The Word For Today is a free, daily devotional written by Bob Gass and published around the world by United Christian Broadcasters (UCB).
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In 1992, Bob Gass began jotting down various inspirations he had received based on over forty years of being involved in Christian leadership, and from the Biblical principles and Godly values instilled in him by his mother. Astounded by the response they had received in the United States, he offered his devotional readings to Gareth Littler, the former CEO of UCB, to encourage their listeners. In April 1994, The Word For Today was launched with an initial print run of 3,500 copies and circulated to UCB's supporters within the UK[1].
Today, circulation has increased to one million copies which are read, not just by UCB's listeners and readers, but also by patients in hospitals, prisoners and residents of care centres throughout the UK and Ireland. Over 3.5 million copies are distributed quarterly worldwide. Different versions are produced for Albania, Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Caribbean, Holland, Estonia, Portugal, Philippines, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa (Afrikaans and English), Spain and the USA. With the exception of the USA, The Word for Today is only available through the national UCB body or an affiliate.
According to author Bob Gass "This devotional is a kick start for cold mornings, when you don't feel like reading your Bible or find it a bit dry, that's when you need a good injection of inspiration. That's what I want to provide for our readers, something to focus their minds on God's goodness"[1].
Following thousands of requests from UCB's supporters and two years of investigation and planning, a contemporary version of The Word For Today, called The Word 4U 2Day was produced in August 2003[1].
In conjunction with The Message Trust, a Christian youth ministry based in Manchester, The Word For Today was adapted to appeal to the younger generations in society[1].
The first edition of The Word 4U 2Day rolled off the press in time for August 2003 with a print run of quarter of a million copies. Since then it has increased in popularity and attracts a wide range of ages[1].