All believers invited to prayer event

With the ever-increasing popularity of faith-based movies such as “I Can Only Imagine,” “God’s Not Dead,” and “War Room,” it may be no surprise to learn that churches are focusing more on the power of prayer.

Leaning on the power of prayer is an understatement for Pastor Dwight Jones of Harvest Christian Centre in Park Hills. As for Pastor Jones and some of his congregation, they are depending 100 percent on prayer.

The church, located at 1925 Highway 32 just outside Park Hills, will be hosting a prayer event on Thursday morning at 10 a.m.

The event, called “Open Heavens Southeast Missouri District Prayer Tour,” is a program where leadership of the Assembly of God Church will travel through the district’s 14 areas in five days holding prayer meetings.

Jones said the southeast district is basically everything in the state from the Missouri River south and the district is divided into 14 different areas, one of which is the Park Hills Area. The Park Hills Area is about 75 square miles and has 32 churches.

Jones said the prayer meetings have been averaging about 100 in attendance and the group will be praying for the nation, for the government, for unity, and for peace.

“This event, while it is hosted by the denomination, is not a denominational event,” said Jones. “All believers from anywhere are welcome to attend the meeting and join us in prayer.”

“Here your ‘tag’ falls off at the door,” said Jones. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Baptist, Catholic, Methodist or any other denomination – when you walk through these doors you are just a believer.”

Jones said the church he pastors began to focus on prayer in 1995 and that was when the church really began to grow.

“We want to see the Heavens be opened,” said Jones. “Every generation needs a great awakening or revival to see what God can do.”

Jones said that they pray that God will move in every Bible teaching church in the area and those churches will reach everyone they can for Christ.

“Without prayer, we can accomplish nothing,” said Jones. “We live in a society where God has often become our last resort and then we wonder why we no longer see signs, wonders, and miracles.”

He reasons people are often turning to God as a last resort, after all other options have failed.

Jones quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

— Editor’s note – Be watching for a feature story on the prayer event in the days after the gathering.

Dwight Jones, senior pastor at Harvest Christian Centre and author of “The Judas Factor,” is inviting all believers in the area to a non-denominational prayer meeting this morning. 

Matt McFarland is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3616, or at mmcfarland@dailyjournalonline.com.