The prayer commitments made by faithful church members in both these locations deeply impressed us.
United in Prayer
El Salvadoran church members, for several weeks leading up to our mission team's arrival, met in homes nightly to pray for the details and the spiritual success of the series. (Walter Mancia, our pastor in Oregon at the time, was the main speaker.)
In Palau, for at least six weeks preceding our arrival, leaders in the main church on the island of Koror organized a 24-hour prayer vigil. Dedicated members got up at all hours of the day and night-for more than a month-to make good on their 60-minute prayer commitments. They claimed promises such as "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:13, 14, NKJV).
The obvious results of these focused prayers were exciting. Not only did unchurched people ask to join the church during the meetings in both countries, but a number of former members also returned to their church family. Just as exciting, the ripple effect of subsequent baptisms and ongoing church growth continues.
In El Salvador local lay members in new companies around Santa Ana are working so zealously that local leaders no longer need a paid Bible worker; members are giving Bible studies. One church member, a nurse, spends evenings after work studying the Bible with 15 unchurched neighbors. In another suburb, a group of 15 dedicated young adults study nightly with about 20 interested nonmembers-in the home of an atheist! Church members in this economically depressed economy are scrambling to come up with funds and supplies to build new churches to accommodate the quickly increasing membership.
In Palau Pastor Verne Hyland (pastor on Koror until his recent retirement) baptized a number of people as a result of the revival meetings there. In addition, the graduating class at the local academy asked that a new type of service be added to their weekend graduation ceremonies: a student baptism in the church.
Though the exciting manifestations of positive response to public evangelism differ in these two countries, one factor is common to both. Committed lay members set aside consistent blocks of time (often at great personal inconvenience) to pray, in faith, for an outpouring of God's Spirit on these evangelistic outreaches.
Following a Faithful Example
As our own little church recently anticipated an upcoming prophecy seminar in our community (conducted by Willard Regester), the faithful example of brother and sister prayer warriors in far-flung places was still fresh in our memories.
A number of our members signed up for 30-minute prayer commitments. Even as they did, several expressed the concern: "What on earth can I pray about for a whole half hour?"
In order to stay focused, one member recalled that Christ often prayed scriptural concepts to His Father. This gave power to His prayers. So every time she thought about an aspect of the upcoming seminar, she made a note of it. Then she searched for scriptural validation and annotated that as well. Over the period of a week a lengthy and purposeful prayer list evolved.
A number of other church members added items to her list from their own prayer times. To make a long (but happy) story short, God blessed this prophecy seminar, which resulted in new members joining the church and a number of others actively engaged in ongoing Bible studies. Yet that's only part of this exciting story.
Surprise Benefits for Longtime Members
Some of the greatest blessings resulting from this prayer initiative have fallen on the those who have prayed. For starters, several longtime members rejoice in a deeper understanding of Bible truths than ever before.
Other members expressed surprise that though they were squeezing three 90-minute evening seminar sessions into their already overloaded weeks, God somehow made their impossibly crammed daily schedules "work" anyway.
One prayer warrior experienced victory over a longtime addiction to caffeine. Another praying member suddenly had a distaste for unhealthful foods and an actual craving for food that is healthful. Yet another longtime member shared that she was gaining a greater understanding of God's holiness and what it means for her everyday decisions. One newly widowed long-time member suddenly found it somewhat easier to deal with the recent unexpected loss of her husband.
One church member stated to a friend, "Even though I had to get up earlier to make good on my prayer commitment, I now know firsthand the difference that a substantial nonhurried prayer commitment can make in my day."
Her friend agreed: "I'm actually experiencing God's power in areas of my life where I hadn't noticed it before. The only thing I'm doing differently is praying more." She confided: "Often when I'm driving, I just leave the radio off and pray instead. It's getting to be a habit."
God Keeps His Promises
God wants us to spend time talking to Him about what's on our hearts. Years ago Ellen White penned these astounding words: "It is a part of God's plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask" (The Great Controversy, p. 525).
God has always honored the promises His children claim-whether those focused prayers are on behalf of an evangelistic outreach or on behalf of their own souls.
If you sense the need for a clearer focus and more power in your life, why not pray for an evangelistic outreach in your area? Be forewarned, however, that faithful, scripture-supported, personal prayer for an evangelistic outreach might just land you in the middle of some holy excitement for soul winning, some new brothers and sisters in the faith, and some unexpected blessings that will continue throughout eternity.
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Carolyn Sutton, a freelance writer and retreat speaker, lives in Grant's Pass, Oregon.
LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO MY husband and I had the opportunity to go on two short-term mission trips. One was to help out with an evangelistic series in Santa Ana, El Salvador. The other was to help present a revival series and two Weeks of Prayer in the Republic of Palau.
