By Kelly Boggs, Editor
SHREVEPORT – More than one hundred pastors and laymen traveled to Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport Aug. 9 for the specific purpose of learning how to pray more effectively for the lost.
The gathering featured Evangelist Lee Thomas teaching the principles presented in his book Praying Effectively for the Lost.
Thomas is a former Louisiana pastor having led First Baptist Tullos and Westwood Baptist Church in Westlake.
Rod Masteller, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, and Bill Robertson, director of the Pastoral Leadership Team, spearheaded the LBC-sponsored event.
Masteller said he saw the need for the gathering of pastors after conducting seven statewide listening meetings and reading Thomas’ book.
“We truly are in desperate times,” Masteller said. “I have listened and I have heard the same from pastors throughout the state. We are past programs to fix our problems. I’m desperate and prayer is really the only answer.”
Prior to the meeting, Masteller had never met Thomas, but said, “His book really spoke to my heart.”
“Asking is the rule of the Kingdom,” Thomas said quoting Charles Spurgeon. He stressed that the key to winning people to faith in Christ is not just praying for them, but praying effectively for them.
“The main reason people do not come to Christ is they are not in their right minds,” Thomas said. “If a person is in his right mind, he will choose heaven over hell every time.” The reason people are not in their right minds, teaches Thomas, is because of strongholds.
A stronghold, Thomas instructed, is an entrenched mindset that is contrary to God’s will and word.
Thomas identified that unbelief is the key stronghold that spawns all others. He also cited what he believes to be five other major strongholds, though he indicated there are many more.
Those highlighted by Thomas were greed, lust control, bitterness, religion and pride.
The devil blinds and binds the Gospel from people by the use of strongholds taught Thomas. “The only way to pull them down is through prayer,” he said.
“We must also be broken for lost people, we must love them,” Thomas said. “Our tears can bring people to the Lord.”
Stressing the importance of prayer in relation to winning people to Christ, Thomas indicated the power of prayer is such that we must employ it in our soul-winning. “If Christians don’t do it [pray and share the gospel] it won’t get done,” Thomas said.
A catfish lunch with all the trimmings was provided by the LBC. Following lunch, participants practiced what Thomas had been preaching, and gathered around tables for an extended time of prayer.
“I was moved by the number that showed up,” Bill Robertson said. “It was incredible to see so many come yearning for revival and praying for lost people.”