. . . sometimes more is, well, more!
Recently I was invited to lead a weekend prayer emphasis at a church. The pastor had invited me to preach and teach several times in the past few years so I was not new to the congregation. It was quickly obvious these members enjoy their fellowship and have a gracious gift of hospitality. But their pastor's increasing appetite for prayer is challenging this church that prays to become a praying church. My challenge was to turn a weekend prayer emphasis into a lifestyle learning experience.
We designed a wall-to-wall schedule:
• Saturday afternoon the congregation had their annual picnic which included a prayerwalk for each family. That evening, after a long day of fun and food, three dozen leaders and teachers met for a workshop on how to facilitate Spirit-led prayer in small groups and classes.
• Sunday school classes, youth through adult, met together for a workshop on how the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6) is the offensive weapon for every armored believer. This word (rhema) of the Spirit from the word (logos) of God gives each of us immediate instruction on who and what to pray for and how to pray in agreement with our Lord.
• Sunday's message was a case study of Epaphras (Colossians 4), a wonderful New Testament example of how to pray proactively toward the life transforming purposes of God for every believer (confidence, maturity) (and even for cities!).
• Sunday afternoon was another prayerwalk, this time targeting the people (neighbors), places (schools, churches, government offices) and things (local issues) of the community.
• Sunday evening concluded with a prayer adventure: a Spirit-led, Scripture-fed, Worship-bred, Congregation prayer gathering. The final segment was devoted to debriefing what we had experienced and learned that day.
Frankly, I was concerned we were asking too much. Young families have already busy schedules on the weekends. Senior saints do not appreciate several trips to the church facility in just 36 hours. Leaders had ongoing weekend ministries. I had prepared myself for underwhelming attendance.
As the weekend went on, I noticed better-than-I-anticipated crowds and, maybe more importantly, folks who demonstrated a voracious appetite for all things prayer. Like their pastor, they were seeking first the kingdom. Default prayer styles and systems were no longer satisying. Their interest was more than a need for a change-of-pace . . . it was biblical (what does the Scripture say about prayer and praying?), theological (how must we think differently in order to pray differently?), personal (how can I apply this concept to my daily intercession?), and congregational (how does this impact our standard, traditional way of praying when we assemble?). They were exchanging a prayer-life for a life of prayer.
On paper, the weekend emphasis was more like a weekend conference. In my mind, too much for any one person or family or even ministry. But, in reality, for many it was an appreciated (and maybe overdue) opportunity for a full course meal. I left, encouraged they had been more than informed; God had further transformed them. Passion was building. Prayers were changing.
It seems to me, sometimes more can really be more!
Pastor Phil
www.praynetwork.org
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