Pray.com

Pray.com is a Christian social networking service and mobile application designed to facilitate religious communities. Launched in 2016, it was founded by Steve Gatena, Michael Lynn, Ryan Beck and Matthew Potter.^[1] The platform offers features for social networking, daily prayers, sermons, biblical content, and podcasts.^[2]

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased Pray.com's user base, with downloads surging by 955%.^[3][4][5][6] During this period, the platform collaborated with churches to support virtual ministry services as in-person gatherings were restricted.^[6] The Federal Election Commission issued an opinion in 2021 that allows the platform to feature members of the United States Congress.^[7]

Pray.com serves as a specialized social media platform for religious groups.^[8] Congregations can establish their own groups where members and leaders can participate in discussions, livestream services, and manage donations.^[4] Additionally, users can join “prayer communities” to post and respond to prayer requests.^[5] For those who subscribe to premium services, the platform provides access to biblically-inspired meditations and bedtime stories, and Bible stories for children.^[9][10][11] Pray.com also produces Radio drama-style productions with notable actors such as Kristen Bell and Blair Underwood narrating biblical stories.^[5]

History

Funding and development

Pray.com has secured significant funding to support its development and growth. In 2017, the platform raised $2 million in seed funding from Science Inc., Greylock Partners, and Spark Capital.^[12] This was followed by a Series A funding round in March 2018, in which the company secured an additional $14 million from TPG Growth, Science Inc., and Greylock Partners.^[13] Founder Steve Gatena has highlighted difficulties in securing funding, noting some venture capitalists' negative attitudes towards faith-based technology.^[6]

Clinical studies

There have been clinical studies on Pray.com. In one study, the app was found to be acceptable and easy to use among racial and ethnic minority groups, with participants reporting improved mental health and well-being.^[14] Greater app use was associated with better outcomes, though low and variable usage suggests the need for further research to fully understand its impact.^[14]

Another study examined Pray.com's impact on mental health by assigning 192 participants to use the app freely, use its meditative prayer function, or not use it at all.^[15] Over two months, participants reported overall improvements in mental health and well-being. Although no significant differences were found between groups, greater app usage correlated with better mental health outcomes. This suggests that religiously based mobile apps may help improve mental health and well-being.^[15] Another study of pray.com had similar findings.^[16]

National Day of Prayer

Pray first hosted a National Day of Prayer event in 2020 when it streamed to nearly one million viewers on Facebook.^[4][17] In 2021, Pray hosted a virtual event for the National Day of Prayer in the United States.^[18] The event featured remarks from public figures including United States President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence.^[18] President Biden spoke of his faith and prayed for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden remarked: “It means the world to me to know that there are people across the country who include Jill and me in their prayers. And I hope you know that you and your families are in our prayers as well. Today I am praying for the end of this great COVID crisis.”^{[18] [19]} The event featured musical performances from Gary Valenciano, Brooke Ligertwood from the Christian band Hillsong Worship, Lecrae, Heather Headley and Michael Neale.^[17][19][20] Other notable speakers included Ronnie Floyd, Ed Young (pastor), Mark Driscoll, and Samuel Rodriguez.^[17] Pray.com partnered with Sirius XM, DirecTV and Facebook to stream the event across multiple platforms.^[21] Pray.com was featured as a pop-up channel on Sirius XM, channel 154, to host the prayer event and celebrate people of all faith.^[22]

Partnerships and sponsorships

In 2024, Pray.com partnered with Sting Ray Robb as the primary sponsor for his No. 41 Chevrolet in the 2024 NTT INDYCAR Series. The partnership, highlighting Robb's Christian faith, aims to engage younger audiences with faith-based content. The car, featuring Pray.com's branding, was set to debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.^[23][24]

Censorship in China

The app was removed from Apple's App Store in China as part of the country's broader efforts to restrict access to religious content.^[25] The app was targeted due to China's stringent regulations on religious material, particularly content distributed through digital platforms.^[25] The removal aligns with China's ongoing campaign to control online religious expression and maintain state-approved religious activities.^[25][26]