Those called are encouraged to share their needs and prayer requests, and callers lead prayers right over the phone. Emergency needs are relayed to the pastor and other staff members, who call the member back within 24 hours. Prayer is the single most important aspect of the telephone ministry, concedes Snyder. Most calls last only a few minutes, but tend to get longer as the caller and member get to know each other and develop a rapport.
Callers call the same list of people month after month.
And, Snyder added, it's not unusual for callers and members to visit each other in the hospital or stop by funeral homes when death claims a family member. And, perhaps most important to Pankow, the ministry has helped bring her husband to faith in Jesus Christ.