Articles

Prayers, devotionals, and plain answers to the questions people actually bring to faith.

Faith & Wisdom

New York Times Article: Finding God in the App Store

Lauren Jackson explores the booming "faith tech" industry where tens of millions are using AI chatbots for spiritual guidance. The article examines apps like Bible Chat (30M+ downloads), Hallow, and PRAY.COM (25M downloads) that offer 24/7 digital chaplaincy services, raising questions about technology's role in religious practice.

6 min

Interviews

HeyGen Case Study: PRAY.COM's AI Translation Revolution - Breaking Global Language Barriers in Ministry

This case study features Ryan Beck, co-founder and CTO of PRAY.COM, discussing how AI translation technology is transforming global ministry outreach. Beck explains how PRAY.COM partners with HeyGen to enable ministry leaders to communicate directly with international communities in their native languages, creating unprecedented connections between organizational founders and the people they serve worldwide. The conversation highlights the transition from audio-only to video translation capabilities and the profound impact on global humanitarian efforts.

5 min

Interviews

Media Interview: PRAY.COM's Ryan Beck on Faith, Technology, and America's Spiritual Future

In this media interview, Ryan Beck, Chief Technology Officer at PRAY.COM, discusses the intersection of faith and technology in modern America. The conversation explores how AI and digital platforms are being used to address declining religious attendance, the ethical considerations of using artificial intelligence in ministry, and PRAY.COM's role in supporting the White House's Pray America 2025 initiative for the nation's 250th anniversary. Beck addresses the shift toward digital faith communities, particularly accelerated by the pandemic, and how technology can bridge the gap between traditional religious practices and contemporary spiritual needs. ‍

5 min

Interviews

Building a Successful Faith-Based App: PRAY.COM's Business Strategies with Ryan Beck

In this insightful episode of the SubClub podcast, hosts David Barnard and Jacob Heiding interview Ryan Beck, co-founder and CTO of PRAY.COM. Ryan shares the business journey behind building the world's leading prayer and faith-based audio content app. The conversation explores PRAY.COM's evolution from a social network for faith organizations to a consumer subscription platform, highlighting effective monetization strategies, customer acquisition tactics, and product development approaches. Ryan provides valuable insights into reaching older demographics through various marketing channels, the importance of diversifying revenue streams beyond just subscriptions, and why the team maintains "revenue" as their ultimate north star metric. Throughout the interview, Ryan emphasizes the data-driven yet mission-focused approach that has enabled PRAY.COM to successfully navigate the unique challenges of building a technology platform in the faith space.

3 min

Interviews

Faith and Technology: How Ryan Beck's Journey Led to PRAY.COM's Mental Wellness Mission

In this enlightening episode of Christian Natural Health with Dr. Lauren Deville, Ryan Beck, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of PRAY.COM, shares his powerful journey from troubled youth to faith-driven tech innovator. Ryan's remarkable transformation began in jail, where older inmates challenged him to reconsider his life path. After a profound spiritual awakening, he found his way to church, Bible college, and eventually to co-founding PRAY.COM—now the world's #1 app for daily prayer and faith-based audio content. Throughout the conversation, Ryan explains how PRAY.COM serves as a digital destination for faith, helping users cultivate a meaningful relationship with God through audio content, biblical narratives, and daily devotionals. He highlights how spiritual practices, particularly prayer, have been clinically shown to reduce anxiety and depression by up to 90%, making PRAY.COM not just a faith tool but a resource for mental wellness in our increasingly anxious world.

3 min

Interviews

Faith Meets Technology: How Ryan Beck is Using His Skills to Grow PRAY.COM

In this insightful episode of the Christianity in Business podcast, host Darren Shearer interviews Ryan Beck, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of PRAY.COM. Ryan shares the powerful origin story behind PRAY.COM, which began when CEO Steve Gatena experienced a personal tragedy and discovered faith through a podcast sermon. This pivotal moment inspired the creation of what is now the world's number one app for daily prayer and faith-based audio content. Throughout the conversation, Ryan discusses how his background in both theological studies and computer science uniquely prepared him for his role, how the company balances profit with purpose, and the profound impact PRAY.COM is having on users worldwide—including literally saving lives. As the digital transformation of faith communities accelerates, PRAY.COM continues to innovate by creating online spaces for worship, community, and spiritual growth.

3 min

Interviews

Friends with Fertility: Interview with Matthew Potter of PRAY.COM

In this heartfelt episode of Friends with Fertility, host Elizabeth King interviews Matthew Potter, co-founder of PRAY.COM. They discuss the powerful intersection of faith, prayer, and fertility journeys, sharing personal stories of loss, hope, and resilience. Matthew reveals his extraordinary origin story as an adopted child whose birth mother chose life at a pivotal moment, and shares how his company is using both science and spirituality to help people facing life challenges, including fertility struggles. The conversation explores how prayer can provide comfort during difficult fertility journeys and how maintaining a spiritual practice can support mental health during these challenging times.

4 min

Interviews

From Prison to Providence: Ryan Beck's Journey to Co-Founding PRAY.COM

In this powerful episode of the Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur podcast, host Shae Bynes interviews Ryan Beck, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of PRAY.COM. Ryan shares his remarkable journey from teenage drug dealer to faith-driven tech entrepreneur, revealing how a profound encounter with God during his time in jail completely transformed his life. After being released, Ryan pursued theological studies before discovering his passion for computer science, which eventually led him to co-found PRAY.COM in 2016. Throughout the conversation, Ryan discusses how he approaches leadership as a servant, empowering his team members rather than wielding power over them. He also explores how he balances ambition with relationship, seeking excellence in all areas of life while cultivating a Kingdom culture within a Silicon Valley tech startup. The interview highlights how God's providence guides our steps, revealing how a seemingly chance encounter between old high school acquaintances led to the creation of what is now the world's number one app for daily prayer and faith-based audio content.

3 min

Interviews

From Unplanned Pregnancy to Digital Ministry: The Providential Story Behind PRAY.COM

In this heartfelt interview with award-winning Christian artist Matthew West on The Matthew West Podcast, PRAY.COM co-founder Matt Potter shares the remarkable story behind one of the world's leading prayer and faith-based content platforms. Potter's journey begins with his own miraculous entry into the world when a pregnant 15-year-old girl, on her way to an abortion clinic, stopped at a church instead—a decision that would save his life. From his adoption by a Christian couple to meeting Steve Jobs at Pixar as a teen, Potter's path ultimately led him to build a successful tech company before feeling spiritually empty despite worldly success. Through a divinely orchestrated encounter with future co-founder Steve Gatena, who had experienced his own spiritual awakening following a tragic loss, PRAY.COM was born. Now, eight years later, the platform has accumulated an astounding 2.5 billion listening minutes and reached millions with the gospel message. Throughout the conversation, Potter reveals the profound difference between worldly success and spiritual fulfillment, offering powerful examples of lives transformed through prayer and highlighting the platform's innovative features, including clinically proven meditative prayer content that positively impacts mental and physical health.

3 min

Interviews

Leading Organizations That Matter: Is Faith in Fashion? Interview with PRAY.COM's Matthew Potter

In this episode of "Leading Organizations That Matter," host Ray Spadoni explores the intersection of faith, business, and technology with Matthew Potter, co-founder of Pray.com. The conversation examines whether faith is becoming culturally acceptable again, how mental health concerns are driving people toward spiritual resources, and how businesses are increasingly embracing employees' whole selves, including their faith lives. Matthew shares his remarkable personal story, the growth of Pray.com as a platform, and how they're measuring the impact of prayer on mental health through scientific research.

3 min

Interviews

PRAY.COM Founder Steve Gatena Honored with LA Times Executive Leadership Award

In a landmark moment for faith-based technology and leadership, PRAY.COM Founder and CEO Steve Gatena has been awarded the prestigious LA Times Executive Leadership Award in the Small Business Founder category. This rare and meaningful recognition highlights Gatena’s significant contributions to the Southern California business community and underscores the growing influence of Christian tech leaders in the digital age.

3 min

Interviews

RLN News: Interview with Matthew Potter of PRAY.COM

In this brief but insightful interview on the Real Life Network, host RLN News speaks with Matthew Potter, co-founder of PRAY.COM. They discuss the platform's impressive growth, its mission to enhance users' prayer lives through digital means, and how it's adapting to global trends in faith content consumption. Matthew shares exciting updates about the app's international expansion plans through a partnership with Palantir, and offers viewers free access to premium content through a special link.

3 min

Interviews

The Gift of a Father: How Adoption and Fatherly Wisdom Shaped PRAY.COM Co-founder Matt Potter

In this moving interview from The Father Podcast, PRAY.COM co-founder Matt Potter shares his remarkable journey from being an adopted child to becoming a successful tech entrepreneur. Matt's story begins with a providential intervention when a 15-year-old girl considering abortion instead walked into a church and chose adoption. This decision connected Matt with the parents who would raise him with unconditional love and Christian values. Throughout the conversation, Matt reveals how his adoptive father became his hero by leading by example, allowing him to fail, and creating a safe space for open communication. These foundational principles not only shaped Matt's character but also influenced his path to co-founding PRAY.COM, now one of the world's leading prayer and faith-based content platforms. The interview offers powerful insights for fathers seeking to make a lasting impact on their children's lives while highlighting how prayer and faith can transform personal challenges into purposeful living.

3 min

Interviews

The Pursuit of Manliness Podcast: Ryan Beck of PRAY.COM on Faith in the Digital Age

In this episode of The Pursuit of Manliness podcast, host Jared Samuels interviews Ryan Beck, CTO and co-founder of PRAY.COM. Ryan shares how this digital platform—the #1 prayer app with 14 million subscribers—is transforming how people engage with their faith in the modern world. The conversation explores how PRAY.COM serves as a "digital front door" for the church, providing high-quality Christian content through technology while emphasizing that it's meant to complement, not replace, the local church experience.

3 min

Interviews

The Truth Changes Everything Podcast: Matthew Potter of PRAY.COM on Faith and Technology

In this episode of The Truth Changes Everything podcast, host Dr. Jeff Myers interviews Matthew Potter, co-founder of PRAY.COM. Matthew shares the remarkable origin story of PRAY.COM, discusses how technology can be used for God's kingdom, and explains how their app is helping millions of users develop healthy prayer habits while improving mental health. The conversation explores the intersection of faith and technology, how Christians have historically adapted new technologies to spread the Gospel, and the future of tech innovations in ministry.

3 min

Prayers

8 Reasons Why Prayer Is Important In Your Everyday Life

Prayer is not a duty, but an invitation from our Father. Prayer is an invitation into fellowship with God through Jesus Christ, expressed in adoration, thanksgiving and intercession, through which we draw near to God and learn more of his will for our lives. He invites us into purpose and power through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we understand the reasons why we should pray, we will realize all over again what God is inviting us into something precious and powerful – an ever-deepening relationship with him.

8 min

Prayers

10 Prayers for Comfort: Finding Solace in Times of Need

In times of distress and uncertainty, turning to prayer is a source of solace and strength. Whether you're facing personal challenges or loss or simply navigating the complexities of life, finding comfort through prayer is proven to help. Here, we explore ten heartfelt prayers that offer hope.

5 min

Prayers

Should Christians Be Involved in Politics? A Biblical Perspective

The intersection of faith and politics has long been a topic of debate among Christians. As society evolves and political climates shift, the question remains: should Christians engage in politics? This article explores the biblical perspective on this issue, examining scriptural teachings, historical context, and practical implications for believers today.

8 min

Prayers

10 Prayers for Peace in the United States & Beyond

In a world often filled with turmoil, the quest for peace remains a universal aspiration. Whether it’s in our communities, our nations, or across the globe, the desire for harmony and understanding is a thread that binds humanity together. This article explores ten heartfelt prayers that seek peace, not just for the United States, but for all corners of the Earth.

8 min

Prayers

Hearing God’s Voice: How to Pray and Listen

In a world filled with noise and distractions, many seek to connect with God. The quest to hear God’s voice is a profound journey that can transform lives. Prayer is often seen as a one-way conversation, but it can be so much more. It is about engaging in a dialogue, listening as much as speaking. This article explores how to pray effectively and cultivate the ability to listen for God’s guidance.

11 min