Pray At The Pump Movement Grows - Positive PR for the Church? [news and analysis, plus video]

Posted June 23rd, 2008 by Marcel Schwantes

Rocky Twyman, music director for a Baltimore SDA church and founder of the Pray at the Pump Movement, has been praying at gas pumps now for two months hoping that God will lower gas prices. If you're new to this story, it's all over the map. Just Google the words "Pray at the Pump."

Even Mike Fortune, pastor of Toledo's First Seventh-day Adventist Church, got in on the action and invited Rocky to lead "pray-ins" at local gas stations. Fortune asked Twyman to participate in an all-night prayer session "in hopes of bringing gas prices tumbling down like the walls of Jericho." Read the news article.

Some are calling this a publicity stunt with Twyman at the helm of another Adventist PR circus (note: Twyman's day job is that of a PR Consultant). Is this good for the church -- sincere Christians petitioning the Almighty to intervene for those who cannot afford to drive anymore in times of economic crisis? Or are we once again cast as "religious wing nuts" thanks to Rocky?

Pastor Fortune finds Twyman's combination of faith and action to be inspiring, and believes concerned citizens should do whatever they can to curb rising gas prices because they hurt the neediest people the most.

He further states in the Toledo Blade: "I just thought this is a really good idea. If it's not affecting people now, it will in the future. I think we need to be proactive in something as a church instead of constantly reacting to things. … It makes sense as a pastor to ask God to help us help people."

Maybe. And I certainly believe in the power of prayer. But at what cost? Do other Adventists want to be branded in the same light? Perhaps Rocky and his prayer warriors should be in the middle of the corn and sugar cane fields instead, feverishly praying that our next President convert these energy sources into ethanol for flex-fuel vehicles -- already being used in some European countries and Brasil.

Getting back to the pray-ins, gas station owners are reportedly getting hurt by the media circus that Rocky and his band of prayer warriors are causing. In another article, it's reported that while the group prayed, two trucks pulled up to the pumps. The drivers left without filling their tanks with gas. "I just lost a diesel sale, so I'm not happy about that," said an employee of the gas station. "The owner said he would love to lower gas prices, but those people really need to target the corporations. It's the refineries, not us." Read this article.

Whether this cause is of a genuine and passionate faith, and I think it is, or other motivations, Rocky will carry on with the Pray at the Pump Movement. Here are two videos. In the first one, he states, "Eventhough there may not be an instant solution, prayer with activism will make a change. And we're going to continue to pursue this until the people that own these gas stations realize how serious this problem is."

 

Comments

Re: Pray At The Pump Movement Grows - Positive PR for the Church

On June 26th, 2008 searching19 says:
This strikes me as more example of what characterizes too many prayers - Dear God, Please let 2 + 2 = 5. Why just pray for the gas price to go down? Why not pray for oil to appear miraculously in everyone's gas tank? The idea behind such prayers (even if it's thought that it will help out other people besides the praying person) is that I will have more peace inwardly if God will change the world outside. How about praying for contentment in spite of high prices and guidance in finding ways to lower the cost (such as other forms of energy, or reducing driving, or letting up on the gas pedal or . . .). The idea of prayer as conversation with God as with a friend gets lost sight of when it's turned into a list for Santa Claus.

Re: Pray At The Pump Movement Grows - Positive PR for the Church

On June 27th, 2008 mike4tune says:

I doubt the 13% of Ohioans who can't afford to buy bread much less gas would agree with any of our petty PR worries. And actually, the idea behind such prayers is Christ's. "You have not because you ask not."

Asking God to lower gas prices and raise an awareness of the stewardship of the Earth is not what's crazy. NOT asking God to intervene in everything is what's crazy!!! 1 John 5:14 adds, "And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in line with His will."

And BTW, teaching unchurched people to pray "Not my will but thy will be done" DOES teach contentment as the 9 pastor/presenters from other churches who participated in the 12 HOUR Prayer Summit we hosted last FRI nite agree. Some of those presentations focused exclusively on conservation and ending consumer Christianity. One was entitled "God Is Green: A Call To Personal Stewardship."

Mike Fortune Pastor, Toledo First Seventh-day Adventist Church mike4tune.blogspot.com

Re: Pray At The Pump Movement Grows - Positive PR for the Church

On June 27th, 2008 Joe Greig says:
Because economists have described the inflated oil prices as a bubble due to speculation, and which will burst in time, it seems certain that the prayers of the "Prayer Warriors" will be answered affirmatively, while God will seem to have ignored the prayers of those praying for the health of the planet. The high price of gasoline is the only way this oil adicted country can be slapped to its senses so that it will develop a mass transportation system and alternative fuels to wean us off of oil. As much as its hurts, I'm all for high gas prices. . .but I'm not praying for them. Excuse the bluntness, but in this case PR stands for prayer rubbish.

Re: Pray At The Pump Movement Grows - Positive PR for the Church

On June 27th, 2008 Monte Sahlin says:
I am amazed that those who comment miss the point that this is about the suffering of a large number of the working poor in our country. Whatever the cause of the doubling of gas prices in the last year---whether its due to natural causes, the greed of the oil companies or the inept current adminstration in the White House---it is hurting people and the real focus of the prayers is to help those people. No one is looking for a miracle, but for the hearts of authentic Jesus-followers to be touched so that each of us will do what we can to mitigate the suffering of these people. If you believe in Christ, you have a moral obligation to stand with the poor and suffering and this is a witness of standing with those who are suffering from the increase in gas prices.

Re: Pray At The Pump Movement Grows - Positive PR for the Church

On July 11th, 2008 RJ Bell says:

Yeah, Monte. I see your point. But it isn't the local gas station owners fault that gas prices are high. That person is simply caught in a broken system. Perhaps Christians should take their prayers to the corporate headquarters of big oil with petitions in hand. I dunno. I agree that God can affect anything he wants to, but is the best outcome we can imagine a $1 savings at the pump?