The Prayer Saturated Church

[Mike Pearson]

The Prayer Saturated Church with CD; A Comprehensive Handbook for Prayer Leaders
by Cheryl Sacks
NavPress
NavPress.com

I have a strong belief that prayer is the foundation of every truly successful Christian organization. As such, I have been considering expanding the prayer ministry within our local congregation and encouraging our city-wide coalition of churches and ministries to move to the next level. This book provides the details on how to accomplish those goals.

The purpose of this book is clearly stated in the sub-title, “A comprehensive handbook for prayer leaders.” Ms Sacks states that thousands of pastors and prayer leaders know of the need to make prayer a priority in their church, but don't know where to begin. She wrote this book “to help fill the gap–to provide comprehensive, practical, and strategic material for mobilizing prayer in the local church.”

The author spends little time writing about the need for prayer and the lack of it in the local church. She assumes the reader is a mature christian who understands the importance of prayer and has a passion for making their church a “house of prayer.” She is obviously a checklist-oriented personality, and this is a real strength of this book.

Much of the text focuses on the relationship between the pastor and the prayer leader. Each needs the other. Prayer leaders don't have pulpits. Pastors have many competing responsibilities. Ms Sacks even provides the agenda for the first meeting between the prayer leader and the pastor.

Ms Sacks emphasizes the importance of developing a prayer leader team, instead of a lone-hero leadership approach. She talks of the need for a leadership team, who should be on the team, how should the team operate, etc.

Other topics include detailed instructions on motivating your church to pray, designing a house of prayer strategy, leading corporate prayer gatherings, praying outside the church walls.

This edition comes with a CD filled with templates, each in both doc and pdf formats. The list of files runs to four printed pages. There are templates for job descriptions, sample letters, checklists for meetings and organizing, questionnaires, sample budgets, etc. Details on how to do everything; drawing on years of experience.

Pastors, elders, prayer leaders, city reachers, and intercessors would best benefit from this book. This is a must read for anyone starting a new prayer ministry in their congregation or their city, or for anyone hoping to revive a stagnating one. There is a special “For Pastor's Only” section in several chapters.

Questions for readers:
1. How has prayer impacted your church or organization?

2. Is your church known as a “house of prayer.” By members? By the community?

3. What have you done to reinvigorate prayer in your congregation?

4. How are you training for prayer?