Supporting the Prayer Bridge

Helvis Moody describes prayer as communication from earth to heaven. He sees his role as Southwestern Union prayer ministries director as supporting church members in their prayer lives so they can grow closer to Jesus.

He does this by hosting virtual prayer meetings, offering resources on the subject of prayer, and organizing conferences. If you were to attend a prayer conference put on by Moody or one of the union’s five conference prayer ministries directors, you’d learn lots of useful information to invigorate your prayer life, such as how to pray for young people, how to pray for someone dealing with substance abuse and how to pray for those who are grieving.

“People are experiencing different things in life,” says Moody, “so we try to provide resources to minister to people at large.”

Moody has discovered that prayer can not only serve as a bridge from earth to heaven, but also as a bridge from the church to a hurting world. Through prayer evangelism efforts, Moody and prayer warriors throughout the union are reaching people where they are.

One way Moody has been involved in prayer evangelism is by participating in a drive-by prayer event, something he enthusiastically encourages churches to replicate. Often held in church parking lots, these events use hand-made signs to encourage drivers to pull over so church members can pray for them. “People actually stopped and said, ‘Pray for me,’” he says of the event he joined in Amarillo, Texas. “That’s a sight to see!”

But prayer evangelism doesn’t just stay in church parking lots. Moody has also participated in hosting a prayer booth at a biker rally. There Moody was invited by a biker to pray over his motorcycle. He was happy to oblige, praying for the biker’s safety. Later, the team hosting the booth made connections with a biker organization and was invited to minister to group members and their families in case of an injury or death. “We want to be known as a people of prayer,” says Moody, “because when we pray we unlock heaven’s storehouse.”

For Moody prayer isn’t reserved just for conferences or special events; it’s a constant part of his everyday life. As a pastor, Moody has repeatedly watched God answer prayers for church building projects. In one instance, God even used a hurricane to pay an impossible debt. Even though the damage to the church was minimal, the insurance payout was enough to pay what they owed.

“We are excited about what God has done in answering prayers,” says Moody, “and excited about what God is going to do.”

Would you like to join Moody and other church members from across the union in a weekly virtual prayer meeting? You are invited to log onto Zoom on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and join them! Email Melissa Mauk, administrative assistant for prayer ministries, at mmauk@swuc.org for the Zoom link and information.

By Lori Futcher
Record Writer