Church Reaches Community With Anonymous Prayer Requests
A Clanton, Ala., church is going outside their four walls to demonstrate the power of prayer to their community. Last week members of Heritage Church of the Nazarene erected prayer request drop-off boxes around the city. Area residents are able to submit prayer petitions anonymously to the church, reported the Clanton Advertiser.
“A lot of people pray but don’t go to church,” said Gene Sanders, the church member who initiated the idea. “This is one way we can reach out to the community. It’s there any time for them.”
Since last Wednesday people have submitted requests at various drop-off locations, only one of which is located in front of the church. The other two are positioned at local gas stations.
The church’s senior pastor, Gary Aldridge, is the only person with access to the requests, which are collectively prayed for during weekly worship services. “There should be an urgency about trying to reach the community,” he said. “We sit in our churches every Sunday and wait for people to come to us, but it’s not supposed to be that way.”
Church members say the effort is a tangible way to demonstrate the power of prayer.
“We believe in the power of prayer,” Bill Collum told the paper. “If it can work in the church, then it can work for the community.”
