Missourians gather for Global Day of Prayer
By Allen Palmeri
Staff Writer
May 17, 2005
ST. LOUIS – People know the name Lou Brock in St. Louis. He is a baseball Hall of Famer for the St. Louis Cardinals, and he normally can count on getting a warm greeting in Busch Stadium.
But Brock stood at home plate May 15 and did not get introduced. He was among dozens of believers who were called upon to lead the Global Day of Prayer service. By design, in order to preserve the unity of the Holy Spirit, no one who spoke into a microphone was introduced.
“This was strictly biblical,” Brock said. “I enjoyed it. I was happy to be part of it, because we know that God reacts to prayers. There’s no political solution that can solve the problem in the world. It will be solved by prayer.”
Global Day of Prayer is an African prayer movement that is sweeping the planet (Habakkuk 2:14). Brock was one of several African-American leaders to participate on a Pentecost Sunday afternoon with 3,000 people ringing the green seats in the lower stands from first base to third base. Anglos like Harold Hendrick, a key organizer and member of First Baptist Church, Ferguson, did their part by swaying to the rhythm of repentance.
“God, help us to repent of our sins today,” Hendrick prayed.
Amazingly, God did. At one point, the words of “Amazing Grace” were flashed up on the big screen in left centerfield, right next to a Bud Light advertisement. The remnant sang and prayed as dancers waved flags of gold, purple and red in the infield. A wooden cross stood near second base with a green Jesus sign in front.
“We pray that those who are His might be one,” Hendrick prayed.
Ed Moncada, director of International Student Ministries for the Missouri Baptist Convention, prayed for Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
“Breathe on us the fresh winds of the Holy Spirit, O God,” Moncada prayed.
Organizers needed to collect $6,000 to break even. The Lord brought forth a $14,000 offering.
Banners honoring Africa, South America and Asia, in that order, were lifted up over the infield. On May 2, 2004, more than 20 million people in 56 countries in Africa prayed for Christ as the continent’s Supreme Ruler. This year in Asia, as one organizer noted, more people prayed in Taiwan than in St. Louis. A child described believers in the United States as “the sleeping church.”
A woman prayer leader uttered in prayer various names of God such as Elohim, Alpha and Omega, Messiah, the Light of the World, the Comforter, the Great I AM, and Faithful and True.
“Lift up the name of Jesus, Hallelujah!” she shouted.