William De Arteaga: The Public Prayer Station

William De Arteaga, The Public Prayer Station: Taking Healing Prayer to the Streets and Evangelizing the Nones (Lexington, KY: Emeth Press, 2018), 73 pages, ISBN 9781609471415.

Dr. William De Arteaga, a semi-retired Anglican priest, continues to be passionately tethered to the ministries of intercessory prayer and healing, having approximately 48 years of experience. He was called by God specifically, to the healing ministry, with his wife in the 1970s. He is a respected historian and author, holding two degrees in History and a doctorate in Sacramental and Revival Studies. For 20 years, Dr. De Arteaga served as the Anglican Chaplain for the Order of St. Luke’s (OSL-Georgia) and was ordained as an Anglican priest in 2000. He has pastored two Hispanic churches in Georgia. Raised a devout Catholic in the 1950s, as a child who experienced the loss of his brother, he recalls that no intercession for healing was made for his brother, rather there was the traditional lighting of a candle with the prayer that God would grace his brother to skip purgatory and arrive directly in Heaven.

The title makes Dr. De Arteaga’s intent plain. He charts a path for pastors and ministers to equip and lead lay teams in the use of healing prayer as a means of street evangelism. He emphasizes that the Public Prayer Stations (“PPS”) not only serve to reach unbelievers but also to connect with those who identify as “nones” – unaffiliated believers. Speaking of the PPS, he states: “…it presents the prayer power of the Kingdom of God to many who are not Christian or have had little experience with effective healing and intercessory prayer.” He tells of a “preacher’s kid” who had not been to church in years. After observing them for a while, she came and experienced healing through a PPS encounter, returning to bless them with bags of groceries. Her denomination did not believe in healing prayer. Dr. De Arteaga notes, “So the Lord had just given her a lesson in the reality of healing prayer – and the Gospels.”

He argues effectively for the PPS, as a vital tool for reaching unbelievers. There are in-depth accounts from Dr. De Arteaga’s vast, documented experiences as well as those of colleagues. From the start, his biblical hermeneutic and application is straightforward and woven throughout the book. He shares non-biblical sources that witness to the healing prayer ministry from both the early and contemporary Church, in America and abroad. Dr. De Arteaga references an array of sources including several of his own published works. The spectrum includes a PBS TV series, and current Christianity Today and other articles. Photographs dot the chapters, drawing the reader a bit closer to the historical PPS encounters.

Dr. De Arteaga does not flinch from presenting and respectfully decrying the historical arguments from cessationists that oppose the validity of the modern healing ministry. The reader is provided details on these sources for further inquiry.

Dr. De Arteaga skillfully compiles the essentials from his huge collection of material into this short, 73-page read so as to present the meat for launching a PPS initiative. The content flows seamlessly even when redirecting the reader back in time for historical detail. It is essentially an instruction manual, providing additional educational and training resources. He also touches on the practical matter of supplies. Yet, even the novice reader who is merely curious to understand more about the PPS concept, will not be distracted by these mechanics.

Research relating to the growing “none” population suggests that churches doing street evangelism will encounter a dual audience – unbelievers and nones. These pastors should give this short book their attention. For people desiring to learn about the ministry of healing prayer, this intelligent book will be an insightful precursor.

Reviewed by Catherine Miller

 

Publisher’s page: http://www.emethpress.com/product/9781609471415/

Tags: arteaga, de, prayer, public, station, william

Category: Living the Faith, Winter 2019