Huffington Magazine Issue 52 | Page 38

AP PHOTO/PAT SULLIVAN CLICK ‘PRAY’ TO PRAY appears to audiences who are tuning in from home — a group numbering more than 138,000. They are absorbing Osteen’s “Night of Hope,” a gathering of evangelical Christians aimed at strengthening people’s commitment to Christ, swaying non-believers and spreading Osteen’s message of self-improvement through Christianity. Madding’s iPad displays a ceaseless stream of comments from those taking part from their homes around the world — people grappling with illness, joblessness, loneliness, despair and suicidal thoughts; people seeking comfort, prayer and fellowship. These participants are not inside the stadium, HUFFINGTON 06.09.13 but in an expanded gathering that connects the experience of those here in the flesh with those online. Over the course of this night, Osteen’s team of social media consultants confronts the formidable task of making that synergy happen. They struggle to keep up with the relentless flood of digital interaction. In life, prayers may or may not be realized. But in the social media realm of the Night of Hope, all prayers must be answered. Osteen’s staff has instructed online congregants to post prayers to his website or phone prayers to a 1-800 number. They’ve also provided an email address, [email protected], assuring digital participants that the church has prayer partners on hand who will field their missives and pray for them. Osteen (left) leads his congregation in prayer for the victims of last month’s Indian Ocean tsunami on Jan. 9, 2005, in Houston.