House of Prayer

My first meaningful encounter with “House of Prayer” came while reading Jim Cymbala’s book Fresh Wind; Fresh Fire a few years ago. At that time the reality of prayer was definitely on the backburner of life and ministry as I tried desperately to make it all work successfully. I was challenged that nowhere in the Bible does it say, “My house shall be called a house of preaching.” Nor does it say, “My house shall be called a house of music.” What it does say is “my house will be called a house of prayer for the nations.” Those words along with some fine examples of praying men were the beginning steps on a road to a more prayerful life .

When we arrived in Mexico Danilo and Ingrid shared with our group the story of the ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­DMG (German Missionary Fellowship). It seems the mission was in need of a new facility but without the necessary resources to do much about it. One day while the staff was in prayer, an elderly lady arrived to speak to the director. She had to wait, but when finally introduced she informed the director she wanted to donate her house to the mission! Her house did not become their new facilities, but the sale of it led to the purchase of the place that did. Eventually Mark 11:17 was adopted as their theme verse and was prominently displayed in what had once been a home for boys as well as a tavern. Later a historian came, snooped around a bit, and inquired why they selected this particular verse. It was then the mission learned the rest of the story. This exact property had been the property of Mennonites. They too had selected this exact same theme verse – three hundred years ago. Their prayer was that God would use this place that the Gospel would be preached in the whole world.

Inspired by this story and blessed by a special gift from some friends we now have a beautiful wood work hanging in our home too. It seems very appropriate for it reminds us to have a home that’s a house of prayer for the nations – inspired by a family from Germany, provided by a couple from Canada, hanging in Mexico in the home of a family from the United States.

Let’s top this entry off with a report from Pray! Magazine: A Baptist church decides to “use prayer” to change a low-income apartment complex of 200 units. They rent an apartment and move one of their couples into it for the specific purpose of setting up a neighborhood house of prayer to serve the other 199 apartments.

The couple prays for a few weeks, and then with the help of teams form the church, contacts all the other units, asking residents if they have prayer requests. All seem to be excited about the idea of having a house of prayer in their complex. Sixty percent invite the teams into their homes, and some break down weeping at the thought that someone would pray for them.

Violence and vandalism are lowered to the point that the owners of the complex offer to give the apartment free of charge and offer other free apartments in similar complexes! Within two years very effective social ministries are spawned by this house of prayer.

(“Prayer Can Change a City, One Neighborhood at a Time,” John F. DeVries; Pray! Magazine)