The P.U.S.H. Prayer Team at Line Baptist Church in Alto gathers at the altar. LINE BC/Special
EDITOR'S NOTE: As have many other congregations, Line Baptist Church has temporarily cancelled in-person services to instead meet online.
ALTO — Line Baptist Church has a team of prayer warriors who show a true childlike faith.
In July of 2018, a group of kids from LBC took the principles of prayer seriously by packing the altar to pray for whatever was on their heart. It birthed countless “heartfelt prayers,” said church member Cathy Adamson. And with the request of a little girl who was in the altar that day, the Pray Until Something Happens (P.U.S.H) Prayer Team was born.
Adamson, or Mrs. Cathy as she is called, leads this group ranging in age from six to 12. These kids were inspired through a program she taught on prayer.
“They are very bold in their prayers,” she said. “The kids just got involved and they love it.”
The team doesn’t wait for an altar call. They stop what they are doing and pray, not putting it on the back burner. Adamson said adults are astonished at how comfortable these kids are going to the altar to pray, either doing so for themselves or someone else.
“Sometimes, the choir will be up and singing, and one of them will go get someone’s hand and tell them they have them on their heart and would they go to the altar to pray,” said Adamson.
At other times, “Mrs. Cathy” asks them to come to the altar.
“I just wish you could see it. When Cathy calls for them … Cathy can be up in the choir and I need my P.U.S.H prayer team in the altar now, and here they come. They are coming from all over the church,” said Pastor Kenneth McEntire.
Since its formation the group has even established its own Facebook page.
“I tell the adults if we can get in the same mindset our kids are, and when I ask for us to come down for a special time of prayer, they come," said McEntire. "The adults are getting where they come now. They don’t hesitate.”
McEntire attributes that response to the example set by the church’s littlest prayer warriors and their example of childlike faith.
The church has seen answered prayers. “Some of the people they have prayed for have seen the healing here on earth and we’ve even seen a woman who is actually going through kidney failure get to come back to church one Sunday. And,” McEntire added, “her request was that the P.U.S.H. team pray that she would get strong enough to come back and worship with one more time and she’s been back.
“When you have six-, seven-, and 10-year-old kids who are basically praying adult prayers in your sanctuary, then it will bless your heart. As the pastor, I get to sit back and watch all this. See the fruits bubbling up inside these boys and girls. And they’re sincere about what the Bible teaches us about our prayer life; they are serious about it.”
Adamson said the group prayed at school, on the bus, and at their homes. If anyone on the P.U.S.H. team has a prayer need, they let Adamson know and she passes it to the others.
The team has inspired other prayer groups and even adults in the church’s worship services to go down to pray.
“The parents at our church have whole-heartedly supported this and they are right there with the kids. And the kids now, when someone goes to the altar to pray, they go with them to pray,” stated Adamson.
McEntire said he would he put his faith and trust in the prayers of those kids just as much as he would an adult because “I know Christ and God are hearing those prayers.”