

Father Mike personally uses the app and discovered its interactive features just days before recording this message.

Encouragement to Restart and Continue the Journey

"Some people get done with The Bible in a Year and they think, what's next? I say, do it again" - Father Mike encouraging listeners to repeat the journey.

Father Mike himself is going through The Bible in a Year again because "God's word is inexhaustible. There's always more."

"It is always new. It is always powerful. It is always living and effective" - Father Mike describing the perpetual relevance of scripture.

The fifth anniversary represents not just a milestone for existing listeners but an opportunity for "a thousand, a million more people this year" to begin for the first time.