[1]NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–PrayerGates.com, an online social networking community to minister to women around the globe, has been launched by the B&H Publishing Group.
The name “PrayerGates” is drawn from the Acts 16:13 reference to the city gates where women of Macedonia gathered to pray.
“In biblical times the city gates were the gathering place of power,” said Andrea Dennis of the B&H division of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. “Today, we are calling women to gather virtually to unleash the power of prayer in their lives, church, community and world.”
PrayerGates.com for 2009 will use Beth Moore’s bestselling “Praying God’s Word” to equip and encourage women. Weekly excerpts from the book will be posted on the site as discussion starters.
Personalized profiles, user-created prayer groups and multimedia resources also will be features of the online community. The site, which went online during the week of Sept. 20, will allow users to create prayer groups specifically for Beth Moore Bible studies and events and will provide a prayer community for individuals impacted by Beth Moore’s ministry.
Users do not necessarily have to create groups based on Beth Moore resources or events, though Praying God’s Word is the initial resource emphasis. The site also will feature other authors. PrayerGates.com each year will focus on a new resource related to prayer. The site also will provide custom commissioned worship music and videos focusing on prayer.
[2]“PrayerGates is ministry-oriented,” Dennis said. “We know that there are many women out there who are in need of prayer. There are women who also want to share how they have been impacted by Beth Moore’s ministry. PrayerGates is a safe environment where women can post their prayer needs, anonymously if they choose, and know that there are godly women who care enough to pray.”
The site has an intentional Kingdom focus, added Jennifer Lyell, B&H women’s acquisition editor.
Church groups and individuals can create a specialized prayer circle for Bible studies, ministry events and mission trips.
“This community will have incredible implications for mission workers,” said Lyell, noting that privacy settings will allow users to create password-protected prayer circles. “Individuals on long-term or short-term mission projects can post prayer requests, praise reports and updates on PrayerGates.”
A live, up-to-date news feed of new prayer requests and praise reports also will appear on the front page of PrayerGates.com.
“Ultimately, we hope this global prayer initiative will be a place of refuge for many women and help them harness the power of prayer,” Dennis said. “We also hope the evangelical message of PrayerGates.com will impact users who don’t have a personal relationship with Christ.”
To learn more, visit PrayerGates.com.
–30–
Kelly Shrout is the employee communications editor at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.