"If your evangelical church is stuck in neutral, Dr. Carrington’s insight and guidance may just be what you need to get moving again.” – The Rev William Weisenbach, DMin, DD, retired Presbyterian minister
(PRWEB) November 23, 2015
In the view of author Dr. Carrington, Christians have been duped into removing prayer from the center of their churches, only to place it on the periphery or semi-periphery. He believes that what is happening today in churches, and society at large, stems from legacy of prayerlessness.
Church leadership may be hesitant and embarrassed to admit it, but Dr. Carrington believes there is a direct correlation between spiritual weakness and lack of corporate prayer. In "Inevitable and Imminent: On Becoming a House of Prayer – The Process," author Hugh Wesley Carrington, Ph.D., boldly addresses the issue of prayerlessness in churches and presents the biblical insight that will revolutionize the way prayer is approached in congregations, and at the same time, invigorate ministries to have a greater impact on communities.
"Inevitable and Imminent" will:
- Address how prayerless Christians impede the proper functioning of the church and will equip church leadership with the necessary tools to challenge this phenomenon;
- Motivate churches to cultivate and maintain an organizational culture and worship structure, where consistent corporate and personal prayer is the norm;
- Get churches excited about praying, while outlining the spiritual, physical, emotional, and social implications for the congregation and the surrounding community; and
- Underscore the prominence that prayer must have in the lives of church members and chiefly in the lives of church leadership.
Dr. Carrington draws on his experience in sociology and business to outline the process of how a church can transition from simply being a “church” to become a “house of prayer.” For the church and its members that want to make prayer a priority and have optimal power for ministry, this book is a must-read that will guide congregants through a biblically informed process. Using a very realistic approach – the author provides church leadership with the necessary tools to assist their church in achieving God’s goal for His last-day church – finishing the work.
From Chapter 4: “In giving instructions about worship, Paul was very clear in what must happen first. He said: “The first thing I want you to do is pray” (1 Timothy 2:1, MSG). Prayer is the foundation, it is the walls, and it is the roof. Prayer is the thread that binds every person, every service, and every ministry together. How foolish it would be for us to plan, develop, and implement any ministry without prayer – on what foundation; on whose authority; under what covering? If God would pull back the veil, we would be amazed at how prayer mingled with ministries has saved many souls. It is not the ministry; it is prayer. No prayer, no unity! No unity, no power! No power, no healing! No healing, no salvation!”
“The Old Testament scholar and founder of the Biblical Seminary in New York, Wilbert Webster White, famously said, ‘Prayer works, prayer is work, prayer leads to work.’ Dr. Carrington’s book takes the genius of White’s profound statement and breaks it into understandable and digestible parts informed by the latest insights from the sociological and business worlds and the eternal truths of scripture. If your evangelical church is stuck in neutral, Dr. Carrington’s insight and guidance may just be what you need to get moving again.” – The Rev William Weisenbach, DMin, DD, retired Presbyterian minister, former academic vice president of New York Theological Seminary
Watch the video at: https://youtu.be/ssZSX01WBuA
About the Author: Hugh Wesley Carrington, Ph.D., is lead consultant at Bridge Ministries Consulting, Inc., and is available to help guide congregations through this process. He is a frequent presenter at local churches and related events, and has had the opportunity to observe how Christians approach prayer. He has implemented what he teaches, including the house of prayer process, and he knows that it works. Dr. Carrington is a process thinker, blending his love for education, the study of people, and research as a consultant to help organizations optimize performance through staff training, development, and streamlining organizational processes.
The compelling new book INEVITABLE AND IMMINENT: ON BECOMING A HOUSE OF PRAYER – THE PROCESS (Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-69248-609-2, $19.95; and eBook ISBN: 978-0-692-48608-5, $11.99) are now available and can be ordered through Bridge Ministries Consulting, Inc.:
http://bridgeministriesinc.com or at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, http://www.apple.com/ibooks/, and other online retailers.