CBC launches prayer partnerships

About a year and a half into his presidency at Columbia Bible College, Paul Wartman reflected on his ministry and asked, “Lord, what is important?” The answer was the memory of the beginning of The Meeting Place in Winnipeg, where he previously pastored, and the team of intercessors who had called the church forth. He realized this is what the College needed as well – to be supported by prayer.

He then thought of all the seniors in the church – ”life veterans,” who have experienced life’s highs and lows – and recognized that these people knew how to pray. It was also the time his sons’ grandparents had passed away and his sons needed seniors to pray for them. Wartman presented the idea of a prayer partnership to the College board, saying, “Let’s raise up an army who will pray for our students.” The idea caught on quickly and with very minimal advertising, through contacts Wartman had in churches. About 100 seniors have signed up to pray for students.

The seniors are given the name and contact information of a student, together with a photo. The seniors give their name and contact information to the students and partnerships are born. The seniors involved are usually anxious to meet the students they are praying for and can be found in the school cafeteria having lunch and praying together.

Wartman’s dream is to have 500 partnerships formed. He would like to see these prayer warriors catch a new vision of their ministry in their senior years.

One student said, “I met my ‘grandmother’ just before Christmas and had tea and Christmas bread with her and her husband. Not having any family close by, it means a lot to know that someone here is praying for me! It’s a great blessing.” Another said, “Knowing that there is somebody with a lot of life experience praying for me is so very encouraging and reassuring. This is a really cool experience which got me a little out of my comfort zone!”

And a senior writes, “I am so honoured to be asked to be a senior prayer partner. . . . Because of family matters [my student] had to leave the College at Christmas. I was so shocked when one of his friends asked if I could now pray for her! So I now have a new student I am praying for and establishing a new friendship with at the same time.”

Wartman and his assistant Shirley Esau are also hoping to expand the program to cities outside of Abbotsford. Interested seniors should contact them by email.

—Susan Brandt