History
In the summer of 2001 the Lord gave Hank Marion a vision of Houses Of Prayer being established across the greater Houston area. After prayer and discussion with other leaders in the city and some “divine appointments” an invitation was extended to prayer leaders across the city to come and experience Intercessory Worship. On Monday night October 22, 2001 approximately 400 attended as Gary Weins, Dwayne and Jennifer Roberts, and Wes and Carol Hall introduced us to the HOP by teaching and leading us into His presence. That meeting resulted in a workshop lead by IHOP/KC staff on January 26, 2002 and then another workshop on November 8, 2002.
These events stirred our heart and resulted in those with a like passion forming a relational network. Today there is a growing number across the area that have a passion to see HOPs operational in communities throughout greater Houston.
Though there are a number of small groups doing “sets” on a monthly or weekly basis there are three locations (that we know about, maybe more) where multiple sets are scheduled weekly in the Harp and Bowl model. Randy Campbell gives leadership to the Katy HOP. Rick Torrison leads the HOP Pearland and Hank Marion directs the New Haven HOP serving The Woodlands, Spring and Tomball.
While each House of Prayer is active in their community they are also working to establish the HOP regionally. For the past two years the House of Prayer Network has given leadership to the National Day of Prayer activities for Houston by setting up in Antioch Park downtown and doing Intercessory Worship from 9 AM – 3 PM.
The New Haven HOP was birthed out of Bammel Baptist Church / Christian Celebration Center where Hank Marion is the pastor. Bammel Baptist has a history of networking prayer in the Houston area. The former pastor Richard Shearer, whom Hank served under as Associate Pastor, lead the congregation in a prayer strategy called Occupy the Land. Because of Occupy the Land and the numerous prayer activities associated with it the congregation at Bammel was known as one of the prayer gates in the city.
After the Lord spoke in 2001 concerning His desire to establish Houses of Prayer across the region the congregation at Bammel began to embrace this work of the Lord. The Lord spoke concerning relocating centrally to better serve the Woodlands, Tomball and Spring/Klein communities so the property at 106 Bammel Westfield went up for sale. Then the Lord began to prepare the congregation to become the “keepers of the house” for a regional prayer center. Because the congregation was no longer in Bammel the Lord said we were to be called New Haven.
