More than 1.5 billion copies printed worldwide since 1935

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Upper Room, the longest-running daily devotional in the world, celebrates its 90th year of publishing stories of faith and prayer in 2025. When Francis Craig approached her pastor Dr. Paul Korn with an idea for a regularly published prayer guide filled with stories and scripture, she never imagined the global impact to come. With more than 1.5 billion copies printed to date, The Upper Room devotional is now available in more than 30 languages across 100 countries in multiple formats. The Upper Room is the world’s longest running devotional as it has been in continuous publication for nine decades.

The devotional’s name, The Upper Room, was inspired by a sermon on the story of Pentecost in Acts 1 and 2 and also refers to Jesus’s final meal with his beloved disciples. From its earliest days, the devotional’s content was designed for all followers of Christ, regardless of nationality, age, race, or denominational affiliation. As of 2025, it is estimated that one-third of all writers featured in The Upper Room live outside of the U.S.

“The Upper Room was created as a gift for the worldwide church from day one – a simple, effective tool for uniting Christians in daily prayer and scripture,” explains Rev. Jeffrey Campbell, General Secretary, Discipleship Ministries, and Interim Publisher, The Upper Room. “While culture has shifted and evolved since the devotional was launched in 1935, the eternal truths of scripture continue to guide and empower lives around the world. The word of God has no boundaries.”

From its earliest days, The Upper Room editors ensured that each issue had three key features – it would fit in a pocket or purse; it would include strong international representation among its contributors; and it would be an ecumenical gift to the church worldwide.

Although The Upper Room is best known as a printed devotional magazine, its content has been published in many different formats through the years, expanding its impact and reach. Published formats have included:

• 1935: The Upper Room debuts in print
• 1938: Spanish edition launched – the longest-running non-English edition
• 1946: Radio edition begins broadcasting
• 1958: “Talking books” (LP vinyl records) are launched, transitioning to cassette tapes in the 1970s and CDs in the 1990s.
• 1974: Large print edition debuted
• 1997: Website and email versions became available
• 2001: MP3 audio edition is introduced
• 2016: The Upper Room app is launched for Apple and Android devices
• 2024: The latest non-English edition, Marathi, launched

Currently, The Upper Room is available as a printed magazine (pocket-sized and large print), on The Upper Room app (Apple & Android), and online at www.UpperRoom.org

“Throughout the years, the purpose and ministry of the daily devotional guide have not changed,” notes Lindsay Gray, Executive Director of The Upper Room Editions, The Upper Room. “With each issue, we offer people around the globe a way to connect with God every day by sharing stories of God’s presence in the world. The faithfulness and generosity of generations of Upper Room readers have sustained this ministry from the first issue until now.”

The Upper Room is a global ministry dedicated to supporting the spiritual life of Christians seeking to know and experience God more fully. From its beginnings in 1935 as a daily devotional guide, The Upper Room has grown to include publications, programs, prayer support, and other resources to help Christians of all ages and denominations move to a deeper level of faith and service. For more, visit UpperRoom.org/90.

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Contact:
Jana Muntsinger
McClure Muntsinger Public Relations
832-247-9308
[email protected]

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RNS or Religion News Foundation.