Prayer Site from Hell
April 4, 2009 by Afshin Yaghtin
Filed under Prayers, Theos
If you’ve ever been in need of prayer and at your wits end, you may have turned to the internet for a prayer of last resort. This is where prayer sites come in; some good, some not so.
In the need of some physical healing and health concerns, I stumbled across The Christian Prayer Center and felt inspired to write about my experience.
(I also mention two blessed prayer sites at the end of this review). But first, I am compelled to share …
Christian Prayer Center (www.christianprayercenter.com)
When you first arrive at this site, you are first asked to create an account before you are allowed to do anything else. Forget that you need urgent prayer now! So, ok … not the worse of sins, so I proceeded to create an account, heeding their tagline: “An Online Christian Community that Cares”, although I wonder why there are no prayers of others listed anywhere on the site.
I then proceed to submit my prayer request. So far so good, even though the site is nothing fancy–but that’s not the point is it?
The site then asks you, “How important is your request”? Obviously, most will pick, “Very Important” or they wouldn’t be there in the first place.
As soon as you pick any option at this point, the form then pops up a new question:
| How much would you like to offer with your request? | |||
OK. Let’s choose “Nothing”.
Here comes the good part … Then this little part appears:
Are you sure you do not want to offer anything? God finds ways to punish the unfaithful!
At this point I’m having visions of Jesus overturning the tables in His Father’s House and screaming at the merchants and moneychangers, because, as we all know, “God’s house is a house of prayer, not a den of thieves”.
If you still proceed through the “prayer site”, the website asks you yet again if you are sure you don’t want to offer anything by adding: “The Bible tells us we MUST make offerings to have our prayers answered”, using Scripture out of context from Mark 10:21:
“Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give it forth, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”
Still, braving alleged damnation in hell, I still choose to offer “nothing”.
The pastor of the site himself now, Pastor “John Carlson”–if that is his real name–pops up virtually and says:
“Hi, I’m Pastor John Carlson, Senior Pastor of the Christian Prayer Center. Our costs of maintaining this site are extremely high and our resources are limited, so please help us by making a donation (even just $5 would help). 100% of these donations go toward the operation of the Christian Prayer Center.”
He asks yet again:
If we all pull together, wonderful things can happen. What amount would you like to donate?
This time “Pastor John Carlson” weighs in and suggests how much you should donate depending on the urgency of your need asking for as much as $400 for a “Divine Answer”.
If this site isn’t straight from the depths of Sheol, I don’t know what is.
Want Some Real Prayer Sites?
I am in no way affiliated with any of the sites mentioned here; simply sharing my experience. But I found these two sites extremely helpful.
Both sites are blessed.
There always seems to be at least one person who comes on and speaks glowingly of a site that clearly is operating under the wrong reasons.
Hey Shirley – How much did you “tithe” when you prayed to the Lord at home? After all, your time is valuable, right? You have important things to do. Did He say “first you have to submit a seed before you can pray”??? THE CHRISTIAN PRAYER SITE DOES THIS AND REEKS OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL.
And BTW Shirley, that “Godsend” of a site is now not accepting prayer requests unless you plant a “seed” first. How Christ-like is that? They say there are many already in need of prayer. Are you trying to bribe the Lord? The bigger the gift, the sooner you can force God’s hand to move? IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY. The prosperity Gospel, however, wants you to think it does. You can’t manipulate God and that is EXACTLY what the Christian prayer site, and anyone who promotes the PROSPERITY GOSPEL, does.
Shirley, did you know there are HUNDREDS OF ONLINE SITES THAT LET YOU SUBMIT PRAYER REQUESTS FREE OF CHARGE? Not everyone can afford to tithe. Did you know that or even THINK about that? They run on donations. They don’t turn people away if they can’t give. I pray God will help YOU be less narrow minded.
This is an addendum to what I wrote to Shirley. I wanted to clarify something. I am glad she says ourprayer.org is a Godsend, but ANY ministry that won’t allow you to submit something a simple as a prayer request unless you PAY first, then distorting scripture to back up their unbiblical claims, IS NOT A GODSEND.
This guy is a joke. Stay away from him he is manipulator and a wolf in sheeps clothing. Run don’t walk.
Yes this happened to me also. I think he should be investagated. after he ask for money I closed the site and then I find him emailing me ask me if I still wanted prayer I quickly unsubscribed myself……..
I called the Center, and I noticed some of the same things, The first thing I noticed was they seem to try to force you to give an offering to get prayer. I told them that was not God, I been a Christian for some 30 years, I look at the things people do do get money, and using God as a front, a ministry has to be established by God,and lead by God man’s flesh carry out things their way.Jesus never asked for an offering to pray for a person. I get so sick of people trying to play with God.That is one of the reasons a lot of people want accept Christ.I know it takes money to run a ministry, and I love to give. I have been in ministry for a long time an God don”t work like that. We really need to be in prayer for the center and the people that are being miss lead.
I called the Center, and I noticed some of the same things, The first thing I noticed was they seem to try to force you to give an offering to get prayer. I told them that was not God, I been a Christian for some 30 years, I look at the things people do do get money, and using God as a front, a ministry has to be established by God,and lead by God man’s flesh carry out things their way.Jesus never asked for an offering to pray for a person. I get so sick of people trying to play with God.That is one of the reasons a lot of people want accept Christ.I know it takes money to run a ministry, and I love to give. I have been in ministry for a long time an God don”t work like that. We really need to be in prayer for the center and the people that are being miss lead.
It is absurd to demand money before prayer can be offered. What about if the person really need help and does not have money? This is a scam but who ever calls himself pastor Carlson better stop else expect God’s judgement as the very sicknesses or problems of the vulnerable people you cheat will come on you hundredfold.
I’ve been caught too, Im 62 and in quite serious money trouble I had a stroke just over a year ago and i was given the impression the “donation” was a one off. Ive also suffered a number of very traumatic “breakdowns” adn have noticed this deplorable site is taking out a monthly fee from my account. How dare they they should be blasted into Hell!!! and as for that patronizing person above Shirley Griswold, calling u s” Small” for objecting, I hope you have a breakdown soon Madame!!!
Same situation but I paid.
Next day I saw warnings against the Christian Prayer Center on Google
In disbelief I rejoined with ‘false name and email’ and chose option NOT to make a donation this time.
This time my prayer request was REFUSED, as they are very busy and only have time to say prayers for those who pay
DISGUSTING isn’t it?
I have also had to CANCEL my bank card as it seems they are planning taking monthly instalments. Thank you for this warning.
Claire
So Shirley….according to this site…God will only help those who have the money to pay for his help – sorry but NOT TRUE!
And Shirley….the site does not have an actual address…it is a P O BOX
Also I have NOT received any messages from other members have you? I think it is all a set up. There are many ways other than cash to ‘give’ thanks’ or ‘tithes’ to God. Example , by helping someone.
i went there , and been trying to get off their list , they say they will not bother you but it just rolls on.. this is a money spinner , pure and simple , Christian? as much as Amex is a Christian org ..
so many folks just dig you for cash , but i dont have any , so i guess i’m not worth helping, i wasn’t even asking for prayers for myself , but for my nation , Australia, as its gone to heck .. gay rights and marriage , islamic threats and demands all being supplied by the government and if you say you dont want to eat halal, your a racist.. but so much is now cash up or nothing .. i’ll trust God and leave the net to the money makers ..