Praying at SOAR

In March 2024, Multiply’s Central Canada team hosted SOAR Heartland in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The seven-day mission training program saw 367 participants come from eighteen different churches to engage with God’s mission in that city and beyond.

One of the core values that was clearly embraced at SOAR was prayer. The following profiles give a glimpse into how that value was experienced throughout each day.

Morning: Prayer Room

Connor Gerbrandt, Youth Pastor at Anchor Point Church in Winnipeg came to SOAR for the first time and brought twenty-three youth from his church.

At Westwood Community Church where SOAR was hosted, there was a room set aside where leaders and participants alike could go to pray in the morning before breakfast. It was meant to be an hour of quiet space before the busy day began.

“On the first morning, I went to that space alone,” Connor recalled. “I fell to my knees and wept. I had arrived at SOAR exhausted. I remember praying the words of that song, ‘God, I look to you, I won’t be overwhelmed, give me vision to see things like you do.’” 

Connor’s prayer was answered immediately. “In an instant, I was strengthened,” he testified. “It solidified for me the importance of these early morning prayer times.”

The next morning, Connor brought his other leaders to the prayer room. “As we prayed that morning, God gave us very specific things to pray for individuals in our group. We prayed strength for some, health and healing for others, and courage for us all.”

Throughout the day, Connor and his leadership team watched in amazement as each prayer they prayed was answered. “The sick were healed, the uncertain were emboldened, and God was praised,” he reported.

The following day was similar, and the next. By the end of the fourth day, Connor was so full of faith that he brought his whole team to the prayer room. “There was just something so special about that time in that place,” he said. “It allowed for a oneness with God that few of us had ever experienced. We received energy, joy, and alertness as we all knelt before the throne of God in reverent worship, ready for whatever God had for us.”

By the final morning of SOAR, Connor’s entire team was transformed. “God had thoroughly impressed us. Two of our girls heard God’s voice like never before and, as a result, became fully surrendered to him. Three youth decided to get baptized. Others received spiritual gifts. Many gave up their idols of fear, control, and self-reliance. God’s power was made perfect in our weakness.”

Connor not only saw dramatic changes in his own team, but he saw similar signs of spiritual transformation in other teams as well. “That final morning, the prayer room was full of youth and leaders from other churches too. We prayed and sang together, sharing encouragement and prophecies. We even lingered into breakfast time, preferring the presence of Jesus over the freshest cinnamon buns!”

According to Connor, SOAR was unique because of prayer. “I can honestly say that I have never had such a prolonged encounter with the LORD. From the moment my knees hit the carpet in that prayer room, I was filled anew with the Holy Spirit. All twenty-three of us were impacted—our lives will never be the same.” 

Afternoon: On Assignment

Kevin Yang, Youth Ministry Leader at Cariboo Bethel Church in William’s Lake, British Columbia also brought a team to SOAR Heartland for the first time.

For their service assignment, Kevin and his team were asked to serve children at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM). “Our time there was absolutely wonderful,” Kevin reported. “As soon as we stepped into the building, we were greeted by the warm smiles of the staff and the loud excitement of the kids. We quickly fell in love with these people.”

Since IRCOM is not a church-based organization, Kevin and his team had to approach their ministry with some sensitivity. “On our second day, we arrived early and asked the staff for their permission to pray before serving. Without hesitation, they allowed us to freely use their space to prepare.”

Kevin and his team sat in a circle and opened their Bibles. As they started to share their reflections with one another from the daily reading, one of the staff approached them, asking, “Can I join you?”

“Of course!” Kevin answered, later recalling how thrilled the team was to include the staff member in the group. “We invited him in and, although he was from a Muslim background, he was fully engaged, with a noticeable sense of curiosity.”

The next day, the team did the same, arriving on site early for team devotions and prayer. As they began, the same staff member joined again, but this time he brought a friend as well. “We were amazed by how much they were drawn to our practice of reflecting on the Scriptures and praying for one another.”

During their afternoons of service at IRCOM, the staff asked Kevin and his team about their faith, which opened up several wonderful conversations about their love for Jesus. “It was incredibly meaningful,” said Kevin, “realizing that God brought us there not only to serve the kids, but also to bless the staff. And it was corporate prayer that opened that door of opportunity to represent Jesus to them.”

Evening: Team Debrief

Denver Wilson, Youth Pastor at Eastview Community Church in Winnipeg brought a team of high school students to SOAR. After the program, Denver said, “One of the most impactful aspects of SOAR was our evening times of team prayer.”

According to Denver, the SOAR schedule was intense, packing in a variety of team and individual experiences into each day. “Building a rhythm of daily prayer helped our team to stay connected,” he said, “to sift through the collection of moments, and to bring all of our experiences before God.”

Prior to SOAR, Denver’s team was not that well-connected, but as they prayed together, they saw trust and community develop. “Cliques were not a concern,” he said gratefully. “Each person could share and feel supported by every other member of the team. When we shared encouraging words with each other, many felt personally addressed by God. When we prayed in smaller circles while washing each other’s feet, there was a tangible sense of vulnerability and intimacy. We came together as an expression of the community that Jesus was forming.”

Denver loved watching how his students wrestled with God in prayer, bringing their desires in submission to God’s desires. “I saw one student struggle with God’s abundant love for Winnipeg. At first, he just couldn’t see it. But as the week went on, God continued to challenge him to have faith in his saving power, and we watched his faith grow.”

Another student in Denver’s group felt led to pray specifically that the SOAR experience would lead to more baptisms in their church. Only weeks later, eight youth at Eastview were baptized, five of which were at SOAR. Denver concluded, “Those seeds of prayer at SOAR bore incredible fruit.”

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Consider sending a team from your church to a SOAR near you.

To learn more, go to multiply.net/soar