Syracuse University SURFACE S.I. Newhouse School of Public Media Studies - Theses Communications 12-2012 Pocket Full of Jesus: Evangelical Christians' Use of Religious iPhone Applications Wendi R. Bellar Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/ms_thesis Part of the Mass Communication Commons Recommended Citation Bellar, Wendi R., "Pocket Full of Jesus: Evangelical Christians' Use of Religious iPhone Applications" (2012). Media Studies - Theses. 9. https://surface.syr.edu/ms_thesis/9 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Media Studies - Theses by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Abstract Mobile phone applications are providing users many different choices in how they go about their everyday lives, including their spiritual lives. This research explores the factors Evangelical Christians consider when choosing an iPhone app, how they actually use the app, and how their app expectations compare with their app experience. Modified diary reports, using the iPhone Voice Memo app, and in-depth interviews were used in order to examine the research questions. The Uses and Gratifications theory, as well as the Religious Social Shaping of Technology theory, were used as lenses for the study. After navigating the process of finding an appropriate app, users were most concerned with using the app for spiritual impact, encouragement, and as a sort of spiritual toolbox that, for the most part, resulted in helping them navigate their own spirituality and religious practice.