CR spoke with Beacon House of Prayer

Beacon House of Prayer in Stoke-on-Trent was launched in 2007 by founders William and Karen Porter, engaging in corporate worship and prayer with a revival vision. 2012 is the first year of continuous prayer for Beacon HOP and to hear more about the vision and what's happening Jonathan Bellamy spoke with Will Porter.

Jonathan: Where did this vision for a year of continuous prayer originally come from?

Will: At the very start of the Beacon being founded we called it a house of prayer and we knew that around the world different expressions of churches and houses of prayer were going non stop; some for 10 years or more and others just making their way towards that. We felt that God was saying that 2012 should be a year of unbroken prayer and it was a big ask, because we're a smallish group. We're connected well in the city, but it's still nights as well. Some people never thought we'd get there and we were worried, but we felt God was saying would you do it? So our answer was, well it's an invitation from heaven so yes we'll do it.

Jonathan: Now at the time, I think that's about the middle of 2011, there wasn't much awareness of things that might take place in 2012; but since you made that decision, there's been a sense of confirmation of it hasn't there?

Will: Yeah, there has Jon. There's been national calls to prayer as well as our regional call to prayer; from 24/7 prayer and Alpha. There's been a year of prayer for all their churches and connections. There's a whole year of prayer organised by Street Pastors; Salvation Army getting involved; YWAM towards the Olympic Games that is calling for a soaking of prayer into the issues of the nation. There's a lot going on in prayer and stirring faith.

Jonathan: What do you feel is the reason for that? What's your sense about this year?

Will: When God is encouraging churches or seasons of this sort of prayer, I think it's for two or three reasons. One I think is stirring the spirituality of people to go for God and to seek him more; to understand what following him more might mean. There's also something about the need of the nation. It's signifying that the nation's in a bit of a crisis. There's a lot of uncertainty; people looking for hope; so because of that we think there's a stirring amongst his church to say, ok if the church prays then it opens up a community and a nation for God to move. I think the third thing is simply that God has got the nation on his agenda this year. That in this year of national and international significance with the Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee, we believe that God wants in his mercy to touch people's hearts and turn people towards him from all sectors of society.

Jonathan: What do you hope to see by the end of this year?

Will: The strap line behind the year of prayer was 'why not pray for a change'. Then underneath it was 'continuous prayer in North Staffordshire for transformation in glory'. It's those two words that are our prayer goal really. We'd love to see more transformation in our city as well as the nation; that would look like a better health service; more prosperity in business in a revitalised city centre; communities being reconciled. It will look like real lives being touched. There's also a sense of the supernatural. We're looking to see something more of God's glory; the reality of God being experienced by more people. We want to be able to pray that in and we're seeing signs, little signs that more people are starting to encounter God.

Jonathan: How have those first four months gone? What was the first day like and the first week launching into it?

Will: The first day was fantastic. It was New Year's Day. We started with celebrations, party poppers and lighting candles and saying ok this candle's not going to go out this year. There was a lot of excitement amongst a small group of people.

We were really uncertain as to how the nights would go. We've had an amazing little team of people dedicating, saying we'll do the middle of the hours at night like two and four hours at a time. Then over the course of the four months it settled into a pattern and it feels to me like we're walking on water. I would love it that we had three months mapped out until we know exactly what's going on in June, but we don't. Week by week somehow it's getting covered. There are about 75 individuals and about a dozen churches involved in this. Churches in particular are coming on Saturdays bringing a contribution of prayer and retreats and led prayer in all sorts of wonderful ways.

Jonathan: Would you say these first four months of the year, there's a sense of laying a foundation? Do you sense that things are coming forth from it and the results of the prayer, that you get a sense of that developing?

Will: Yeah, there are different things happening as we talk to people that are involved in this. Personally they're getting encouraged. They might be getting a bit tired, but they're getting encouraged. For instance we find that the Holy Spirit is a great teacher, so he seems to be taking everyone on an individual journey of prayer; either through understanding the Bible better, or starting to get a heart to pray for an issue in the nation or the world and for some people it's just beginning to learn to accept themselves as God sees them. There's a spiritual heart adventure going on. We're also encouraged that people are individually finding a place to pray. We're finding every week there's new individuals; new people young and old coming to the Beacon and enjoying an unstructured way of growing in friendship with God. We're getting groups that are coming in that are getting inspired and hopefully some groups might think we can try something fresh in our church in prayer. There's lots of creative rooms and we've set it up so that people can think, well I can take that idea and use it; for instance we've got a huge cross in the basement and people just kneel there and do business with God. We've got a river like a fabric river; people lie down in there and ask God for healing. There are simple ways that people find they can use their creativity and stir them to pray in a more effective way.