The Bible App YouVersion has had over 800 million downloads worldwide.
Bobby Gruenewald is the founder of YouVersion. Before it became one of the most downloaded apps around the world, it had very humble beginnings.
"I wish I could tell you that it just took off and it was this great success," says Gruenewald in an interview. "The reality of it was, after a lot of work and after a lot of doors being opened and a lot of people collectively working on it, the website was a failure."
YouVersion started as a website that tried to solve the language barrier and use technology to read the Bible.
"And so Steve Jobs, in early 2008 announced it was going to be possible to develop apps for the iPhone and create some brand new thing called an app store."
At the time Gruenewald didn't even know what an app was. But he had a vision so Gruenewald hired an intelligent 19-year-old who helped create the app that many know and love today.
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Every second the app is opened 270 times. It also gives people access to the Bible in over 70 different languages.
"The narrative that people no longer read the Bible is simply not true. We have evidence and empirical data, real data, not just a survey that someone had somewhere, that indicates that there is momentum globally around scripture engagement," he says. "So we should be encouraged to know that God's word is very alive and well, and if anything, more relevant to today's culture than maybe ever before in human history."
The app not only allows people to read the Bible on their phone, it also offers Bible reading plans. There are currently three versions available, including the main version, a kids version, and then a lite version that gives people better access where the internet is hard to connect with.
Gruenewald and his team are currently working on a tween version and testing it in India.
While using AI carefully to make the app better, the team is also hoping by 2033 to have the Bible translated into every language.
"It's imperative, we think, to be able to have God's Word in every single heart language, so that every single person has the benefit that we have of even able to hear God's voice, hear Jesus's words in their own language."