Tamalcia Johnson - Redefining the culture of prayer in the church
Published:Thursday | August 30, 2018 | 12:00 AMShanna kaye Monteith/ Gleaner Writer
With the aim of "redefining the culture of prayer in the church", blog minister Tamalcia T. Johnson, launched the #PrayForTheBride campaign, which according to her, was inspired generally by the level of prayerlessness she's been witnessing within the (Christian) body.
"For such a people, prayer should be our oxygen as it is what sustains us - but this isn't so. In fact, a great number of people respond to things in any other way but prayer. During the time that I was given this assignment, however, several things were happening: the church's riot against Bawl Out (gospel remake); the ushering out of Mr Vegas and Wayne Marshall as a (then) non-Christian collaborating with Pastor Ryan Mark being the main events.
"I noted keenly the response of the Church to these things, and quite frankly, it was disappointing. I couldn't help but think that we were making the devil's work easier. We were so distracted by what was happening in the physical realm that we totally missed the real battle in the spiritual realm. I began to feel especially burdened and anxious, so I went to pray," she said, adding that by the end of that prayer, she was planning a prayer campaign.
A Bit Disheartened
Though, at first, the Christian blogger was a bit disheartened at the level of support that had actually converted to sign-up the campaign was getting, she explained that she was quickly reminded of the 'why' of the series.
Determined to carry out the God-inspired plan, Johnson reached out to some ministers who all gave their commendation and support, and by the end of the campaign, approximately 55 people had signed up and, according to her, far more had participated in their own way.
"For me, that's a great number because if one (who understands their power) can chase a thousand, what can 55 do? I am absolutely grateful to everyone for their support," she said.
The #PrayForTheBride campaign was conceptualised some time in May and officially began on Sunday, June 10.
Among issues addressed by the prayer warriors were a request for discernment to identify and remove devils defeating God's people; a prayer for love to reign in Christians as it did in Christ; a prayer against prayerlessness and against selfishness and poverty in the body of Christ.
Johnson told Family & Religion that though the first leg of the series of prayer was wrapped up some time ago, the campaign has not ended.
According to the administrator of the blog, The Oracle: "I will carry it until God says otherwise. I don't think there will ever come a time when prayer is not needed. Prayer, as the Bible emphasises through its teachings and the life of Jesus, is supposed to be a proactive method to a life of peace, clarity, purpose, guidance, a relationship with God, among other things. On the contrary, the culture we have created is a reactive one. We have made it something to run to when we're already in a mess. The truth is, if we had prayed before we made the decision, maybe it wouldn't be a bad one. So, the aim is to reintroduce the true purpose of prayer to a body which is apparently ignorant of it and to reposition prayer in the life of the believer."
The next leg of the campaign is set to begin shortly. To register, go to tamalciaj.com/prayforthebride and join Tamalcia T. Johnson and others in redefining the culture of prayer, in the Church.