Millions of downloads on a Bible app is more Psychology than Miracles
Imagine this - there's this cool Bible app that helps someone avoid a bad situation! The CEO of the app, Bobby Gruenewald, shared a story about a person who was about to walk into a not-so-great place when they got a notification on their phone from the Bible app. The person was like, "Whoa, God must be trying to tell me something!" It was like a sign from above that helped them change their mind and stay safe. Pretty amazing, right?
Guess what, guys? The Bible app from YouVersion just reached a super big achievement! It's now on over 100 million devices, which is like, crazy cool. And get this, a new person downloads the app every 1.3 seconds. That's a lot of people wanting to read the Bible on their phones!
Did you know that at any moment, around 66,000 people are using the Bible app? But on Sundays, that number goes way up! Pastors everywhere are telling their congregations to open up their Bibles or use the YouVersion app, and there's a big increase in users.
LifeChurch.tv from Edmond, Oklahoma created the Bible app. Even though people in Silicon Valley usually don't pay attention to churches in conservative states, Gruenewald and his team have some important things to share with us through this app.
There are a ton of religious apps out there, especially when you search for "bible" in the Apple App Store. You'll find over 5,000 results! But one app that stands out from the rest is YouVersion's Bible app. It's at the top of the list and has over 641,000 reviews. Looks like a lot of people like it!
Have you ever wondered how YouVersion became so popular as a digital Bible app? Well, it's not just because people love spreading the word of God. The company used some pretty cool technology and data analysis to figure out how to get people to use their app more. It's like a science experiment on how to make technology change the way we act and think.
Experts in the field believe that the YouVersion Bible app could be worth a lot of money. Jules Maltz, who works at a big investment company, said that a company like this could be worth at least $200 million.
Maltz is pretty knowledgeable about this stuff. His company just said they're putting money into a new app called Snapchat, even though it's not making any money yet. They think it's worth $800 million! Maltz says it's because other popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were also worth a lot before they started making money. But he also mentioned that Snapchat will need to figure out how to make money from ads to be successful.
Imagine if the Bible app started showing ads - it would be like winning the lottery for the church that made the app! But the guy who made the app says he doesn't want to make money from it.
Even though they could make a lot of money by selling the Bible app, Lifechurch.tv is choosing to keep it free for everyone. They've spent a lot of money on it, but their main goal is to help as many people as they can connect with the Bible. And so far, they're doing a great job!
At the start of time
Gruenewald is like a super smart and fast guy. When we were talking, he kept looking at his computer screen and bringing up numbers right away. He would stop talking in the middle of a sentence if he saw something important on his screen. Gruenewald talks a lot about how to make mobile apps the best they can be. Sometimes I have to stop him and ask questions to make sure I understand. He gets excited when he talks about the Bible app he made. He talks about how many people keep using the app with so much energy, that it's like he's preaching a sermon.
When we first started, we didn't want to make a Bible app just for people studying to be pastors. We wanted to make something that anyone could use, every single day. Gruenewald believes that the Bible app has become so popular because we worked hard to make sure people would want to read the Bible regularly.
The Bible app became so popular using words you'd find in a psychology book. It talks about the things that make people want to read the Bible, like what triggers them to start, what they do, and what they get out of it. These points are all lined up and ready for us to talk about.
"Bible study guides have been around for ages," Gruenewald explains. "People have been jotting down notes in their Bibles for years." But let me tell you, the Bible app is way cooler than just a regular study guide.
Back in the day, YouVersion wasn't even on phones! Can you believe it? They started as a website for computers, but it just wasn't getting people excited about reading the Bible. Then they had the genius idea to make a mobile version, and everything changed. Suddenly, everyone was reading the Bible more because they could do it on their phones wherever they went. It was a game-changer!
Can you believe it? People are bringing the Bible everywhere they go now! It turns out that lots of folks are even reading it in the bathroom - like, 18% of them! The Bible app has been downloaded over 100 million times, which is pretty amazing. But what's even more surprising is that people just can't stop reading it long enough to take a break!
Ways to incorporate godly habits into your daily life
Back in 2008, Gruenewald was super lucky because his Bible app was one of the first ones ever in the App Store. He saw the opportunity and turned his website into a mobile app so people could read the Bible on their phones. Lots of people started using his app, but then more and more Bible apps started popping up. Gruenewald knew he had to make his app awesome if he wanted it to be the best one out there.
So, Gruenewald came up with a bunch of different plans to help people read the Bible. The Bible app has over 400 reading plans to choose from, kind of like a special section in iTunes just for devotionals. It's made for all kinds of people with different interests, problems, and languages.
I was really curious about how technology can make us do things without even realizing it, so I thought it would be cool to try out a Bible reading plan. I looked through all the different options and found one called "Addictions" which seemed like it could help me with some stuff I've been struggling with.
Reading plans are like a roadmap to help you read the Bible. Sometimes the Bible can be hard to understand, but reading plans break it down into smaller sections to make it easier. This way, you won't feel overwhelmed and give up. Just take it one day at a time!
The Bible app breaks down the text into small, easy-to-read sections. It's like taking tiny bites of a big sandwich instead of trying to eat the whole thing at once. This way, you can focus on one part at a time without feeling overwhelmed by the size of the whole book.
Divine Stimuli
For the past 5 years, Gruenewald and his team have been trying out different things to see what works best. They've finally figured out the perfect way to set up the Bible app's reading plans. Gruenewald found that using the app every day is super important. He says, "We always make sure to focus on reading every day. Our plans are all about getting people to engage with the Bible daily."
To encourage people to use the Bible app every day, Gruenewald sends reminders that catch their attention, like the notification sent to the sinner in the story. But Gruenewald didn't realize how powerful these reminders could be at first. He was worried about bothering people too much with notifications.
Gruenewald wanted to see how much users were willing to put up with, so he ran an experiment. "We sent people a 'Merry Christmas' message from the app in different languages," he explained. The team thought users might get mad about the message. "We were worried they would delete the app," Gruenewald admitted. But something surprising happened instead. People liked the message and shared pictures of it on social media. They felt like it was a special message from God. Now, Gruenewald says these kinds of messages are important in every reading plan.
Every day, my phone reminds me to read my Addictions reading plan. It's funny because the addiction I'm trying to kick is my obsession with technology. Oh well, I guess I'll give in and use my phone just this once.
If I miss the first message, a red badge pops up on the little Bible icon to remind me. If I forget to start the plan on the first day, I get a message suggesting I try an easier plan. I can also get verses through email, and if I forget a few days, I'll get another email to remind me.
The Bible app has a cool feature where you can chat with other people who use the app too. They send nice messages to each other to help keep everyone feeling positive. The company says that these messages can remind you to open the app and keep reading. There are lots of things in the app that can remind you to keep using it, and the creator of the app thinks that's why people like it so much.
Some people might find all these messages annoying. But hey, this is the Bible we're talking about! Deleting the Bible app or ignoring notifications would be like giving God the middle finger.
The Data is a source of Greatness
Gruenewald and his team have been looking at how people use the Bible app to figure out what users like. They have a lot of information from millions of readers. Gruenewald said, "We have so much data coming in that Google noticed us and wanted to work with us." His company even helped Google engineers with organizing and studying data to help solve problems for other people too.
We found out some cool stuff about what makes people keep using a website or app. One big thing we learned was that it's super important for things to be easy to use. We talked about this a lot with Gruenewald and it was a major takeaway from our chat.
Just like how psychologists have been studying how our brains work for a long time, the Bible app is designed to make it easier for you to read the Bible regularly. When something is easy to do, we're more likely to do it. So, by making it simple to access the Bible on your phone, the app helps you read it more often.
The Bible app is super cool because it makes reading the Bible easy. If you don't like reading, you can just tap a button and listen to someone read it to you in a cool way, like a movie star! It's like having your storyteller right in your pocket.
According to Gruenewald, when he switched around the Bible to put the exciting parts first and the boring parts last, more people finished reading it. He also found that beginner reading plans only include a short inspirational message and a few verses. The goal is to help newbies get into the habit of reading a little bit each day until it becomes a regular part of their routine.
Blessings bestowed by the Almighty
According to Gruenewald, when we feel a strong connection to the Bible, it stirs up our emotions in a powerful way that we should handle carefully. People who make a habit of using the Bible app don't just open it when they get a notification on their phone, but also when they're feeling down and need a pick-me-up.
"We think the Bible is like a message from God," Gruenewald explains. "When people read a verse, they might find advice or insight that can help them in their daily lives or with a problem they're facing." Some people might say this is just finding meaning where there isn't any, while experts might call it a psychological phenomenon called the Forer effect. But for those who believe, it feels like having a personal conversation with God."
When I opened the Bible app, I saw a verse about "Addictions" that was picked just for me. I tapped a couple of times and found 1 Thessalonians 5:11, which tells us to stay strong and not give in to temptations. These words are like a little gift in the app, making us feel happier and more positive.
Gruenewald thinks that using the Bible app can be kind of mysterious and exciting. He says there was a lady who would stay up late just to see what verse she would get for the next day. It's like a surprise every time you open the app and see which verse you get. And it's cool because the verse you get might help you with something you're going through. It's like a little mystery that keeps you coming back for more.
When I finished reading my Bible verse for the day, I got a cool "Day Complete!" message on my screen. A check mark showed up next to the verse I read and on my reading plan calendar. If I miss a day, I'll break my streak of checked days, which psychologists call the "endowed progress effect." It's like in video games when they give you rewards to keep you going.
Passing along God's Word
The Bible app has these cool reading plans that some people get into, but not everyone is into them. Most people don't even sign up for an account on the app, according to Gruenewald. Lots of people just use the app to read the Bible instead of using a physical paper Bible.
Gruenewald thinks it's cool to use the Bible app like this. Even if someone doesn't sign up, he's still helping them get into the Bible app. People are talking about how 200,000 things are shared from the app every day on social media.
The Bible app is getting a cool new feature! Now, when you open the app, you'll see a new Bible verse right away. And guess what? You can easily share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter by clicking the big blue button that says, "Share Verse of the Day." It's a fun way to spread the word and inspire others with scripture!
Have you ever wondered why people like to share Bible verses they just read? Well, one reason could be because it makes them look good, kind of like a humblebrag. A study from Harvard called "Disclosing information about the self is intrinsically rewarding" found that sharing stuff about yourself makes your brain feel good. It's like a little reward for talking about yourself. Some people are so into sharing that they would rather talk about themselves than get money!
The Bible app has lots of ways to share verses, but one of the best ways is actually in church! People can share verses while sitting in the pews during the service. It's a great way to spread the word of God with others in person.
"Everyone loves talking about the Bible app because they use it around friends who are curious about it." Gruenewald noticed that more people download the app on Sundays, probably because that's when they tell their friends about it the most.
Gruenewald's Bible app is a total game-changer for some preachers. They can type up their sermons right into the app, so everyone in the congregation can read along with them in real time. No more flipping through pages to find the right verse! Once the preacher starts using the app, everyone else in the church is sure to jump on board too.
Into infinity
When you use the Bible app during church, it helps you grow closer to God and become more committed to your faith. By highlighting verses, adding comments, bookmarking, or sharing from the app, you are showing that you care about what you are reading and are investing in your relationship with God.
Did you know that when we put effort into making something, we end up valuing it more? This is called the "IKEA effect," and it was discovered by behavioral economists Dan Ariely and Michael Norton. When we work on something, like building a piece of furniture from IKEA, we feel more attached to it and think it's worth more. So next time you put in some hard work on a project, remember that it might make you appreciate it even more!
When you spend time reading and adding notes to the Bible app, it starts to feel like your own personal journal of worship. Just like a favorite book that you've read over and over, the Bible app becomes a special part of your life that you don't want to let go of.
The Bible app gets better the more you use it. It's like a game that unlocks new levels the more you play. Once you start using it, you won't want to switch to a different digital Bible. YouVersion's app is like the king of all Bible apps because it keeps getting better and better with each new thing you discover.
Gruenewald says he's not trying to beat anyone, but he does like to mention how well his app is doing in the App Store. With over 100 million installs, it looks like his Bible app is staying at the top of the charts for a while!
Gruenewald is going to keep looking through a ton of data to find new ways to get more people to use his Bible app and make it even more addictive. For the millions of people who use his app regularly, it's like a gift from God.
