“A successful church,” we like to say, “is a praying church.” Prayer-Lift, our mid-week prayer service on Wednesday nights (6:30-7:30 PM) is a time for the church to come together in a more intimate setting to seek God's provision through the power of prayer and supplication. Through intercessory prayer and corporate worship, we seek deliverance from besetting sins (by the laying on of hands), personal healing (with the anointing of oil), and God's presence (through worship, meditation, and Scripture readings). 

In Revelation 5:8, we read of a heavenly scene consisting of golden bowls full of sweet-smelling incense. The incense, we are told, represent "the prayers of the saints"—that is, the aggregate of all believers’ prayers through all time, collectively contained. The idea in view is that when our prayers are lifted up to God, these golden bowls are filled to the point of overflow, where they eventually tip over and pour out God's power and provision according to our supplication. It is this heavenly imagery from which our weekly prayer meeting draws its name. 

In a word, prayer can be defined as a relationship, wherein we humbly communicate, worship, and sincerely seek God's face, knowing that He hears us, loves us, and will respond to us (though not always in a manner we may expect or desire). Prayer encompasses adoration, confession, thanksgiving, praise, supplication, intercession and more. We come together at Prayer-Lift in a small group setting for this express purpose.

From sharing personal praise reports with one another to asking for specific prayer, our prayer meeting is an opportunity for believers at BCC to corporately petition God for intervention and action—both on behalf of the church as well as for personal needs. God entreats us to do so (Philippians 4:6-7). While no prayer request is off-limits, we also respect the fact that those who attend are neither required nor compelled to pray publicly.