Corporate worship added another spiritual dimension to the Day to Pray at Moore, First, Oct. 20.
MOORE—Repentance, reformation, revival. These were among the themes prayed about and spoken of at the inaugural Day to Pray event on Mon., Oct. 20, at Moore, First.
The all-day prayer event, which attracted more than 250 pastors and church staff members from across the state, was hosted by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) and led by BGCO Executive Director-Treasurer Anthony L. Jordan and BGCO President Nick Garland, senior pastor of Broken Arrow, First.
“I was so encouraged and blessed by the turnout, as well as the intensity of participation,” Garland said at the conclusion of the day. “It was a great day of worship, indeed!”
Quoting Nehemiah, Jordan began the meeting by saying “these are not days for business as usual.”
“When Nehemiah saw the dark times and learned of the broken down walls in Jerusalem, the Bible says he mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of Heaven,” said Jordan. “Today, we are here to fast and pray, because we serve a mighty God.”
A person’s individual “altar” was a part of the process of communing with the Lord.
The day included Scripture readings, times for worship through music and large portions of time to pray individually and in small groups. Participants were asked to fast throughout the event and no food was served.
One attendee, Benny Layton, associate pastor of Morris, Liberty, said, “I’m praising God and thanking Him for this event.” Layton has seen fruit from similar prayer events held at his local church. “Prayer time is where accountability happens. Prayer is where we come in contact with God and our lives with each other.”
Among those offering brief devotionals during the event was BGCO Prayer and Spiritual Awakening Specialist Gregory Frizzell.
“The secret to revival is not merely prayer, but desperate prayer and a crying out to God,” said Frizzell, who encouraged the pastors and staff to “go deep” in their prayers, repenting of sin, shallow praying, broken relationships, time wasted and a spirit of doubt, all in hopes of God bringing awakening in this land.
Prayer times focused on various topics, including adoring God, repenting of sin and interceding for leaders and others in need, as well as petitioning God to send revival and awakening to Oklahoma, starting in the churches.
Brief presentations on prayer were made by pastors from around the state, including Blake Gideon, pastor of Edmond, First. Gideon underscored the famous revival that took place in Wales, in which 100,000 came to Christ.
Not arm wrestling, but joining hands in prayer support through supplication and thanksgiving.
“To look at the moral conditions of the times leading up to that revival, we see many similarities,” he said. “What we are doing today through this event is asking God to use us. But our prayers cannot stop here.”
Other presenters included Oklahoma City, Quail Springs Pastor Hance Dilbeck, who spoke on the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and retired International Mission Board President and Oklahoma Pastor Tom Elliff, who spoke on what revival could mean for global missions and reaching the lost.
Garland led various times of prayer, offering prayer prompts. Garland also challenged pastors to bring prayer meetings to their local congregations.
“I don’t just mean Wednesday evening Bible study time that we call prayer meetings,” he said. “We need an outbreak of prayer meetings across the state, if we are truly going to see a move of God.”
For more information on the Day to Pray, or materials related to prayer, contact the BGCO executive office and BGCO prayer office at 405/942-3800.
