A new initiative called Ignite is helping churches cultivate united prayer across the country. This spring, Ignite facilitated public prayer events at local churches in Ottawa, Regina, Calgary and Kelowna, drawing hundreds of people to each session. Plans are also in the works for a Nov. 17 event in Vancouver.
The events have two components: first, an afternoon seminar for pastors and ministry leaders that focuses on developing a culture of prayer in their local settings (which is followed by a dinner); and second, a public prayer event from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
About 300 people attended the evening worship and prayer event in each city.
All of these free events are co-hosted by The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada, National House of Prayer, Peace and Reconciliation Network, Vineyard Canada and local leaders.
Roger Helland, prayer ambassador with the EFC, says, “There’s been a growing consensus in many different streams/traditions/locations where a hunger for God’s Spirit is prevalent and prayer is emerging as a focal point in terms of vision across the country – especially coming out of Covid.”
Prayer leaders from an array of denominations, cultural backgrounds and age groups were represented at each public prayer session, where participants were guided through united worship and prayer based in Scripture – no sermons, no preaching.
The results were apparent. “It was moving. Waves of the Holy Spirit were coming through – it was a very tangible context that’s hard to describe. The Spirit of the Lord was moving through people. It was electric. People said they were refreshed, their hearts were captured,” says Helland.
Ignite hopes to add more cities to its schedule as local churches come on board to host future prayer events. The goal is to see revitalization in churches across Canada as they become houses of prayer, something Helland describes as a key strategy to revival.
“We want to see unity. We want to see churches, denominations and people across a spectrum be united under Jesus. Paul says in Ephesians 4:4-9, ‘There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.’ The unity of the Spirit is critically important.”
Photos: First three above are from the Calgary evening, and the fourth shows Roger Helland addressing the Calgary afternoon seminar (courtesy BGEA), and the ones below show the Ottawa dinner and evening event.
The Calgary evening (April 20) was videorecorded and can be viewed at cschurch.ca/ignite.
Read another report on the event at BillyGraham.ca.
Author:
Julie Fitz-Gerald