Freedom Prayer is simply the name of a specific ministry at the Church at Woodbine that aims to help people find freedom from barriers that may keep them from experiencing joy and peace in Christ. We’ve given this prayer ministry a unique name to differentiate it from our other prayer teams that may minister at other times or for different purposes.

The promises and principles found in God’s Word are the basis for all effective prayer ministry (see below for the Scriptures that form the biblical framework for our ministry).​

The Woodbine leaders and staff are committed to ministering in a way that is solidly biblical. If we don’t find it in the Bible, we don’t do it. This strong biblical grounding gives the Holy Spirit room to do what only He can do. We seek to be humble before the Lord and to honor the people who come for ministry. We also maintain a strong system of accountability and confidentiality.

To the glory of God, hundreds of people have been encouraged, strengthened, and drawn closer to Christ through Freedom Prayer.

During a prayer time, you will meet with two to three prayer team members. One team member will be the primary leader of the prayer time with help from the other two. This team will have been praying on your behalf prior to your scheduled prayer time, and they will be seeking the Lord’s leading during your prayer time.

The prayer time will center on Scripture and trusting the Holy Spirit to lead through applicable areas such as forgiveness, repentance, identifying and removing lies and/or ungodly beliefs, confession of sin, and receiving God’s truth and His heart toward you. There will also be a time of blessing during the prayer session. Both you and the team will be active participants in the prayer time as we seek the Lord’s heart together.

There are no specific qualifications necessary; but for a person to gain freedom, he or she must be honest, desire to be free, and willing to submit to God’s Word.

Ideally, the person is a Christian ready to deal with sin and repent. The person should be willing to be transparent and honest about hidden places or sins he/she would not want others to know bout. There must be willingness to forgive others and let go of judgement. He/she must truly want freedom from sin and not just relief from its consequences.

Being under clear church authority and accountable to members of the church is helpful. Finally, one should expect God to lead the prayer time and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit without false expectations or prejudicial notions of what should occur.

Yes, everything said and done is held in the strictest confidentiality. However, the information may be shared with other leaders on the prayer team as needed in order to help you continue in the freedom you have gained. With your permission, this may include future meetings with pastors or mentors in our church to set appropriate boundaries for your personal and spiritual growth.

Furthermore, if something discussed during the prayer time appears to present personal danger to you or to someone else, the prayer team may be obliged to share information for your safety or the safety of others.

It is our goal that everyone who receives prayer is in a discipleship relationship and walking in close community within the body of Christ. At the Church at Woodbine, this means that you are in a LIFE group and in close relationship with people who continue to walk with you in growing freedom and accountability.

While prayer sessions can be powerful times of personal ministry, new-found freedom will be difficult to maintain and grow without close Christian community. If you are not in community with other Christian believers, it will be our goal to help you establish these relationships.

A Freedom Prayer session is not a one-and-done type of thing. You are welcome to schedule another prayer time to continue walking in freedom, whether it’s for the same subject you addressed in your first prayer time or something completely different. We believe seeking the Lord, removing those barriers, and pursuing our spiritual freedom is a lifestyle, not a one time event.

Prayer is open to anyone who desires to meet for prayer whether or not you are a member of the Church at Woodbine. However, our goal is that everyone who comes to pray will be a part of true Christian community.

If you have someone you believe needs prayer, we request you to direct them to this website so they can explore what the process entails and sign up for a prayer time on their own. It is important that the person coming for prayer understands what they are signing up for and have made a decision that this is something they want to participate in.

We will offer periodic training for people interested in serving on the prayer ministry team. Make sure to view our bulletin to stay up-to-date on future training dates and additional information.

We recommend that you consult with the person(s) whom you are under the care of and get their permission before scheduling a prayer time. While a prayer time will likely only enhance your progress toward freedom, we respect and partner with practitioners and would advise that they are aware of areas covered during the prayer time.

We are a prayer ministry and are not trained or authorized in licensed counseling or medical practice. We recommend that you continue in whatever treatment you are currently receiving and consult your doctor about your therapy and/or medications.

Prayer times are led by trained team members who have completed an in depth training over several months followed by an apprentice period. Because of the variety and depth of hurts that are encountered, members are trained in confidentiality and in which circumstances professional or legal authorities should be consulted. Team members are trained regarding when to speak and when to wait. Remember, the purpose is to give the Holy Spirit room to do what Jesus promised (​John 14:13​; 16:7-8). Prayer team members have also been where you are, with each having sought their own freedom in prayer times led by a team.

For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1).

Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him. . . (Psalm 37:7).

Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10, NIV).

The Bible is replete with Scriptures exhorting us to wait on the Lord and meditate on his Word.

Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them (Matthew 18:19-20).

For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect (James 5:16).

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:37-38).

For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22).

When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir (Galatians 4:4-7).

The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds (Psalm 147:3).