GodTools®: Where It All Began
Have you ever wondered how to share your faith? Have you ever considered how to help others share their faith? That is why GodTools® was created: to give people easy access to gospel information and resources that can be easily shared with others regardless of their location or preferred language.
The digital application, which was developed by Michael Harrison and Tom Flynn, launched in May 2010. What started as an app to digitize Cru®’s Knowing God Personally (KGP) evangelistic booklet later transformed into a digital tool used by millions of people across the globe to share their faith in over 90 countries and in nearly 150 languages.
However, the success of GodTools wasn’t immediate. Many obstacles had to be navigated in creating an accessible, easy-to-read program for millions of people.
The beginning
In the increasingly digitized world that the late 2000s and early 2010s brought, Harrison, an American student, and Flynn, an Australian student, both recognized a need for accessible gospel-sharing tools in their countries. They noticed that the current method of carrying a paper booklet could be challenging. Both worked tirelessly to create an inclusive gospel-sharing tool. Though they started their work independently, the Lord never meant for them to work alone.
In 2009, on a summer mission in Australia, Harrison and Flynn met and later began collaborating on the creation of what we now know as GodTools. They worked together to perfect the initial version that would be released in May of 2010. The greatest part? Neither had any idea how this would turn out. It was a mere experiment.
People would often carry paper booklets to share their faith. GodTools made Cru’s gospel-sharing resources accessible for everyone on their phones.
The layout: It was intentional
With their focus on accessibility, the design was extremely important. One of the most notable features of the app is its accessibility and inclusiveness. While graphic designers and app developers would love to make complex changes to its layout, Justin Sooter, GodTools External Product Director, acknowledged that it was meant to be simple to encourage easy access, participation, and understanding in all countries’ heart languages. He said, “... [W]e’re trying to make Cru’s expression of evangelism as accessible as possible.” The thought process was simple: “How do I boil that down and put [a staff person] in an app so that [he/she] is available for the millions of Christians who will never be on campus, who will never know a leader, [or] who will never be part of a student movement?” Essentially, the app developers’ main concern was making and maintaining a digitized toolbox for those without access to physical resources like ministry training tools and lessons that incorporate an easy-to-follow structure in multiple languages.
Impacts
From 2010 to 2020, the app’s use grew tremendously. 2020, which marked the tenth anniversary of the app’s release, also saw the app hit 1 million lifetime downloads. While the increase of downloads has been steady throughout the years, there was an influx of downloads from 2018 to 2020, during the time that Ann Cochrum served as Product Owner of GodTools (2015-2021) and increased the number of translations. In fact, around the same time as the U.S. Cru Staff Conference in 2011, Sooter estimates that there were only about 40,000 opens of the app throughout the year, which is significantly lower than the 2 million annual opens in 2025.
Languages and translations
GodTools seeks to help Christians everywhere have access to a trusted resource that is contextualized for sharing their faith in their unique environment. In that, they strive to provide linguistic access to the gospel, and they work hard in order to translate those languages, predominantly through volunteers or staff members willing to participate. Cochrum is responsible for the inclusion of many translations that are accessed through the app today. According to Sooter, “... Everything in the app is 100% available … going from an ad to onboarding to using the app, reading lessons, [and] sharing” in 29 languages, and gospel invitation tools are available in nearly 150 languages.
Challenges
As expected with a project as extensive as this, there are challenges. When asked, Sooter used the metaphor of a flashlight. The concept is that, during the day, you don’t need it. At night, it shines light so you can see what is in front of you. The app is meant to highlight resources for those who have never shared so that they are able to take the next step in sharing the gospel.
And Now …
The GodTools app was created by just two men with an idea and a mission. Through faith, hard work and perseverance, Michael Harrison and Tom Flynn created an evangelism tool that is now used in many places across the globe. Ann Cochrum and her team worked diligently to increase the app’s number of translations, and Justin Sooter and his team continue to scale the product today. Sooter shared, “Our main focus is for Christians to have access to a trusted, contextualized resource that helps them share their faith.”
What better time is there than now to get started on your own evangelism adventure? Click the link below to download GodTools on your device so you can share the gospel too!
