The Unbound Ministry: A Life-Changing Opportunity to Engage With the Lord

BY MICHELE LAURAIN

Unbound is a non-confrontational deliverance prayer model. The word “deliverance” might sound intimidating, but it simply means the action of being rescued or set free — and that is exactly what the Lord does through the Unbound Ministry. We experience others being set free from the effects of the wounds and traumas of life, or from anything that can keep us from having a closer relationship with God or others: unforgiveness, anger, repetitive sin, selfhatred, addiction... the list goes on. Most people describe the experience as peaceful, affirming, and life-changing.

Unbound is very different than most prayers we are used to receiving, as each private prayer session can take up to two hours. A trained prayer team — consisting of a lead and an intercessor — lovingly hears each story, listening for those places where God’s truths have been replaced by lies: “I don’t belong,” “I can never forgive,” “I’m bad,” etc. Unbound can help anyone who feels they would like the Lord’s help in removing those places of bondage that keep them from moving forward in life and in relationships with Him and others.

The Unbound Ministry was started over 40 years ago by a Catholic couple, Neal and Janet Lozano. I was first introduced to Unbound four and a half years ago by Matilda and Alberto Hildalgo from the House of Prayer while I was facilitating groups for women who had been sexually abused. We began to introduce Unbound prayer at the point where the women were working through forgiveness. The difference was astonishing! I knew I had to be a part of what God was doing with this ministry.

Six of us began the three levels of Unbound training through Unbound Ministry. A year later, Fr. Malley asked me to bring Unbound to St. Timothy as my LPMI project. By the grace of God, there are now over 40 trained ministers able to pray at St. Timothy, St. Lawrence, Sacred HeartDade City, and Christ the King parishes, as well as the teams already ministering at the House of Prayer in Clearwater.

My favorite aspect of this ministry, the reason I think this ministry is important to our parish and why I got involved, is the Lord rescued me from many places of bondage including depression, anxiety, and fear that kept me from living out His plan for me. As a trained Unbound minister, I’m blessed to experience the Lord rescuing others, setting them free to live their lives in the truth of who they are in Him. Unbound is not meant to replace any of our sacraments or counseling. Instead, Unbound can walk alongside any other ministry, Reconciliation, spiritual direction, or counseling in assisting the body of Christ in setting the captives free so we can live out God’s plan for us — benefiting us all as we answer the Lord’s call to bring Heaven to earth.

If you feel the Lord prompting you to get involved in this beautiful ministry or to inquire about personal prayer, please see sainttims.org/unbound or call me personally at 813-388-8169, so we can talk.