Letter: Asbury students praying and singing around the clock

RE: Asbury students praying and singing around the clock

Congregations are talking about Asbury. Unfortunately, we still do church in the same fashion we have done for decades. On Sunday, believers come into church and sing three or four songs, read a Bible passage, musicians or choir play a special song, make announcements for the coming week, the pastor preaches his or her sermon, there is an altar call, and then everyone goes out to their favorite eating place. Many churches also take an offering. Now fast forward to a God revival.

Want a powerful church? The most powerful tool for believers is the “prayer closet.” Time and again when men and women pray earnestly, God answers.

Secondly, be a praising church. God “inhabits the praises of his people.”

False gods in the political arena can’t solve heart issues. God is not impressed with marketing plans. Praying people start God revivals. Souls are saved and people healed when his people pray. “Now-I-lay-me-down-to-sleep” prayers won’t get revival. Repentance, prayer and fasting is first.

Imagine if, instead of preaching every Sunday, we set aside one service every few weeks where after the songs, the Bible reading and the announcements, believers come to the altar to pray for unsaved friends and loved ones, pray for community, pray for the sick and afflicted, pray for troubled marriages, pray for God’s plans to come forth in our lives instead of telling him what we want.

This takes pastors and elders and prayer warriors to be on their knees during the week before Sunday service. Churches would begin to look like God’s house. God’s house should be more hospital where hurting people’s needs are met and souls saved than a country club where everyone is comfortable.

J. Owens
Kensington, Ohio