Prayer: Foundation for Outreach - A Palm Sunday Message
This past Sunday, we had the pleasure of welcoming a special guest from our sister church, Stone Hill Church in Princeton, NJ. Pastor Tracy Troxel stopped by and seriously, he was a delight! His visit wasn’t about heavy scriptural messages; instead, he shared some incredible stories that highlighted how God moves in the simplest ways. Sometimes, that’s exactly the reminder we need about the power of prayer.
The Power of Prayer
Pastor Tracy had us all hooked with his stories. Let me break down a couple of them for you:
The Hypocrite: This was about a woman Pastor Troxel knew who quit going to church because she felt it was full of hypocrites. With respect and clarity, Pastor T shared with her that, indeed, the church is a sanctuary for sinners seeking refuge, redemption, and change—not a club for the perfect. He then posed a question that hit hard: “Do you stop going to work because there are hypocrites there?” It was a gentle reminder that church is precisely where we need to be to confront our imperfections through prayer.
The Atheist: This story was about a neighbor who was openly atheist and had just lost his job. Despite his disbelief, Pastor T offered to pray for him while he continued his job hunt. Initially resistant, the neighbor agreed to a middle ground—Pastor T would pray, and he would keep looking for work. Lo and behold, he quickly landed a job and was so amazed by the turn of events that he even asked Pastor T if they could read the Bible together. Although skeptical at first, his curiosity grew, and soon, he was actively engaging and asking questions about the faith.
The Foreign Man: During a Zoom prayer and Bible study session, Pastor T noticed a participant from Iraq—yes, Iraq! Initially hesitant to engage in prayer, this participant respectfully declined to pray in the name of Jesus. However, as weeks went by, he not only participated but concluded a prayer with “In Jesus’ name, Amen,” showing a beautiful transformation in his faith journey.
Pastor Tracy’s visit was a vibrant reminder of how going back to the basics can be profoundly impactful. Each story beautifully illustrated God’s love and how prayer is the simplest yet most powerful way to connect with Him.
If these snippets from Pastor Tracy’s talk stirred something in you, why not dive deeper? Catch the full sermon on our YouTube channel and join us in reflecting on the transformative power of prayer. Whether you’re a regular or this is your first encounter, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop a comment, share your insights, and let’s keep this important conversation going.
And hey, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if you find these stories as uplifting as we do. See you at the next service!
Sunday Details:
• Date: Every Sunday
• Time: 11:00 AM
• Location: Westside Church, 1302 West State Street, Trenton NJ 08618
• Follow us on Social Media: IG, TikTok & Facebook - @WestsideChurchNJ
