PrayerSpark uses Internet to encourage people to pray for peace, love

In the 1969 Western movie classic "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Robert Redford as Sundance is seen playing another lucky hand of cards. Someone close by asks where Sundance got his luck.

"Prayer," Sundance responds simply.

The website PrayerSpark has the same philosophy. Founded by Las Vegas entrepreneur Michael Feder, PrayerSpark provides an array of prayers, blessings and affirmations that can be attached to flowers, cards, postcards or emails.

Whether it's spiritual practitioners of Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Islam, Native American or alternative belief systems, PrayerSpark has an extensive list of respected leaders on its staff.

Other members of PrayerSpark include Frank Kaufmann, director of spiritual leaders and the Inter-Religious Federation for World Peace; Las Vegas' Daniel Saurborn, co-founder and chief operating officer; and Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of the Hard Rock Cafe, who serves on the advisory board and as the group's brand ambassador.

Prayers on PrayerSpark are always free. However, a person can add prayers to items such as emails, postcards and greeting cards, and 82 percent of the revenue from those sales is given back to the spiritual leaders for their local charitable works in what the group calls "micro giving at the grassroots level."

An 11-year Las Vegas resident who lives and works in a modern Southern Nevada loft, Feder admittedly is a nontraditional person. He wants to address what he calls "The rise of the nones," or people with no direct connection to traditional organized religions, who make up a surprisingly large group of unserved people.

Feder sees PrayerSpark, which launched earlier this year, as the perfect solution for those who want a spiritual connection, but may not have a local place of worship to serve their needs. Also, people of differing faiths can send each other messages of peace and love, through a spiritual leader that matches the receiver's own faith. A Muslim could easily send a prayer of peace and love to his Jewish friend by requesting that prayer from Rabbi Eli Mallon using the PrayerSpark website on his smartphone.

As described on its website, PrayerSpark offers a "global online interfaith network for users who are spiritual, or religious but unaffiliated." Of note are the core values of the site, which requires that "every Spiritual Leader is genuinely interfaith, LGBTQ embracing, and deeply involved in hands-on charitable efforts in their local communities. Making a donation to these leaders brings resources to the world's neediest people."

The goal of PrayerSpark is to "connect the billions of people among the world's many spiritual and religious beliefs, through the power of positive affirmation."

Feder's original idea to create the website occurred while watching a 2013 news report about former South African President Nelson Mandela's failing health and hospital stay, when viewers were asked to pray for Mandela's recovery. Feder remembered a series of studies at Duke University to test the efficacy of prayer. Subsequent studies demonstrated that prayer can improve health when received from someone perceived as a holy person who cares for your well-being. The affected person suffered less, got well quicker and left the hospital sooner, studies showed.

Feder searched the world to find the spiritual leaders who are now associated with PrayerSpark, linking them over the Internet so that they can deliver prayers, blessings and positive affirmations to needy people anywhere in the world, on demand.

"No matter what the spiritual belief or occasion, PrayerSpark lets you connect to that faith for free," Feder explained.

Feder said PrayerSpark is not sitting idle now that the site has been developed. The team is working on a mobile app for addiction recovery, working with leaders including Solutions Recovery, an addiction recovery center in Las Vegas. The app will allow people recovering from addiction to "surrender to a higher power" of their own choosing, which is an important part of 12-step recovery programs.

Future PrayerSpark apps will be available for cancer hospitals, animal hospitals, end-of-life hospices and funeral homes. Soon, you will be able to add a PrayerSpark prayer to any item you purchase on the Internet, simply by clicking the "Add Prayer" button.

Las Vegas may even see live concert events and spiritual gatherings under the SparkFest trademark.

"I mean, what better place for something like this than a town called 'Sin City,' " Feder asks.

Subramania Siva Yogi, a Hindu yogi from India, and a spiritual leader with PrayerSpark, praised the concept in an email:

"With our world leaders and politicians seemingly incapable of tackling the major problems of our age such as climate change, inequality and widespread political alienation, I think spirituality will play a greater role in the public realm. PrayerSpark has come forward to accomplish the situation and is most welcome and appreciable."

The Rev. Willie Jones, a PrayerSpark leader who helps underprivileged and at-risk youths in Las Vegas, agrees that prayer is essential.

"I grew up on the streets not affiliated with a church," Jones said of his days in Chicago. "I learned very early in life how to escape reality through drugs, alcohol and negative behavior."

Now, in his work helping youths in need, Jones said he has seen a big difference when prayer is included.

"As we go into the adult and youth detention centers, hospitals and throughout the streets, our biggest weapon for change is prayer," he said. "Thanks to PrayerSpark we are able to extend our reach all across the world."

Further information regarding PrayerSpark can be found by visiting www.prayerspark.com.