Watchers in the Night
It's 3:00 a.m. My shift has just begun. As I walk through the halls, checking doors to make sure they are locked, I sense the presence of God walking with me. Everything is quiet as I slowly make my way through the building, securing it as I go. I meditate on God's Word as I walk the perimeter of the building. The hours of the early morning come and go as I pray. All is calm.
It's 7:00 a.m. My shift is over. I am a night watchman for the World Prayer Center (WPC). I and other men like me keep the WPC open so others can feel safe praying during the night hours. "The night watchmen are there to provide a spiritual security, a covering for those who are there during the night," said Howard Mayne, night watchman director.
The WPC is staffed and open until 11:00 p.m., after which it is locked. "I had a desire to see the building open for prayer 24 hours," Mayne explained. So we established two shifts each evening; one from 11:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m., and one from 3:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m.
Our vision is to recruit 60 men from churches around the city to fill each shift every night of the month. We got the idea from the Scriptures in Song of Solomon. "Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; sixty mighty men around it, of the mighty men of Israel. All of them are wielders of the sword, expert in war; each man has his sword at his side, guarding against the terrors of the night" (Song of Solomon 3:7-8. NASB).
The men provide basic security. A 50-point security checklist has been developed for the night watchmen to go through during each shift. They check doors and walk the exterior of the building. The WPC uses a paging system. Guests page the watchman to gain access to the building. This allows him to know who is coming and going during the night.
"They need to be competent men," Mayne stated. All WPC night watchmen are given a background check and go through training. They must be plugged into a local church so that they have accountability.
"We want the people praying here to feel safe," continued Mayne. There needs to be safe access no matter how a church's prayer room is designed.
He went on to explain that maybe a church just has a small room with an outside door. The night watchman at the church might just watch from his car to make sure people get into the building safely. Some churches might want to install surveillance cameras. Other churches have installed combination locks on the door. "No matter the size, it needs to be well lit and secure," Mayne said.
You will be surprised at how many men would love to serve in your church's prayer ministry as watchmen. Several men have told us they sense God's pleasure when they spend the night seeking Him and guarding the prayer room. They relate how this is one of the most enriching experiences they have ever had serving their church. One of the night watchmen at the World Prayer Center brings his wife. They can't wait each month for their "date night" together with the Lord. They said being night watchmen has given them a new understanding of a couple becoming a three-fold cord with the Lord.
It's 7:00 a.m. My shift is over. I am a night watchman for the World Prayer Center (WPC). I and other men like me keep the WPC open so others can feel safe praying during the night hours. "The night watchmen are there to provide a spiritual security, a covering for those who are there during the night," said Howard Mayne, night watchman director.
The WPC is staffed and open until 11:00 p.m., after which it is locked. "I had a desire to see the building open for prayer 24 hours," Mayne explained. So we established two shifts each evening; one from 11:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m., and one from 3:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m.
Our vision is to recruit 60 men from churches around the city to fill each shift every night of the month. We got the idea from the Scriptures in Song of Solomon. "Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; sixty mighty men around it, of the mighty men of Israel. All of them are wielders of the sword, expert in war; each man has his sword at his side, guarding against the terrors of the night" (Song of Solomon 3:7-8. NASB).
The men provide basic security. A 50-point security checklist has been developed for the night watchmen to go through during each shift. They check doors and walk the exterior of the building. The WPC uses a paging system. Guests page the watchman to gain access to the building. This allows him to know who is coming and going during the night.
"They need to be competent men," Mayne stated. All WPC night watchmen are given a background check and go through training. They must be plugged into a local church so that they have accountability.
"We want the people praying here to feel safe," continued Mayne. There needs to be safe access no matter how a church's prayer room is designed.
He went on to explain that maybe a church just has a small room with an outside door. The night watchman at the church might just watch from his car to make sure people get into the building safely. Some churches might want to install surveillance cameras. Other churches have installed combination locks on the door. "No matter the size, it needs to be well lit and secure," Mayne said.
You will be surprised at how many men would love to serve in your church's prayer ministry as watchmen. Several men have told us they sense God's pleasure when they spend the night seeking Him and guarding the prayer room. They relate how this is one of the most enriching experiences they have ever had serving their church. One of the night watchmen at the World Prayer Center brings his wife. They can't wait each month for their "date night" together with the Lord. They said being night watchmen has given them a new understanding of a couple becoming a three-fold cord with the Lord.