Frequently Asked Questions

I have posted Watchmen on your wall, O Jerusalem: They will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

-- Isaiah 62:6-7, NIV

What is Bayshore Watchman On The Wall?

Bayshore Watchman On The Wall is an around-the-clock layperson prayer ministry of Bayshore Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida. Our prayer warriors, our Watchmen, have answered God’s call to commit to pray for our “Jerusalem,” Bayshore Baptist Church. The Watchmen pray a hedge of protection around our fellowship. The Watchmen also direct prayers inside our church walls to intercede on behalf of our ministries. Each Watchman prays at a designated time each week and then contacts the Watchman that follows him or her in order to pass along the watch, so that there are no gaps in the Wall. There are seven Day Captains on the Wall, each assigned to one day of the week, to assist all Watchmen of that day with any questions they may have.

The Alert is a quarterly newsletter published with the prayer requests of the ministers and ministries of our church. The Alert is distributed to all Watchmen and is also available in the main hallway each Sunday.

Who can be a Watchman?

Anyone! Teenagers, college students, couples, families, and singles, whether you are ambulatory or homebound. Any member who understands and accepts the responsibility of this ministry may join.

What do I pray about?

Pray for specific prayer needs requested by the ministers, ministry leaders and staff. These are listed in the Alert newsletter.

When do I pray?

Choose one time each week, lasting from 30 minutes to 1 hour, that is not already taken by another Watchman. Check the Watchman "Wall" display for available hours. A volunteer can sign you up for your time to pray.

How do I pray for 30 minutes to an hour?

The quarterly Alert newsletter lists the many prayer requests of all the ministers and ministry leaders of the church. As you work through your prayer time each week, you will soon wonder how you can pray for all of the requests in just your assigned time!

Where do I pray?

Anywhere...home, office, church, outdoors, while on vacation.

Why do I contact the Watchman following me?

Contacting the Watchman after your time expresses not only your love for and support of the Watchman who follows you, but also provides the accountability that holds them answerable for their time of commitment.

What if I am unable to keep my prayer watch?

If you are unable to keep your prayer time (because of illness, because you are traveling, etc.) you can call your Day Captain and let them know about your problem. The Day Captain can then take action. For example, they can contact the Watchman of the next posted time and alert them that the prior Watchman will not be contacting them that week.

What if I am not contacted before I am scheduled to pray?

Begin your prayer watch at your scheduled time, and then as soon as it is convenient, contact the Watchman prior to you in order to make sure things are OK.

What if I pray late at night or very early in the morning and no one is scheduled after me for several hours?

If the time of your prayer watch makes it impractical to contact the next Watchman by telephone, you might contact them before 8:00 P.M. the night before in order to pass on the chain. Also, you might consider contacting the next Watchman by email or by text, if they are in agreement to this.

What if I telephone the next Watchman and get an answering machine or voicemail?

Just leave a message for the Watchman in order to keep the prayer watch continuing.

What if I must change my prayer time?

If circumstances arise which require you to change your appointed time, or if you are a Prayer Day Captain and must change the time of one of your Day members, please the Prayer Wall Captain.

How do I sign up?

You are invited to be a part of this ministry! You may sign up by calling Kelly at Bayshore Baptist Church (813-253-3411).