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This article was originally published in Edition (6) of Prayer Magazine, Apr-Jun 2006. I go on holiday to get away from it all. The pressures of running a Christian Charity; the responsibility that comes with employing people on a faith basis; fund raising; development, it’s time to get away for a few days camping in France. That will do nicely - just Pauline and myself in a tent for ten days – everyone tells me it’s time to switch off – so I switch off. So I’m sitting in this tent ‘in the rain’, reading about Nehemiah. Next day early, I need pen and paper, I need to write. Into my mind come thoughts, pictures, a building – a large building. Nehemiah saw the walls, gates and towers. I know what walls and gates are for, but what about towers - look out places for watchmen; places of security. If the walls are the church and the gates are exit and entry points for the church, do the towers, strategically placed, give warning and protection? The words and pictures unfolded to reveal this centre for prayer, mission, the family, and blessing the poor. Of course, I thought now I have the vision I’ll go and get the place built. Fortunately, my Heavenly Father had other ideas. That’s when my journey started, and here we are 13 years later having gone through several death and resurrection processes, and still no building, because God has had to teach us some Kingdom principles concerning Heaven to earth. God showed us that the World Prayer Centre was not to be another project, just another building, just another ministry, but in fact, the building itself was to be an example (like an Issac), it was going to come in God’s way in God’s timing with God’s provision. So we have the plans, we have our sights on the land where it is to be built, we just continue to await God’s green light. In the meantime, through prayer, supporting mission, family and marginalised people across the world, prayer days, conferences, teaching and much more, we fulfil the essence of the vision. We have Trumpet Calls (large prayer events in the NEC Arena); we have Sue Harvey organising and taking prayer teams into Europe and Africa. Jane Holloway is now our recently appointed National Prayer Director with an emphasis on networking and the development of prayer across the British Isles, Ireland and Europe. Laurence Sharman our Operations Manager, who with his heart for worship, enables the vision to move forward. We also have a team we call “Oil the Wheels” prayer team, who faithfully meet every week to pray for and with us on the WPC journey. Now of course, we can look back and realise that God in His wisdom, didn’t give us a building straight away. Today we can see a developing network of prayer that is growing and growing not only around this nation, but more excitingly around the world. We are understanding afresh that faith believing prayer in the name of Jesus can bring change and transformation in every area of society; business, the media, politics, health, education, sport and that this can happen in villages, towns and cities – anywhere. But we also believe that the World Prayer Centre vision will be fulfilled. One day we will have a 4,000 seat prayer auditorium, we will have rooms dedicated for prayer for each continent of the world, individual prayer booths, a family learning centre, information hub, a theatre for films and drama, a boulevard of nations, quality accommodation and so much more. There will be in God’s time a Christian Centre in the heart of the nation that will be a declaration of the Kingdom of God, a place where thousands can come and pray and worship and see something of what God is doing around the world. So we journey, we believe, we await the moment. For all WPC information including plans etc., go to www.worldprayer.org.uk Ian Cole Founder
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