Story

An excerpt from the book, ‘By Name’ by Brian Alarid

I accepted the call to lead the initiative to pray for every person in the world by name after a conversation with my friend, Mark Anderson, in Brazil in October 2019. The vision began taking shape, and we were gaining momentum, but I knew I needed a team. And not just any team, but the ultimate dream team that could help us complete this impossible task.

On May 13, 2020, I received a phone call from my friend Mart Green. the Chief Investment Officer at Hobby Lobby. “I believe the Bible movement and the prayer movement need to come together at some point,” Mart said in his signature upbeat tone. “But first,” Mart continued, “I believe the prayer movements need to come together. What do you think could unite all the different prayer movements?” I didn’t need to think long about my answer. It was the only thing on my mind lately. “Maybe the commission in First Timothy chapter two. The vision of praying for all people could bring together from different movements and denominations to accomplish something greater than any of us could on our own.”

As Mart and I unpacked this vision of praying for everyone by name, the Holy Spirit lit up our hearts. Our excitement was tangible. “I love it!” Mart said. “Let’s build a team and chase it.” So we took the first step, even though we couldn’t see the second step. Mart and I huddled over a Zoom call a few days later with Dick Eastman, David Ferguson, Kathy Branzell, and Dave Butts—four of America’s most respected prayer leaders. A week later, I presented our vision to Scott Beck and Jeff Fray at Gloo. Scott and Jeff are technology gurus and they loved the idea.

“So, basically,” Scott said, “you want to pray for eight billion people who live in 200 different countries and speak 6,000 languages. And somehow, learn their names and pray for them by name? That’s like the largest data project in history!” “I know it’s crazy, Scott, but this was God’s idea, not mine!” Scott flashed a smile, and his eyes glinted with excitement. “Alright, I’m in.”

We were building momentum. God was opening doors, people were jumping in, and the engine was warming up. A few days later, I received a phone call from Ashley Wilson and Dr. Billy Wilson, the President of Oral Roberts University and Chairman of Empowered21. It was this call that kicked this vision into fifth gear. “God has given Empowered21 a vision that every person on Earth would have an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit…by Pentecost 2033,” Dr. Wilson said. “Praying for everyone by name is an essential part of that. I want you to lead that charge and help us build a global prayer alliance.” God had placed the same burden on his heart as mine.

But being the visionary that he is, Dr. Wilson upped the ante yet further. Not only were we going to pray for every person on the planet by name, but we were committing to do so by Pentecost 2033. That was taking impossible by the horns and riding it straight into insanity. But as the legendary author Napoleon Hill wrote, “A ‘goal’ is a dream with a deadline.”^[i] We may not finish this task by 2033—only God knows—but if we don’t put a deadline on it, we will never make progress toward it. Seemingly all at once, leaders all around the world were receiving the same download from the Holy Spirit to pray for everyone by name. I couldn’t help but think about what French novelist Victor Hugo wrote, “Nothing else in the world…not all the armies…is so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” Indeed, praying for everyone by name was an idea whose time had come. Since then, week by week and month by month, the Father has continued to expand our global team.

My friend Samuel Rodriguez told me, “Brian, we have been praying for people for centuries. But praying for people by name, now that’s next level. That’s the difference between a 4G and a 5G network. A 5G network is 100 times faster than a 4G network. That’s how praying for every person by name will impact the growth of God’s Kingdom! Count me in!” Soon, we coined a name for the movement that fit our vision like a hand-in-glove: Pray For All.

I felt immensely honored to be part of the team we were building, but at the same time, I felt utterly unqualified to lead it. I needed someone more experienced than me to give leadership this movement, and I knew exactly who to ask. I drove to Colorado Springs to pray with my spiritual father, Dick Eastman, and asked him if he would serve as the Chairman of Pray For All. Dick looked into my eyes and said, “Brian, God gave me the vision to pray for every nation by name, but he’s given you the vision to pray for every person by name. This is your time to lead, and I will support you.” Dick laid his hands on me and anointed me for the journey ahead. I wish I could say that I’ve never doubted or second-guessed God and the vision He’s given us, but you would instantly call my bluff. I often feel insufficient, unqualified, and incapable. I know I don’t have what it takes to accomplish this.

But I remind myself that this vision didn’t come from me, Mark, Billy, Dick, or any other human being. It came from the heart of God for the body of Christ worldwide and in every generation. He shared it with the Apostle Paul, who recorded it in the Scriptures for posterity. In October 2022, I presented the vision of Pray For All at Finishing The Task (FTT) with Rick Warren. My friend Jason Hubbard, who leads the prayer team for Finishing The Task, adopted Pray For All as one of FTT’s global prayer initiatives.

A few days later, I had dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse in Houston with my friend Dr. Master Oboletswe, the General Secretary of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA). Master said, “Brian, I want to make Pray For All the official prayer strategy of the AEA. Can you imagine what would happen if 1.2 billion Africans were prayed for by name?”

Over the past three years, we have built regional hubs in Austin, Texas, Guatemala, South Africa, Kenya, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal to pioneer this initiative and contextualize it. In June 2023, I will join Billy Wilson and Rick Warren and thousands of leaders in Amsterdam to launch the Everyone campaign—an initiative to reach every person on the planet with the Gospel by Pentecost 2033. This will be a defining moment in church history as the global body of Christ unites for the greatest decade of prayer, evangelism, and church planting in history (Amsterdam2023.com).amsterdam2023.com

So far, we have prayed for over 500 million people by name through the efforts of our partners. God has blessed us with incredible partners like call2all, Empowered21, Finishing The Task, Cru, Run Ministries, Movement Day, New Thing, International Prayer Connect, Dare 2 Share, Every Home For Christ, Bless Every Home, Go Movement, Gloo, the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, One Hope, Great Commandment Network, Prayer Covenant, and many, many more.

You have a piece in this global movement as well. Whether you are a believer, pastor, intercessor, or movement leader—we need you. We can’t pray for everyone without you. Your prayer, mobilization, and evangelism efforts matter to God’s global mission.

May God use you in astounding ways as you say yes to Him and begin praying for people by name and share Jesus with them using the B.L.E.S.S. lifestyle.

All for the glory of our risen Savior, Jesus!