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Wall Street Turns To Prayer in Midst of Financial Crisis

Monday, 29 September 2008, 9:14 (EST)
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The turmoil in New York's financial markets has triggered a spiritual response among Christian leaders. Cell phone text messages quickly spread calls to prayer. Christians on Wall Street set up special prayer meetings for the week. Extraordinary prayer meetings were scheduled at Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, and elsewhere. Pastors began planning to gather for sidewalk prayer meetings outside of the stock exchange.

The emotional impact of the current crisis on Wall Streeters is amplified by a prevailing attitude of many of almost being invincible. This crisis has pulled the rug out from under them. This may be the first dislocation of their lives. For many their savings have disappeared in 15 minutes. Bishop Roderick Caesar of New York City's Bethel Gospel Tabernacle, says that the crisis is so fundamental to our world that "the church has to be poised for the moment and be prepared to work together."

Some Christians in New York City hope that God can use the crisis for good. Mike Faulkner, pastor of New Horizon Church, says, "Honestly, I am praying God will bring healing and revival." He recalls how during the 1930s Wall Street crash, Central Baptist Church on Manhattan housed people who had lost their homes. "The church should be available in every way for people on Wall Street who maybe didn't think much about God before. One should be comforted that righteousness will prevail.

Some Christians working on Wall Street see it as working on "the dark side," with an environment that is "absurdly secular," "out of balance," and "egoistic." One trader says, "Some of the times when I get on the train, it's like I go to the dark side." Nowadays the trips are especially bleak. One chief operating officer says that maybe Christian faith can stand out as a light of compassion and truth. "We should not be intimidated by the magnitude of the darkness of the times, but should realize how quickly the light stands out in all that darkness.

Australian Prayer Network


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