Ode • Masters Capstone

Turning spiritual growth into daily ritual

15%

10.1M of Gen Z are
unengaged believers

These numbers tell a story of a growing, disconnected generation. Yet, they’re still searching—for connection, purpose, and belonging.

Traditional churches are no longer meeting Gen Z’s faith needs. What if spiritual formation helped nurture healthy adult development, leading to a more grounded society?

Many Gen Zs feel disconnected from faith because outdated approaches don’t meet them where they are, making them more likely to look to digital tools.

25%

only 1 in 4 of Gen Z say the
church supports faith development

33%

Only 1 in 3 of Gen Z say they
have opportunities to grow in faith

60%

Due to shorter attention spans, Gen Zs
prefer short-form content for learning

Introducing Ode, an Interdenominational Christian-based app built for younger generations like Gen Z to bridge this gap. Whether they’re seeking to strengthen their faith or explore Christianity for the first time.

Built on three guiding principles—universal, personal, and relational—Ode helps users engage, practice, and apply faith in a digital age.

The market is ready, Gen Z is waiting, and the space is growing

But few, such as Ascend, Hallow, theWell, Grow, and BibleChat, are serving Gen Z specifically.

Paired with access to multiple languages and Bible versions. Ode’s strength is combining community, learning, and reflection, all in one place.

Meet Alex, the open seeker, a reflection of the 16% of Gen Zs searching for spiritual connection

He’s curious about faith but unsure where to begin.

Whenever Alex hears the word ‘Bible,’ he feels envy towards those who have something to believe in, while he feels like…he’s just living. Alex longs for a safe, private space to explore faith where he feels seen, heard, and accepted, without fear of judgment.

Alex, and other open seekers like him, scrolls through social media late at night, comparing his life to others. He feels curious about faith but is intimidated by church settings. He doesn’t know where to start and worries he won’t fit in. Alex encounters a reflection from Ode and starts browsing the social feed, privately exploring. Then, he begins absorbing short-form lessons in his preferred language and supported Bible translation on Ode. Alex joins a small reflection group in Ode to share experiences with peers. He feels heard—not judged. This leads Alex to connect with a youth fellowship, finding spiritual belonging and community. 

Meet Sara, the unengaged believer, a reflection of the 15% of Gen Z who are ready to go deeper in faith

She seeks growth that feels relevant, not routine.

Sara thinks about being stuck in Church school for most of her life, and it bores her. Sara seeks structured, engaging learning to build consistent habits that lead to real progress and growth.

Sara, like other unengaged believers, has let life get in the way, leaving her spiritual growth feeling stagnant and routine. She desires depth and consistency but struggles with motivation. Traditional study plans feel long and disconnected. Sara discovers Ode’s social feed and begins to engage with posts, reconnecting Biblical teachings to everyday challenges. She starts a personalized lesson plan, and her Ode dashboard tracks streaks, making her spiritual growth visible. Sara joins a small reflection group on Ode with friends to discuss and connect Bible lessons to real-life experiences. Ode makes spiritual growth feel personal and relevant, drawing her back to church.

Through Ode’s social feed, they encounter faith-centered posts and engagement with peers. Interacting with short-form lessons helps build consistent, personalized daily spiritual habits. Participating in small group reflections enables them to connect, share insights, and grow in community. These three experiences move both Alex, the Open Seeker, and Sara, the Unengaged Believer, from curiosity to connection. 

Real user data confirms Gen Z’s interest in Ode’s core experiences

Experiments were run with target Gen Z users, revealing

42%

showed a preference for
a faith-centered social feed

60%

validated a desire for
short-form learning

48%

expressed interest in
small group reflections

Based on a freemium business model,
Ode targets a total addressable market of 21M Gen Zs

We help open seekers and unengaged believers who struggle to connect with traditional faith practices by making spiritual growth universal, personal, and relational—through daily lessons, reflections, and community interaction.

10.9M open seekers and 10.1M unengaged believers:

• Can access the social feed, small group participation, limited short-form lessons, and basic progress tracking.

• Premium benefits include expanded small groups, unlimited lessons, personalization, and advanced progress tracking.

Regional Churches & Ministries and Christian Universities:

• Premium church, ministry, and university tiers include white-label options, application management, group analytics, and custom content.

Scaling up to the future​

We build the NOW, we plan the NEW, and we imagine the NEXT

Gen Z may struggle to thrive as citizens, partners, and future leaders

Research shows Gen Z is deeply connected online—but emotionally and without a strong faith, many feel underprepared for adulthood.

98%

of Gen Z lives online, yet,
still struggle with inner stability

80%

of Gen Z report
high levels of loneliness and isolation

30%

of Gen Z say they
feel anxious and stressed out all day

What if a living faith is what Gen Z needs to support their development through daily spiritual grounding?