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“Impacting our Church: On the Wings of Prayer,” was the theme for
the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists first
Prayer Conference and what a mountain top experience. The Prayer
Conference was held at Camp Verley, Spring Gardens, on the weekend
of April 6-7, 2007, headed by the Prayer Coordinator of the
Conference Pastor Levi Johnson.
Over a hundred Prayer Coordinators form the churches along with the
ASI Prayer Team Ministry was in attendance. Special guest included
Pastor Leon B. Wellington, Vice-President of the Inter American
Division of Adventists; Pastor Eugene Daniel, Communication Director
of the Caribbean Union; Pastor Dr. Patrick Allen, President of the
West Indies Union of Adventists; Pastor Desmond Robinson, Prayer
Coordinator and ADRA Director of West Indies Union; Pastor Samuel
Lewis Prayer Coordinator for East Jamaica Conference; and all the
Officers and Directors form the Central Jamaica Conference Office.
The cadre of presenters were well chosen, as each of the
presentations gave those in attendance new ideas and food for
thought.
Pastor Patrick Allen, speaking on the Theological Foundation of
Prayer said, “Joshua and the children of Israel, after their defeat
at Ai, were made aware that prayer is only effective when the other
crucial aspects of preparation have been attended to. We must
approach the Lord in penitence and with sincerity. We must have a
burning desire for His will to be done in our lives and we also need
to acknowledge that we do not know how to pray and that we need to
be taught by God through any instrument He may choose.”
“‘Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so
that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity
and holiness flows back to God,’” was quoted by Pastor Everett Brown
form the Steps to Christ page 97. He went on to say that “This is
our ultimate goal. Large fires start with one small spark. I believe
that if you allow the spark to be ignited and engulf your life, it
will set the entire church on fire.”
Pastor Desmond Robinson stated in his address that they are six
things he hope to see coming form an event like this:
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An increase in the number of members committed to consistent
daily prayer and bible study
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More members in prayer partnership
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Greater focus on prayer in our worship services
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Improve planning for Wednesday evening meetings
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Members meeting and praying for their pastors
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A
demonstrated improvement in the way we pray publicly.
One
of the features that had a great impact on the participants was the
Prayer Trail. This early morning journey in saw participants
stopping at five strategically place tablets all over Camp Verley,
which gave them a prayer focus supported bible text. The stops were
Damascus (Acts 9), Gethsemane (Mt. 26), Red Sea (Ex. 14), Mount
Moriah (Gen 22) and Peniel (Gen. 32-33).
The feature that had the biggest impact was the ‘Alone with God’
segment in which participants spent fifteen minutes in quiet
meditation with God while tranquil music played softly in the
background. Participants dotted the landscape and could be seen
praying or mediating on goodness of God.
Pastor Levi Johnson in his message stated, “Let us embrace the
promises of God today. Let His presence envelop our entire being!
Let us pray for each other! Pray for yourselves! Pray for those who
govern! Pray for our employers! Pray for our friends! Pray for our
enemies! Pray for our brethren! Pray for our pastors! Pray for our
lay-workers! Pray for peace! Pray for love. Pray! Pray! Pray.”
So let us start impacting our homes and our church on the wings of
prayer.
-Kemar Douglas
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