Crossroads Unveils ‘Anyone Pray’
An Innovative Prayer Line Platform for Churches, Ministries, and Other Kingdom-Minded Organizations
By Fazal Kareem, Originally published in the Christian Herald
One of the best-known Christian ministries in Canada is Crossroads Christian Communications, producers of the daily television program 100 Huntley Street. A key feature of 100 Huntley Street’s daily ministry has been its call-in Prayer Centre, which has fielded over 13.7 million calls since its inception in 1977. Viewers have been encouraged daily to call in to the 24-hour line with prayer requests, and the Prayer Centre’s volunteers and staff have not simply prayed with callers, but have ministered to a wide variety of spiritual needs, with callers suffering from loneliness, depression, grief, addiction, heartache, and more.
A 24-hour call-in prayer line is a community service that many churches and ministries would love to offer, but the barriers to entry can be high for small organizations. Volunteer recruitment and training, equipment, and technical support costs can make such an endeavor difficult for churches and ministries to launch. So, Crossroads decided to build on the success of its Prayer Centre ministry, and partner with local congregations and ministries to increase community impact.
COULD YOUR CONGREGATION USE ITS OWN 24-HOUR PRAYER-LINE?
Anyone Pray offers a unique service for churches seeking to deepen their pastoral care. Upon dialing, callers are greeted by their own church’s name, fostering immediate connection. The platform allows churches to manage follow-ups personally, providing that crucial touch of care and attention to individuals in need. The service’s standout feature is the innovative online Subscriber Dashboard, delivering insightful analytics on call patterns and revealing the community’s spiritual needs.
Designed for churches and other Christian organizations, Anyone Pray represents an innovative approach to pastoral care, offering a cost-effective solution for 24/7 crisis pastoral prayer support. “There are very few things in life that gives a person both the value of an eternal impact and the satisfaction of seeing lives transformed. Anyone Pray is one of those initiatives,” said Kevin Shepherd, Crossroads and YES TV CEO. Anyone Pray ensures anonymity for those who may hesitate to contact church leaders directly, and nurtures a sense of being known and cared for within a church or ministry community.
ENHANCED CONNECTION THROUGH PERSONALIZED PRAYER LINES
With Anyone Pray, churches and organizations can extend their outreach beyond their walls, addressing the needs of the wider community and potentially welcoming new members into their fellowship. Calls can be answered either by Prayer Centre volunteers or by a church’s own staff and volunteers. Crossroads handles the backend of the system for a fee (billed per call or annually), and allows congregations to access ‘best-in-class’ training for their prayer line volunteers. The Anyone Pray Online Subscriber Toolbox is a valuable resource that equips churches and organizations with all necessary materials to launch the program seamlessly, including logos, videos, email scripts, and social media graphics.
Crossroads believes the Anyone Pray project will begin a new era for church and organizational prayer support, and will provide tremendous growth and discipleship opportunities for church leaders, their congregants, and ministry partners.
TESTED PLATFORM AND LAUNCH
A number of local congregations and Christian ministries have been involved with the launch and testing of the system over the last year. On January 25, 2024, Anyone Pray officially went live. The Perspective TV ministry launched their prayer line on the Anyone Pray platform. “Being able to direct “anyone“ at “anytime” to a prayer line where they can receive prayer, encouragement, and hope is absolutely huge for our ministry,” says Dr. Mike Sherbino of The Perspective. “The availability of this prayer line 24/7 means that in those dark moments of the soul there is a place where people can reach out to us for help. This is a huge boost for the effectiveness of The Perspective TV ministry as we seek to share the gospel across Canada and beyond.”
*Names and photos changed to protect privacy
Visit anyonepray.com to learn more.