After an evening of training and preparation the previous Monday night, hosted by Patrick McBane, Executive Director of Marketplace Solutions, Ohio, (a similar business in the US focused on support and networking for Christian businesses), twelve dedicated shirt-wearers hit the streets on Tuesday to offer a prayer of blessing to as many businesses as possible in the Wynnum area.
Volunteers from several different churches across Wynnum and the Redlands met early at the Church of Christ on Berema Street for prayer and some Bible-stuffingâ€"placing lists of local churches, Bible-reading guides and invitations to Business-Alpha Courses inside the pagesâ€"before stepping out on their 'beautiful feet' (Rom 10:15), covered by prayer thanks to some dedicated intercessors back at the church.
With their bold t-shirts reading 'OPERATION HOPE,' the twelve willing servants went door-to-door in pairs, asking about the state of business, and offering to pray a blessing over the business in general and any specific prayer needs. The results were both surprising and wonderful. An overwhelming majority of the businesses approached were open and receptive. Many were deeply touched, and over 200 leather-bound Business Bibles were given away. Many also received prayer for healing, and were emotionally affected by the words of knowledge that were received during prayer.
In terms of the effect on the spiritual atmosphere of the Wynnum area, the Business Blessings team and many of the local churches are believing for the fall of strongholds and extension of God's Kingdom, thanks to the creative power of the words of the participants, and the spiritual effect of physical actions, not to mention the hearts that were touched and blessed on the day.