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The
Ultimate Concert
by Thomas R. Meyer
 The
Bible states in James 5:16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much.” In
Matthew 18: 19, 20, the Bible goes on to say, “If two of you shall agree on
earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there am I in the midst of them.”
We can only imagine how much was changed in the Spirit world on November 11,
2001, when over nine hundred people gathered together in Miami at The Peoples
Cathedral for a time of ‘Remembrance, Repentance and Prayer’. Held on the
second month anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, the
prayer service, which was an outreach of the Concerts of Prayer movement in
Miami, crossed all denominational, racial and ethnic boundaries.
The prayer service is the latest outreach of the Concerts of Prayer movement
which came to Miami over fifteen years ago. Headed by Nick Woodbury, Director of
Christ for Miami, a ministry of Latin America Mission and Al Ortiz, Coordinator
for Mission Miami, Concerts of Prayer has been a haven for local pastors and
ministry leaders. It is a place in which pastors can help people facing the same
issues and obstacles by praying for them and ministering to them. Concerts of
Prayer operates under the objective set forth by the National Prayer Committee:
“There is no hope for Miami apart from revival and there is no hope for
revival apart from corporate prayer.” The
organization comprises nine pastors’ prayer groups, consisting of
approximately sixty pastors and ministry leaders across Miami-Dade County. These
groups meet weekly to pray for Miami, in general, and each other individually.
Three of the nine prayer groups are geared to Hispanic pastors, and the prayer
service is in Spanish.
The participating pastors and ministry leaders have found the weekly prayer
meetings to be a time of encouragement and renewal, and basically a type of
accountability group in which they can bare their hearts to one another and
receive the spiritual support so often lacking among ministers. For many,
participating in Concerts of Prayer has been a life changing experience. Misael
Castillo of Iglesia Bautista Jerusalen states, “Concerts of Prayer have been
the bedrock for pastoral unity and cooperation for many years in South Florida.
Through Concerts of Prayer life-lasting bonds have been forged across language,
denomination and ethnic lines in our county. I have benefited personally from
Concerts of Prayer by having a ‘Prayer Shield’ around me, my family and my
ministry by other pastors, ministers and lay Christian leaders all over the
county”.
In addition to the weekly prayer meetings and monthly meeting, they also
participate in a Pastors’ Prayer Summit where pastors and ministry leaders get
away for four days without any agenda except to seek the face of the Lord. This
was established in 1996. The 2001 version hosted sixty-six pastors and ministry
leaders.
In 1997, the organization established a 24-Hour Prayer Watch for Miami. Thirty
local area churches agreed to pray one day per month each, for a twenty-four
hour period for Miami. The goal is to have Miami covered by prayer every single
minute of every single day each month. Since the inception of the Prayer Watch
for Miami, the crime rate in Miami has declined each year. Some of the
participating churches presently double each other, and others do not have
enough prayer warriors to cover twenty-four hours. Churches or individuals wish
to join the prayer watch, should call Nick Woodbury or Al Ortiz at (305)
884-8400 for more information.
Concerts of Prayer has made great strides in uniting the local Body of Christ
across all boundaries and barriers. They always hold countywide prayer rallies
on the National Day of Prayer, which will be held this year on May 02, 2002,
location to be determined, and on other selected days throughout the year.
The next prayer rally will be held on Friday, February 1, 2002, at 7:30 PM at
Wayside Baptist Church, 7701 SW 98th Street, in Miami. Mr. David
Bryant, founder of the National Concerts of Prayer, will be leading the rally,
so be sure to participate. Your life will be changed when you hear the sweet
music of united prayer as English, Portuguese, Spanish and Creole blend into the
ultimate concert - a Concert of Prayer.
January - February 02 Table of Contents
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