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Pray.com

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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

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Funding and development

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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]

References

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  1. ^ "Pray.com offers social network for prayer, community-building". Catholic Courier. Catholic News Service. April 24, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. ^ Wellness, Daily Cup of (2021-05-17). "How Prayer Helps Your Mental Health". Daily Cup of Wellness. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  3. ^ Heilweil, Rebecca (March 27, 2020). "This social network for churches is thriving in the coronavirus pandemic". Vox. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Cutchin, James (April 13, 2020). "Pray.com Answers Call for the Digital Faithful". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Davalos, Jacqueline (October 11, 2020). "Venture Funders Flock to Religious Apps as Churches Go Online". Bloomberg News. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Venture Funders Flock to Religious Apps as Churches Go Online". Bloomberg.com. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  7. ^ "FEC OKs Members of Congress Appearing in Online Commercial Content". JD Supra. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  8. ^ Heilweil, Rebecca (March 27, 2020). "This social network for churches is thriving in the coronavirus pandemic". Vox. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  9. ^ Abdollah, Tami (April 1, 2020). "Online Prayer Platforms Are Booming In the COVID-19 Era — and VCs are Getting Religion". dot.LA. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  10. ^ Heilweil, Rebecca (March 27, 2020). "This social network for churches is thriving in the coronavirus pandemic". Vox. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  11. ^ McFarlan Miller, Emily (April 15, 2020). "There's an app for that: Christian mindfulness, meditation apps find their moment". Religion News Service. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  12. ^ Shu, Catherine (June 29, 2017). "Pray.com, a community-building app for faith organizations, raises $2M in seed funding". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  13. ^ Shu, Catherine (March 14, 2018). "Interfaith social network Pray.com raises $14M Series A to add new features to its mobile app". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Laird, Breanne; Zuniga, Sabrina; Hook, Joshua N.; Tongeren, Daryl R. Van; Joeman, Lynda; Huberty, Jennifer (2024-02-02). "Mental Health and Well-Being in Racial or Ethnic Minority Individuals After Using a Faith and Prayer Mobile App (Pray.com): Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy Trial". JMIR Formative Research. 8 (1): e52560. doi:10.2196/52560. PMC 10873801. PMID 38306173.
  15. ^ a b Laird, Breanne; Hook, Joshua N.; Tongeren, Daryl R.Van; Zuniga, Sabrina; Hall, Todd; Huberty, Jennifer (2024). "The Impact of Using a Faith and Prayer Mobile Application, Pray.com, on Mental Health and Well-Being". Spirituality in Clinical Practice. doi:10.1037/scp0000366. ISSN 2326-4500.
  16. ^ Laird, Breanne; Van Tongeren, Daryl R.; Hook, Joshua N.; Do, Bridgette; Hall, Todd; Huberty, Jennifer (2024-06-01). "Exploring User Perceptions of a Mobile App for Religious Practices". Journal of Religion and Health. 63 (3): 2068–2090. doi:10.1007/s10943-024-02004-9. ISSN 1573-6571. PMC 11061027. PMID 38358455.
  17. ^ a b c "WATCH: Joe Biden and Mike Pence take part in virtual National Day of Prayer event". www.audacy.com. 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  18. ^ a b c Funke, Daniel. "Fact check: Biden administration didn't 'reject' National Day of Prayer". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  19. ^ a b TEAM, PUSH. "Gary Valenciano invited to perform at National Day of Prayer in the US". Push. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  20. ^ GMA (2021-05-03). "Lecrae, Heather Headley, Nona Jones Join Pray.com National Day of Prayer Online May 6". The Gospel Music Association. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  21. ^ "Nat'l Day of Prayer to focus on praying for nation's physical, mental and spiritual health: Pray.com co-founder". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  22. ^ "Pray.com Added As Limited-Run SiriusXM Channel 154". All Access. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  23. ^ "Pray.com To Serve as Primary Sponsor of Robb's 2024 Car". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  24. ^ "Pray.com a team effort working to 'impact the world in a big way' | The Alabama Baptist". thealabamabaptist.org. 2024-04-21. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  25. ^ a b c Kumar, Anugrah (2024-02-24). "Pray.com removed from Apple App Store in China, restricting access to content". www.christianpost.com. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  26. ^ "China bans Pray.com app - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
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