Phil,
Any ideas to shake up a weeknight prayer time at church?
I'll try to give a few responses that I hope are more than cosmetic.
- Meet in a home (or homes, if the size of the group warrants) for two weeks, then when you return to the church facility (assuming you meet there regularly), start with a debrief:
- What was your experience?
- What was different? Better? Not as good?
- Did we pray differently (why)?
- Were we all more engaged? (if so, why not when we are here?)
- Like a progressive dinner, meet in several different rooms in the church facility:
- Start in your regular location; pray for the Holy Spirit's filling and guiding as you move and pray throughout the facility
- Move to the children - youth - adult study room and pray for those who gather there
- Pray in the room(s) where decisions are made and ask the Lord to forgive us for presumption in the past and ask for clear guidance in the future
- Stop at the offices and pray for pastor and staff
- Give thanks for good fellowship at the kitchen and pray for members who need rejuvenated health
- Sanctuary - stop and pray at the pulpit, choir/worship team area, baptistry, sit in seats usually empty ...
- On Sunday, distribute a prayer point template to everyone, asking them to prayerfully make notes and bring it with them to the Wednesday night gathering:
- Ask the Lord to give you a scripture verse to use as a prayer foundation (space to write the verse)
- Ask the Holy Spirit to give you names of persons in our congregation you will pray for (space for)
- Ask the Father to reveal his heart of love for ____ (community, country, culture)
- Another prayer template:
- Worship - write a scripture that extols how grand and glorious or God is
- Fellowship - list the names and needs of 3-4 church members
- Leadership - list and pray for someone who leads or serves in our congregation
- Stewardship - ask the Lord to tell you how to pray that we would become generous, reliable stewards of the money, time and talent he has gifted to us
- Discipleship - pray for children and youth by name, asking that they will grow strong and straight in God's love and call to lifelong obedience and service
- Partnership - pray for the needs of mission partners, a new church plant ...
Feedback welcomed!
Phil
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