Our Vision

To welcome an atmosphere where we can encounter the presence of the Living God and through that encounter, realize our Kingdom purpose and destiny through an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our Mission

To establish a place for the presence and name of God to dwell
To call the church back to her “first love” through a culture of worship and prayer
To joyfully love and bless people unconditionally
To make disciples of all nations
To live in biblical unity in the Body of Christ as found in Psalms 133, John 17 and Ephesians 4
To provide a safe place for healing and deliverance
To establish a place of honor
To make a place for the arts to be restored and released

Our Leadership

Michael and Kathy were married in 1969 in Ellsworth, Kansas following Michael’s 2nd tour in Vietnam. They have been married for over 50 years. They have 3 grown children (Heather, Holly & Adam) who are all married and each have 3 children which total 9 beautiful grandchildren. The entire Lazio family has been involved in worship ministry for many years at their former church and across the region for numerous groups and churches.

Michael and Kathy have lived in the Kansas City area (Northland) for all of their married life and now make Platte City their home which is where their current ministry, Bethel House of Prayer, is also located. They have served at BHOP since its foundation on November 14th, 2004.

As a couple, they have served the Lord and His church since 1977 when Michael’s father presented the gospel to his entire family which included all 6 children, their spouses, and Michael’s maternal grandmother, in their living room, and they surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ on “Memorial weekend”.

Michael ran a successful insurance business for 22 years before the Lord spoke to him that it was time to “get out of the boat” (Matt 14:26-31) and Kathy served as his office manager for most of this time. During those years the Lord taught them to minister in the marketplace to those who were lost and hurting and prepared them for the ministry ahead by refining them in the fires of the Lord.

Together, Michael and Kathy have a passion to see hearts released and set free to worship God extravagantly and seeing that worship manifested through many different expressions both corporately and in everyday life.

Married for over 30 years, James & Ronda have been serving and ministering in local area churches and city-wide ministry for over 3 decades.

Ronda was a foundational part in starting the International House of Prayer under the direction of Mike Bickle in Kansas City from 1999-2003. She served as Director of Operations for IHOP-KC and then as Associate Director of the Forerunner School of Prayer (what is now the Forerunner School of Ministry). During her time with IHOP-KC, she recorded her debut CD, “Blow Upon Me”, and has since recorded 2 additional CD’s, “Holy Habitation” and “Radiant Light”. Ronda now serves at Bethel House of Prayer in administration and as a musician during weekly prayer sessions and Sunday services.

James is a worshipper and loves to enter in as he is ministering to the Lord on his drums. His hands have served many in different areas of helps throughout the years.

Together, their desire is to see the Body of Christ come into a deeper revelation of who Jesus is, who they are in Him, and how they can walk in His authority and fullness.

Heath and Holly Martin have been married for over 20 years and have three children – Isaac, Seth, and Ellyn. They live in Platte City and have a desire to see God move among the lost, and stir up the hearts of the body of Christ at large through unity. Together they have a passion for worship in their lives and leading others to that place – where lives are lived as worship in action by faith in Jesus.

Heath helps lead the men’s group, teaches children, helps with sound, and serves in the prayer room. Holly leads worship, works with the children, helps schedule, and serves in the prayer room.

Their focus and desire is that they learn to live each day to the fullness, as it has been given to them, and lead others to the place of salvation and growth in their faith.

Statement of Faith

1. WE BELIEVE that only the sixty-six books of the Bible are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, Word of God. It is the final authority for all we believe and how we are to live.
Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21

2. WE BELIEVE that the one true God exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that these, being one God, are equal in deity, power, and glory. We believe that God not only created the world but also now upholds, sustains, governs, and providentially directs all that exists and that He will bring all things to their proper consummation in Christ Jesus to the glory of His name.
Psalm 104; Psalm 139; Matthew 10:29-31; 28:19; Acts 17:24-28; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:9-12; 4:4-6; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6

3. WE BELIEVE that Satan, originally a great and good angel, rebelled against God, taking a multitude of angels with him. He was cast out of God’s presence and is at work with his demonic hosts to establish his counter-kingdom of darkness and evil on the earth. Satan was judged and defeated at the cross of Christ and will, at the end of the age, be cast forever into the lake of fire that has been prepared for him and his angels.
Matthew 12:25-29; 25:41; John 12:31; 16:11;Ephesians 6:10-20; Colossians 2:15; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:10

4. WE BELIEVE that Adam was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin. As a consequence of his disobedience, Adam’s posterity is born subject to both imputed and inherent sin, and are therefore by nature and choice the children of wrath, justly condemned in the sight of God, wholly unable to save themselves or to contribute in any way to their acceptance with God.
Genesis 1-3; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 3:9-18; 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3

5. WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that He was conceived and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered himself as a penal, substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. By the blood of His cross He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. He was raised bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to make intercession for the saints.
Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 2:1-2

6. WE BELIEVE that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work, or any other activity on the part of man is required in order to be saved. This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ.
John 1:12-13; 6:37-44; 10:25-30; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 3-4; 8:1-17, 31-39; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Titus 3:3-7

7. WE BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, in whom also we are sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit regenerates, forever indwells, and graciously equips the Christian for godly living and service. Subsequent to conversion the Spirit desires to fill, empower, and anoint believers for ministry and witness. We also believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of the kingdom and to empower and edify the church to fulfill its calling and mission.
Matthew 3:11; 28:18-20; John 1:12-13; 3:1-15; Acts 4:29-30; Romans 8:9; 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 3:1-5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 5:18

8. WE BELIEVE that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the church to be observed until the time of Christ’s return. They are not a means of salvation but are channels of God’s sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 26:26-29; 28:19; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; 1 Peter 3:21

9. WE BELIEVE that the church is God’s primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes on the earth. To equip the saints for the work of ministry, God has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the importance of every Christian being joined with and actively involved in a local community of the saints. We believe that women, no less than men, are called and gifted to proclaim the gospel and do all the works of the kingdom.
Matthew 16:17-19; Acts 2:17-18, 42; Ephesians 3:14-21; 4:11-16; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10

10. WE BELIEVE that God has called the church to preach the gospel to all nations, especially to remember the poor and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. This ministry is an expression of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ and is an essential part of the kingdom of God.
Isaiah 58:6-12; 61:1; Luke 4:18; 21:1-4; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:8

11. WE BELIEVE in the literal second coming of Christ at the end of the age when He will return to the earth personally and visibly to consummate His kingdom. We also believe in and are praying for a great end-time harvest of souls and the emergence of a victorious church that will experience unprecedented unity, purity, and power in the Holy Spirit.
Psalms 2:7-9; 22:27-28; John 14:12; 17:20-26; Romans 11:25-32; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 50-58; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 7:9-14

12. WE BELIEVE that when the Christian dies he/she passes immediately into the blessed presence of Christ, there to enjoy conscious fellowship with the Savior until the day of the resurrection and glorious transformation of the body. The saved will then forever dwell in blissful fellowship with their great Triune God. We also believe that when the unbeliever dies he/she is consigned to hell, there to await the day of judgment when he/she shall be punished with eternal separation from the presence of God.
Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-31; John 5:25-29; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:19-26; 3:20-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-22:15

What exactly is a House of Prayer?

The first reference given to a house of prayer is found in the Old Testament in Isaiah 56:7 “For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”(all Nations) parenthesis mine. The next time this passage is mentioned is in the New Testament and Jesus quotes the same verse in Matthew 21:12-13 after He entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling and the money changers and Jesus quotes the passage from Isaiah. In Matthew 21:13, Jesus says “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER; but you are making it a ROBBERS DEN.” There are two other times in the New Testament this same verse is quoted and those are found in Mark 11:17 and Luke 19:46.

Why would Jesus refer to His house as a House of Prayer?

First of all, Christ himself was a house of prayer and he was teaching his disciples to become one by modeling this for them when He continually withdrew and was talking with His Father and drawing strength from that intimate relationship He had in heaven. This same intimate relationship is one we can have because Jesus Christ came and hung on a cross to pay the price for us with his life, a perfect sacrifice shedding His blood for the forgiveness of all of our sins (John 3:16-17) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

Remember, the Father in heaven sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be born of the virgin Mary, through the Holy Spirit, as a child to live with a real earthly mother, father, and family, and experience life as we know it. Think about it this way. As a child, you have an intimate relationship with your earthly father or mother and you want to be around them and you depend upon them for certain things like food, clothing, a home to live in, and all the good things you like and need. Well, even though Jesus had those earthly parents, He came from heaven and longed for an intimate relationship with His Father in heaven. Prayer was that connection of intimacy that He left behind when He came to earth. He was modeling this for His disciples, and for us to follow, as He restored the relationship for us with the Father by His death, burial, and resurrection.

There was such a longing in Jesus’ heart for heaven even though he lived as a man on this earth. Philippians 3:20 puts it this way, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the thing Jesus longed for while He was here upon the earth because He came from heaven and knew He would be returning there upon His resurrection. So, you see, even though we live on this earth and live out our lives here, as we give our hearts and lives to Jesus Christ to become Savior and Lord we then also become citizens of heaven as we are restored to our Heavenly Father.

What is prayer?

Prayer is that longing and intimacy restored and brought back to life that was dead in our sinful state, apart from Jesus Christ. Prayer is that intimate communication with the Father in heaven and the house of prayer is the earthly expression of what is in heaven. And that is why Jesus was so adamant about it in Matthew 21:12-13 when He came into His house and saw what it had become–this house includes two types of houses explained below.

In Luke 11:1 Jesus’ disciples came and asked Him, “Teach us how to pray”. This desire must have grown out of them as they watched and heard Jesus have intimate conversations (read: prayers) with His heavenly Father, which Christ modeled for them day by day. Eventually, that led them to ask Him the above question. We see in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4 Jesus gives them insight and instruction into what He has been praying all along and this has become known to most of us as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Many of us learned this prayer growing up and could recite it at will or could at least enter into it when the congregation was reciting it. This is not the only thing that Jesus prayed but he gave it as instruction or as a “how to.” To Jesus, prayer was a joy and that’s why the scriptures say there will be, “Joy in My house of prayer.”

Defining the House of Prayer

I will attempt to give some definition and expression to the House of Prayer. As I understand, there are two expressions of it, so here they are.

1. You are personally a House of Prayer. After you receive Jesus Christ as Savior, you become the temple of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”
2. The Church is a House of Prayer. As we assemble together we are the corporate expression of prayer. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am in their midst.” Hebrews 10:24-25 puts it this way, “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” 1 Peter 2:5 says it this way, “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Bethel House of Prayer (BHOP)

That brings us to Bethel House of Prayer. BHOP is located right here in Platte City at 1223 Branch St., Suite 2. We have been here going on 15 years as a church, giving expression to the House of Prayer that Jesus talks about and providing a place where people can come to experience that intimacy in prayer and worship. We simply call our place the “Prayer Room”. It has always been our intention to be a city prayer room, where people can come and rest in the presence of the Lord to pray, worship, read their Bibles and simply soak in a calming atmosphere of worship.

In addition, we also have corporate times of prayer for our City and County officials, as well as all schools and school officials. Jeremiah 29:7 and Psalm 24:1-2 are two our favorite scriptures to pray. There are also special times of prayer and fasting during the course of the year that will be posted on our website and we invite you to participate.

Click on the following links for more details:
Weekly Service Information, including Sunday services and weekly prayer sessions.
Event Information, including weekly and monthly events for men and women.

We welcome prayer requests! Submit one right now or drop them off at the prayer room and put them in the prayer request box on the front table.

Michael Lazio, Senior pastor
Bethel House of Prayer