Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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Public Prayer in the Middle of New York City
by miss iris
On September 7, there was an event called Prayer in the Square, which is an opportunity for all believers in Jesus Christ to gather together under one banner, for one hour, and pray for the future of New York city and the nation. The event was hosted by the Times Square Church.
A friend of mine invited me to go saying that last year was great, so I said yes. As I was standing in the crowd singing with the choir and agreeing with the people who were praying on stage in the middle of Times Square, I took a moment to look around. People were on tour buses, in taxis, on foot, standing in buildings and almost everyone that passed by took a glance, stopped to listen or took pictures. I know that some may have been wondering what was going on and walked on by, there were also people who were stopping to listen.
I took some time to process this- we were in public, we were on a big screen in the middle of the square. We were worshiping God. People were walking by, people were hearing and people were being convicted by the Holy Spirit because I tell you, He was there.
Yet, here is the problem. A lot of Christians may look at such a gathering and say, "what a bunch of hypocrites!" But, why say such things? Jesus, in referring to the prayers of people in public (Matthew 6:5-8), was referring to those who just do it to be seen. He was showing that these people do this so that others will think of them as holy while in actuality they are only there to make a spectacle of themselves. The motive was wrong.
Taken in the context we see that it was not the act of praying in public that made one a hypocrite but the motive of doing it to be noticed. In context and even in example we see that Jesus does not have a problem with people sharing or praying in a public place.
I see that there is a lot of victory in these kinds of gatherings, especially when the heart is in the right place. It is because of an open air crusade that my father and his brothers and sisters were saved. It was because of an open air crusade that he started delving into God's word, that he attended Bible school, that he became a pastor. The work of a preacher shamelessly proclaiming Christ in public lead an entire family to Christ. The heart was most definitely in the right place and because of that I am able to say today that I am a Christian.
I'm happy I got the chance to experience Prayer in the Square. I'm even happier that one pastor decided to share the word in public - so many years ago - so that one family might have the chance to come to Christ.
Have you ever participated in a public gathering for prayer or faith?
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Comments (25)
Awesome!
That's really cool. I've never really participated in anything on that level, mostly "Meet at the Pole" in high school or whatever.
That is amazing, it reminds me of that video that was on Revelife a while back of someone praising in public. I think about that daily, so I don't forget to be bold in my prayer and my praise.
What an awesome event! A few years ago I participated in a Youth for Christ march in downtown Washington D.C. It was amazing to be a part of such a large gathering of believers.
Every year, on a day in September/October, all the Christian kids at my school meet out by the flagpole and spend half an hour before school praying. It's a moving experience, especially as kids walk into school and see us, a lot end up joining the circle and bowing their heads as well.
It's funny that you mention that today, because the event (called "See You At The Pole") that everyone above is mentioning just happens to be tomorrow.
My grandfather and great grandparents were saved at an open air crusade. Their whole rural community was. Today the community is still mostly Christian, as are all my aunts and uncles (and great aunts and great uncles), and most of my cousins. That one crusade impacted a lot of people, and generations since then.
Last year, I went to a prayer rally in Times Square hosted by BattleCry. I was really disappointed in some of the people who were there. It seemed that they were there only to yell at the people across the street holding the "Away with all Gods!" sign. They were Christians behaving poorly and missing the point as to why we were there - to pray. Quite honestly, I think the people holding the sign behaved better. Some of us there did do what we came to do though. And as we prayed, more people started to join us in our circle holding hands. It was kind of powerful the way those "making their voices heard" stopped so that they could be still and pray.
Take care and God bless,
libby
@UTAlan - kids at my school did that too
Every fall my family participates in a pro-life gathering. We (hundreds of us) stand on the sidewalk of a major street and hold signs... and pray. We pray for a change of heart for our nation. Many mock us, many wave. I pray that more participate this year.
I tried doing this with people of my own faith. We were forcefully removed from the park by cops, who threatened to put us in handcuffs.
I'm Pagan. All we were doing was sprinkling holy water, waving around incense and dancing around the oldest tree in the park, then sitting down and invoking the Goddess for a good Spring Equinox last year by chanting out loud. We weren't naked, we didn't have our ritual daggers, we weren't doing anything offensive.
Double-standard? Yes. Just as we swore we could feel the Goddess there with us, we were forced to stop our revelry because of hypocritical bigots who probably would have loved to join you in the square.
I wish that every faith could enjoy the rights that Christians are afforded.
@Aiyoku_Angel@xanga - I used to be pagan. And a devout one, at that. I used to feel exactly how you feel. Yeah... it's generally a double standard, but it's not the average Joe's fault that the government doesn't allow other religions... And we shouldn't have to listen to people being rude, just because we want to join in in the love.
Really, though, I hate the double standard of America... and everywhere else. Like Pagans... most people don't understand it, and are just too scared. If people could explain it... people may understand more. Not a promise, though... Most people, not even Christians in general... are very narrow-minded.
Yes, I am a Christian. Incase it wasn't clear, :P.
@Aiyoku_Angel@xanga - Same thing happened to me about 10 years ago - I used to be pagan as well (atheist now, and staying that way, lol).
Christians only want THEIR god recognized in public and screw the rest. And they claim to be so persecuted! I haven't heard of any of those "faith-based initiatives" (code word for "government sponsored gawd) helping out wiccans.
Jesus told you guys to pray in your homes.
Unless you live in a tent in Times Square, you're all just full of it.
@Aiyoku_Angel@xanga - the church had to go thru getting permits from the city and some paperwork before they could hold a public gathering. Legally you can't just go out and do that ...
@lotta_valdez@xanga - I think that was address above in the paragraph referencing Matthew 6:5-8 ...
Pray for New York and pray for the nation, we're all doomed.
I have. I participated in the prayer sieges on the Supreme Court as well as The Call at The Mall in Washington, DC. It was amazing! Especially knowing that we are shifting things in the atmosphere as we spoke like out over the Capital and our Country.
Good for Revelife for posting this. I highly esteem Time Square Church. This is what it's all about.
We are getting ready to have a public gathering, all next week. Unfortunately I didn't attend the last public gathering at an Arena in my hometown. I think that it would be a good idea to have something like this in a big city like New York. It would be amazing to see all of the people, doing what we should, praising the Lord above. He is the one we should be grateful for each day.
Today actually happens to be 'See You At The Pole' across the nation. It's where students all around tehworld get together at their schools an hour early and pray at the flagpole. We worship God, we tell stroies, we pray, we invite teh Holy Spirit, and He is there. It's going to be great.
:)
@Psalm1826@xanga
I think that's where you're wrong, that it's not the "average Joe's" fault that the Government isn't tolerant!
It's the people's right-- no... it's their RESPONSIBILITY to tell the government that it is doing something unfavorable! The same way people didn't like the way black people were being treated, so they freed the slaves is how people should let the government know that Christianity isn't the ONLY religion in America that should be tolerated!
I was brought up Catholic, and I felt the same way about people treating Shinto, Buddhist, Pagan, Jewish and Muslim people being shunted aside the same way I do now.
I myself try to educate people that religion is nothing to fear, but people simply don't want to hear it. They aren't the ones being cast aside, they aren't the ones that are being prejudiced against, so it's okay, and they don't care, because it's not effecting them personally.
It's quite sad that people can't accept others for what they believe in.
People turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to when other people are getting hurt and are suffuring because of these kinds of things... and that's not a very Christian thing to do, now is it? Just to let someone suffer, because you personally aren't getting attacked?
... it doesn't make sense to me at all!
@shanella - Oh, and when my group met at the park for spellcasting, we DID get a permit through the county, and the cops still said we were being a "public nusience" and removed us anyway.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga - I agree with you. But that's why Americans need to tell the government that it shouldn't work like that! Though ALL faiths should be accepted, NONE should get government funding. Period!
I remember in High School we'd pray around the flag pole before school. That was always kind of neat. People would join in as they got to school and we'd go however long we went. We weren't counted tardy when we went in.
I find it inspiring when I see a large gathering of Christians (provided it's not an event that makes me embarrassed to be associated with other believers) because there are times when I've felt like the only Christian around for miles. I always knew it wasn't the case, but it felt that way. We get persecuted so often by people, that it gives me hope to see so many people who are still passionate for Christ, regardless of how they've been treated for it.
Woow. I'll definitely take part in such a public prayer if there is any in Kuala Lumpur. It's already very difficult to gather people to go for prayer meeting. What's more for a public prayer?
Nevertheless, I've attended a youth prayer meeting which is held once a month and the church was packed with about 400youths. How awesome.
I shall say that everyone of us should continue praying for a change in the nation.
Amen that is awesome. It kind of reminds me of "See you at the Pole" where students and faculty etc. meet at the flag pole to pray. It's so awesome and freeing to be standing outside publicly declaring your faith by praying in a public place.