In any given city or town, there are most likely people in crisis who would make a phone call to talk to someone—if they knew that a crisis phone line were available. But most churches cannot train enough people to staff a crisis line 24 hours a day.

The Prayer and Crisis Referral Network (PCRN) is a 24/7 prayer and crisis referral line that can come alongside churches and communities to provide this service. Linda Morrison, president of PCRN, explains that this growing network can connect churches and ministries to local radio stations or other forms of advertising that can publicize a central number to call during a crisis. Each church or ministry can find ways to advertise their own prayer line with their own separate number.

Trained PCRN prayer counselors answer the calls and pray immediately with those in need. They can then refer them back to the local church or ministry for follow-up if desired. The prayer line is anonymous, so callers can feel assured of confidentiality.

Already this ministry serves as the prayer line for radio stations in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Missouri. They also work with a denominational prayer leader to service some of the churches in his denomination. The compassion ministry Somebody Cares uses PCRN’s services in three different cities. Through these partnering ministries, PCRN fields 40,000 calls per year from around the nation and the world.

Partners provide a “love offering” to offset the expenses of the ministry. To find out more about establishing a crisis prayer line partnership, go to prayerandcrisisreferral.org.