A new app aiming to catapult the Church of England in Lancashire into the digital realm has had 1,000 downloads in just a week.

The discipleship app, called Fruitful, launched last week, and has already been downloaded by 1,000 people who are keen to find out more about Christianity, or want to discover how they can worship online.

Once downloaded, Fruitful is available 24/7 for people to read the Bible, be inspired in prayer and be encouraged to respond in worship in a variety of ways.

Rev. Damian Platt, Vicar of Christ Church, Thornton, and part of the Diocesan Making Disciples Team, which has been instrumental in developing the app, is scheduled to appear on BBC Radio Lancashire on Sunday morning, giving further insight into Fruitful.

Lancashire Telegraph: Bishop Philip, Rev. Damian and Rev. Anne during a break in filming for the new YouTube video and Tik Tok videos for the Blackburn Diocese Bishop Philip, Rev. Damian and Rev. Anne during a break in filming for the new YouTube video and Tik Tok videos for the Blackburn Diocese (Image: Ronnie Semley for Blackburn Diocese)

Rev. Damian said: “Reaching 1,000 downloads in the first week says a lot about the curiosity of Christians across Lancashire to know what this new thing is.

“I'm also excited at the prospect that some of the 1,000 people are searching for meaning and hope in life and are using Fruitful as a way to discover this.”

The new app, which is useful for anyone, anywhere, not just in the Diocese of Blackburn, has been hailed as a great innovation by Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Philip North, who said: “This new app is fantastic, I'm really excited by it. It's filled with really good content and even I can use it.”

While it is designed for all ages, Fruitful is aiming to appeal to a younger demographic and those who prefer to access information digitally rather than on paper. Using less paper will also help the Diocese meet its carbon net zero targets.

The app features information on events and retreats, as well as links to wider content, including recommended podcasts.

Fruitful is available to download using its full name, Fruitful: The Diocese of Blackburn, from the App Store for iPhone users and Google Play for Android users.