NATCHEZ — New Hope the Vision Center began a 24-7 prayer line and ministry about a week and a half ago and already the mission has reached people in 50 nations, the church’s pastor said.

The prayer line at 601-653-7090 is manned 24-hours per day, seven-days per week to take prayer requests and to offer counseling to people who may be in need, said the Rev. Bishop Stanley Searcy Sr., Ph.D., pastor of New Hope the Vision Center, 418 Morgantown Road, Natchez.

In addition to the prayer line the church also broadcasts an hour-long prayer service called “Studio 48” from 11 a.m. to noon each day on social media platforms and beginning today will be carried over the Vision Network, which Searcy said is operated by Potter’s House Ministries under the Rev. T.D. Jakes in Dallas, Texas.

Searcy said the prayer line was inspired by Mark 11:17: “And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers.’”

Searcy said prayer requests and counseling are open to anyone with any problem, but the church is especially focused on the issue of suicide prevention and helping people who might be struggling in business or in their marriages or with other personal issues.

“Our goal is to get into 200 nations,” Searcy said. “We are probably only in 50 now — India, Africa, Pakistan, England, Bahamas, Barbados and a whole lot of other countries. We are in all of those areas, and we are expanding every day.”

Searcy said the hour-long broadcast has been viewed each day so far by an average of 2,500 to 3,000 people on social media, and he expects the broadcast on Vision Network to increase that reach.

Searcy said licensed crisis counselors man the telephone lines 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

“It is providing a service and our telephone operators are trained for crisis counseling,” Searcy said. “This will help people at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning. Crisis has no specific time to happen. It is open to all denominations.”

In addition to the Vision Network broadcast viewers can watch “Studio 48” live on New Hope the Vision Center’s Facebook page from 11 a.m. to noon each day, Searcy said.

Prayer requests can be made via social media as well or by calling the prayer line at 601-653-7090.