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Prayer

Written by Administrator Tuesday, 30 November 1999 12:00

Civic and government agencies respond to offer from city's churches
By John McNeil of Challenge Weekly, New Zealand.

Civic and justice authorities in the Manawatu province are praising the power of prayer. Churches in the provincial capital, Palmerston North, have gathered regularly for many years to pray for those in authority.

But a new approach was taken at the beginning of this year, when the churches decided to go directly to the city's leaders and ask them to supply a list of prayer needs.

The churches - mostly Pentecostal and charismatic mainline - now gather on the last Sunday evening of every second month to pray. Leaders from, for instance, the city council, police and youth justice centre are invited.

Dennis Humphreys and his wife Ruth

Co-ordinator Denis Humphreys, senior leader of the Christian Family Church, says not all come but five or six city councillors and sometimes the mayor or assistant mayor will attend.

Mr Humphreys says the authorities were initially surprised to received such an approach - "they were not accustomed to this". But when he explained what the churches were doing, their response was favourable.

"We are not praying for what we perceive, we are praying for what the authorities believe are real needs in their own organisations. We also pray personally for the authorities present on the night. The churches have risen wonderfully to praying in that way."

Mr Humphreys says the specific nature of the prayer needs shows the level of trust and relationship that has been built between church and city authorities.

The results have been encouraging. There has been regular correspondence from all the authorities thanking the churches for the prayer, and commenting on the difference it has made in the region.

"The feedback from chaplains at the Manawatu prison is that the prison has been at peace beyond the normal. Staff vacancies that were problems have been filled, violence has dropped.

"We have had guest speakers go in, including former world kung fu champion Tony Anthony, with huge results - for instance in the number of people attending and making a commitment to Christ in the prison.

"The programmes manager at the youth justice centre visited and spoke in glowing terms of the change in stress levels on staff, improvements in family relationships, vacancies filled that previously couldn't be filled."

As a consequence, the youth justice centre has asked for churches to follow up with programmes for the boys based on Christian values.

"The superintendent of police for this area is grateful. When I talked to the mayor, she was filled with gratitude. Continually, when I see her, she asks, 'Can you continue to pray? We need your prayers'."

Palmerston North, with a population about 80,000, is a fairly typical provincial city, although it has a long evangelical Christian heritage and one of the highest percentages for church attendance on Sundays.

Mr Humphreys thinks authorities are receptive to the prayer approach because they have come to the end of their own resources - "they see decline and they have no answers".

"I think the community of New Zealand is open to Christianity, but we have to serve them, love them and let them see we do really care and are not just locked away.

"There has been a huge move worldwide in ways of connecting with the community. It's bearing good fruit. It's helping people to see that the Church is human, that it loves and it cares. We are breaking down the walls of what people think the Church is."

He says the key is asking authorities for their own perceived prayer needs.

"There's no reason churches in other cities could do the same. If they could forge some relationships with their authorities, it would be very beneficial."