What began as a prayer meeting between a Church group over the phone on one stormy day has turned into a vision for an international prayer ministry using the latest in technology to connect the prayers of the faithful.
Two years since that telephone encounter the Pray Live prayer ministry has expanded to a system that is now capable of handling hundreds of simultaneous calls. The participants have increased from committed praying volunteers to roles including prayer leaders and pastors.
"There was someone who started calling the line every single day and now they’re one of the leaders," said Wenda Royster, founder and president of Pray Live, a non-denominational prayer line. "It has grown, almost like an e-church. We’re even doing bible study and people are being connected through the line."
According to one of the prayer leader's, Emily Stills, The initial meetings were with parishioners at Edgewood United Methodist Church in a small village called Lutherville in America, just north of Baltimore. The meetings in those days usually lasted no more than an hour.
However, today she says she gives six or seven hours of her time in the early morning to the 24 hour a day, 7 day a week ministry. "I wake up thinking about the prayer line and how I will support someone," she said. "I’ve told many and helped to recruit prayer leaders."
I wake up thinking about the prayer line and how I will support someone
Emily Stills (Prayer Leader)
Pastors have also gotten into the act, participating to create an online meeting place where they deliver sermons, give bible studies and organize prayer rallies for various causes, with participants that call in on a nationwide toll-free number.
Pastor James Dixon of Providence Christian Church in Indianapolis, gives weekly bible studies about prayer and life applications on Thursday evenings. "You’re on a telephone and it’s impossible to see faces," he said. "I concentrate on the being more conversational and open ended to allow people to communicate since you can’t use expressions or body language."
He feels the ministry is helping to make the world smaller as it unites people who can start at any level.
More recently, a 24 hour prayer gathering for peace and nonviolence was convened on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. It brought together clergy from various churches across America.
In December, a 24-hour prayer marathon for World AIDS Day brought together members from over 50 churches across the country."There was a unity there just to hear a lot of heartfelt prayers of those infected and affected, praying even for children who had no choice in it, and coming together on one accord to give prayers specifically to God," said Rev. Smith.
