A Place for Praying

As the summer was bringing the dog days of August to an end, I went somewhere I had never been.  Of course, there are a lot of places I have not yet seen, but this was one not of one of the seven wonders of the world, but a genuine megachurch.  By mega, I mean huge, really huge, high tech, polished, and choreographed.  What I also experienced was one of the most powerful moments of intercessory prayer I have ever witnessed.   

What is true is that the morning prayer during Sunday morning worship can be one of the most predictable and uninspiring moments of worship.  The mega church moment for prayer was totally different.  Instead of one person praying, the pastor invited the prayer team members to come forward or to stand at assigned places in the worship center.  For ten or fifteen minutes people poured out their pews to receive personal prayers from a team member.  As I watched people leaving with tears pouring down their faces, I found my own tears flowing as well.  It was truly one of the most powerful moments of intercessory praying that I have ever experienced in a worship service.  

What happened in this huge gathering was that someone figured out a way to actually pray for people.  What happened was that someone declared praying was important enough to dedicate ample time for it.  What happened was a powerful altar ministry though there was no altar.  What happened was that the church made a decision to make prayer for its people a priority.  People need people praying for them.  Surely, the church is the first place this should be happening.