Seeking God in the App Store
As the news each day feels dark and challenging, people are reaching for light wherever they can find it. And God is trending in the App Store today more than ever before.
Faith-based chatbots now outrank entertainment giants like Netflix and Instagram, delivering prayer prompts, verses, and spiritual comfort at the tap of a screen. With tens of millions of downloads worldwide, these digital chaplains show just how hungry people are for spiritual guidance — even if it comes through pixels and code.
Take Delphine Collins, a preschool teacher in Detroit, for example. For years, her mornings began with a McDonald’s Big Breakfast. But that changed the day a woman in her neighborhood was killed while working at her local McDonald's. Shaken and searching for comfort, Delphine turned to her phone. She opened Bible Chat, typed in a request for healing, and received a Psalm reminding her of God’s power to restore. For Delphine, that brief digital exchange offered a measure of peace.
And stories like hers are multiplying. Religious Apps such as Bible Chat and Hallow have been downloaded by millions. At one point, Hallow even surpassed Netflix, Instagram, and TikTok as the most-downloaded App on Apple’s platform. Meanwhile, Pray.com has drawn more than 25 million users. For a monthly or yearly subscription, people carry in their pocket a “digital chaplain” — ready with Scripture or encouragement anytime, anywhere.
Why the surge? Some people report that they appreciate round-the-clock access. Others like the anonymity of asking private questions without fear of judgment. And still others simply want quick encouragement in a world that often feels overwhelming. But many religious leaders caution: While these apps can supplement faith, they cannot replace the living, breathing body of Christ.
That’s where our current sermon series, Inside Out, comes in. We are learning together how Jesus Christ Himself modeled emotional and spiritual intelligence — seeing people deeply, naming their real struggles, and offering love that transforms from the inside out. And, Friends, no chatbot can replicate that level of human connection. It takes relationship. It takes community. It takes the Body of Christ showing up for each other ... ideally in real time, face to face, side by side.
So while it's fine to use a faith App for encouragement, don’t stop there. An App can point you to Scripture, but only people can embody God’s love with a hug, a meal, or a whispered prayer at a hospital bedside.
As Hebrews 10:25 reminds us: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.”
Yes, God may speak through pixels and screens — but His greatest gifts still come through His people.