By Brandon Park
After a year and a half of planning, nine months of solid writing, 50 videos being filmed and countless meetings with our app developer, PocketCake, we are finally releasing our discipleship app. Yet many have asked, “Why go through all this trouble to create an app?” Let me give you my top 10 reasons I invested the “blood, sweat and tears” to create this ministry:
10. People live on their mobile device. Statistics show that the average American spends more than two hours a day on their smartphone! Consumers now spend 85 percent of their time on smartphones using apps. The smartphone is now the number one means of communication. Whether it be through text, email, Facebook or Twitter—this is our new reality.
9. Whereas books were the number one way we processed information in the 20th century, apps and online content are becoming the number one way we process information in the 21st century.
8. We need a culturally relevant way to make disciples. More and more people are depending upon their mobile applications to complete a wide range of tasks. This means that if we want to reach people where they are today, an app must be an integral part of our communication mix.
7. Push notifications through an app allow for you to engage people on a regular basis and remind them of some important truth or action they need to take.
6. This tool enables a disciple-making coach to view participant responses in real-time. Once they complete their lesson for that day, the coach receives a notification to view their responses.
5. Our app helps create community. People really get to know each other when they are engaging discipleship conversations throughout the day. This isn’t meant to replace face-to-face disciple-making conversations—but it is a huge supplement!
4. Our app helps keep people accountable to stay on track. Let’s be honest…people don’t do what you expect; they do what you inspect. We are much more likely to complete something when we know that someone will keep us accountable. When you know that someone else can see whether or not you’ve spent time with God that day, it motivates you a lot more!
3. It enables accelerated discipleship to take place. When a LifeCoach views their responses, they can see how they are grasping the truths of Scripture as well as where they might still be confused or need clarification. Then when they get together for their weekly meeting at a coffee shop, restaurant, etc., they know exactly how to guide the conversation. It also enables a LifeCoach to see what questions their disciple has and it gives them some time to do any necessary research to help them find the answers.
2. A mobile app is one of the most effective tools for reaching out to and interacting with people on a global scale. By creating this app, it enables us to make discipleship “go viral” by providing a simple, biblical and transferable process for people to use.
1. Because I can’t think of an easier way for Christians to coach others to reach their maximum potential and to create a disciple-making movement in churches all across America!