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A Pastor's Perspective on Prayer

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To continue our "Better Together!" series on Corporate Prayer, I want to introduce you to a pastor friend of mine. John Whitsett is the Lead Pastor at Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene in Hastings, Nebraska. I first met him through Pray.Network,  where I read a doctoral thesis he wrote on corporate prayer and revival. John was buried in 15” of snow last week in the Midwest’s “Snowmageddon,” so I had the unusual pleasure of interviewing someone who is normally very busy! 

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What makes these prayers different?

9651013098?profile=originalEarlier today I was talking with someone who was ordering copies of Seek God for the City 2014 for eight churches of her community. She asked me how it was that I came to write and publish these prayers. “Could I tell that story and put the video online?” she asked.
 
My reply was “Yes. I think that might be a cool idea. We can do that.” (So watch for that among the resources on our website). But I went on to tell her that the reason people find the prayers compelling is not because of how God led me and many others to pray for communities up and down the west coast of California. Although that’s an interesting story, it’s not why people find the prayers helpful.
 
I think that the reason these prayers are compelling is that in the midst of the dismay and mind-numbing darkness of our day, God’s Spirit continues to breathe a living idea of hope into our hearts: God will do great things. And that’s why it’s so critically important to pray great things. Yes, we need to pray for some specific needs and urgent requests. But what makes sense to those who love Christ and His appearing is that we should do more than merely seek God’s providing and protecting hand. We have got to seek His face. We yearn to seek the glory His kingdom.
 
This year’s Seek God for the City is designed around these very things. The first 11 days focus on seeking God’s face. The next 29 days guide us to seek His kingdom in our communities. They are prayers of substance, expressing the irrepressible hope that God will outdo Himself to bring light in the midst of the growing darkness of our day.
 
Allow me to remind you to order copies for yourself and others in your church or city. Many have already downloaded the companion app that is designed to heighten the value of the booklet with a few extra features. The app makes it possible for many to keep praying in the midst of hectic schedules. I find it tremendously encouraging to know that I am seeking God along with many thousands of others in these great days.
 
Gladly for His glory,
 
Steve Hawthorne
Director, WayMakers
 
PS: It all starts in one month from today on March 5. The forty days end on Palm Sunday, April 13. Contact our team today at 512.419.7729 to order copies or order online at www.waymakers.org. We still have some copies in Spanish available.

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Pray great things. Hope great things!

9651013098?profile=originalPraying with purpose is simply praying for God to fulfill what He has already begun. Seek God for the City 2014 stirs up this kind of purposeful, “fulfill-it” prayers. Since God’s work is always a story, our best praying will be part of an ongoing story. Instead of using prayer as a “quick-fix” procedure that will supposedly get results if performed correctly, our prayers become a way of collaborating with God.

We’re not pushing to get God started. He’s already doing great things; and He has promised to do even better things. Instead of holding off the worst, our praying can ask for God to bring on the best. God is the one who is orchestrating the united prayer of which we are a part. He’s the one stimulating us to pray as never before.
 
God doesn’t need our prayers, but He wants us to experience the joy of working with Him in bringing new life to many others. And the joy is even greater when we find that we have labored with many others for the fulfillment of God’s longstanding promises. As you stretch your prayers longer and larger, you will do an even better job of praying for everyday needs of others. You’ll be praying in hope.
 
For even more details check out our site at www.waymakers.org or call us at 800.264-5214.
 
There is still a bit more time for leaders in recognized positions of pastoral or prayer leadership to call for a complimentary review copy. Please call our office at 512.419.7729 to request a review booklet.
 
All for His glory,
 
Barb Hawthorne and Stephanie Tucker
 
PS We want to encourage you to place a value on the Seek God for the City booklet if you are distributing them to your congregation. After almost 20 years of providing this resource, we have found that when people personally invest in the prayer guide, they tend to value it more and be more faithful in their praying. And as an additional benefit, churches can easily cover the cost of the books by asking for just a one or two dollar suggested donation.

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As we close the 40-day period of Seek God for the City 2013, the team at WayMakers have heard from some of the thousands who used to the prayer guide to pray beyond themselves toward great things God has promised, many of them for the first time. Here are a few examples:

“I love that you can cover the world in prayer in 40 days.”

“It brought us together to pray strategically for our city.”

“Allowed us to focus on needs outside our four walls.”

“It grows your prayer life by giving you a greater vision for the world.”

 

I've heard from some that are continuing to use Seek God in the months ahead. Someone figured out that this year there are 40 weeks from Palm Sunday to the end of the year. So they are going to be praying one of the 40 prayers during each week for the next 40 weeks.

 

Another way to continue praying is to get the Seek God for the City app. Use the app to set a weekly reminder for yourself and tap “Today’s Prayer” to let the app pick a random prayer for you. If you have last year’s app, switch between the two for an even greater variety. www.waymakers.org/app

 

Mark the dates for next year’s Seek God for the City: March 5 to Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014.

 

I want you to know of two more upcoming opportunities for united prayer.

 

Global Day of Prayer2013   9651009465?profile=original

The Global Day of Prayer is coming soon, giving your church an opportunity to pray with many others around the world. Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013, will be the ninth year that the United States will be participating in the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP). The vision is as simple as it is profound: The glory of Christ and the blessing of all nations.

 

GDOP is more than a one-day event. It begins with ten days of prayer, guided and focused with biblical prayers from Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 18. This follows the example of the ten-day prayer gathering in the upper room before the first Pentecost. A team of international leaders has written the 10-Day Prayer Guide designed to help focus the prayers of people all over the world. Download and print or photocopy all the copies you need. www.gdopusa.com/resources/prayer-guide

 

On May 19, 2013, Christians will gather to pray and repent with sincere hearts and united hopes. Once again we will be gathering locally but praying globally. This year we will see even more of an emphasis on local churches praying the “Prayer for the World” as part of their normal Pentecost Sunday services.

 

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World  9651009066?profile=original

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World invite you to pray, using a special prayer guide called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. This annual prayer guide calls Christians from all over the world to pray for Muslims during Ramadan, July 9 to August 7, 2013. This is a great way to pray with informed wisdom and hope for Muslim neighbors, and Muslims around the world. Never before has the Muslim world needed more prayer. Check out a few sample pages and order this full-color, 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days. A single copy is $3 with discounts as great as 60%. The booklets will be available the first week of May. Order today.

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9651009465?profile=original The Global Day of Prayer is just a month away. This will be the ninth year that the United States will be participating in this sustained prayer movement. GDOP is a call to encounter God in repentance and prayer for the glory of Christ and the blessing of the nations. God is calling us to humble ourselves and to pray so that He will fill our communities, and all the earth, with His glory.

 

Invite your church to join together on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013. “A Prayer for the World” is a powerful prayer that takes about 4-5 minutes to pray together. However, there are endless possibilities of what GDOP may look like. Inspire others by showing the 2-minute video of gatherings large and small from around the world. As nations are praying together across the globe, the USA has the honor of offering the “Amen” to the prayers of so many. www.gdopusa.com/resources/a-prayer-for-the-world

 

GDOP is more than a one-day event. It begins with ten days of prayer, guided and focused with biblical prayers from Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 18. This follows the example of the ten-day prayer gathering in the upper room before the first Pentecost. Download a copy of the prayer guide to share with the leadership at your church. Or pray through it yourself. You may not be praying with “the 120” that were in the upper room on Pentecost, but you will be praying with many others from around the world. www.gdopusa.com/resources/prayer-guide

 

Never underestimate the impact of a small, well-organized gathering of a few churches, as it can be a great catalyst to propel your community forward in the coming months and years. The Global Day Organizer Guide offers some great ideas. www.gdopusa.com/resources/global-day-organizer-guide

 

For Christ’s glory,

 

Stephanie Tucker

Global Day of Prayer USA

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As we close the 40-day period of Seek God for the City 2013, the team at WayMakers have heard from some of the thousands who used to the prayer guide to pray beyond themselves toward great things God has promised, many of them for the first time. Here are a few examples:

“I love that you can cover the world in prayer in 40 days.”

“It brought us together to pray strategically for our city.”

“Allowed us to focus on needs outside our four walls.”

“It grows your prayer life by giving you a greater vision for the world.”

I've heard from some that are continuing to use Seek God in the months ahead. Someone figured out that this year there are 40 weeks from Palm Sunday to the end of the year. So they are going to be praying one of the 40 prayers during each week for the next 40 weeks.

Another way to continue praying is to get the Seek God for the City app. Use the app to set a weekly reminder for yourself and tap “Today’s Prayer” to let the app pick a random prayer for you. If you have last year’s app, switch between the two for an even greater variety. www.waymakers.org/app

Mark the dates for next year’s Seek God for the City: March 5 to Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014.

I want you to know of two more upcoming opportunities for united prayer.

Global Day of Prayer 20139651009465?profile=original

The Global Day of Prayer is coming soon, giving your church an opportunity to pray with many others around the world. Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013, will be the ninth year that the United States will be participating in the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP). The vision is as simple as it is profound: The glory of Christ and the blessing of all nations.

GDOP is more than a one-day event. It begins with ten days of prayer, guided and focused with biblical prayers from Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 18. This follows the example of the ten-day prayer gathering in the upper room before the first Pentecost. A team of international leaders has written the 10-Day Prayer Guide designed to help focus the prayers of people all over the world. Download and print or photocopy all the copies you need. www.gdopusa.com/resources/prayer-guide

On May 19, 2013, Christians will gather to pray and repent with sincere hearts and united hopes. Once again we will be gathering locally but praying globally. This year we will see even more of an emphasis on local churches praying the “Prayer for the World” as part of their normal Pentecost Sunday services.

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World9651009066?profile=original

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World invite you to pray, using a special prayer guide called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. This annual prayer guide calls Christians from all over the world to pray for Muslims during Ramadan, July 9 to August 7, 2013. This is a great way to pray with informed wisdom and hope for Muslim neighbors, and Muslims around the world. Never before has the Muslim world needed more prayer. Check out a few sample pages and order this full-color, 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days. A single copy is $3 with discounts as great as 60%. The booklets will be available the first week of May. Order today.

 

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WayMakers would like to commend this very timely prayer guide called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. As you may know, Muslims observe a 30-day period of fasting, prayer and seeking God every year that they call "Ramadan." This is an ideal time to pray for God's purposes of love to be fulfilled in their lives and families. This year Ramadan falls on July 9 to August 7, 2013. An international movement of intercession for the Muslim world has prepared this marvelous prayer guide. Because it is translated in more than 20 languages, there will be Christians from all over the world praying for Muslims.

 

The turbulence of today’s world may be slowly hardening the hearts of some Christians against the Muslim world. Bible trusting Christians are among those most likely to pray for Muslim neighbors and nations. I urge you to get your personal copy soon. As you look through the guide, think of other friends who you will want to invite to join with you. Order copies for them. Think of involving your church in this special time.

 

This full-color, illustrated prayer guide is a proven tool to help Christians pray with informed wisdom and hope for Muslim neighbors across the street, and Muslim people around the world. Each day focuses on a specific issue or area of the Islamic world. As you read through it and pray, you’ll gain a better understanding of Muslims and find your hope increase for God’s purpose among all peoples. A special “Just for Kids” edition is also available.

 

Check out a few sample pages and order this 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days/#sample-pages. WayMakers has made it easy to order from our website or by phone. The cost begins at $3 for a single copy ($3.50 for kids) with discounts as great as 60% when ordered in quantity. Check out the details online at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days or call me at 512.419.7729.

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Seek God for the City: Fulfill-it prayers!

From Steve Hawthorne--

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In these crazy days I want to urge you to continue praying with full-hearted confidence that God will act in the midst of our communities and families in ways that glorify His Son.

The only way I’ve seen people live and pray in such confidence is when their hope is shaped by God’s word and fixated on the life-giving power of the risen Son of God.

Without the word of God our prayers usually shrink to become what one pastor called, “fix-it” prayers. Too easily we are focused on our needs and we are defined by what we fear. Instead, that same pastor found that having his people pray through Seek God for the City helped them pray what he called, “fulfill-it” prayers, focused on what God has promised to do.

So let’s pray with the Scriptures. Let’s help each other stand and thrive in the truth of the Word of God. Let’s pray what God has promised with a sustained faith.

Seek God for the City 2013 is packed with newly written prayers designed to help ordinary people grow in hope. Look over a review copy and pray two or three of these prayers. Consider how these prayers can encourage people in your church or network of friends.

We still have some review copies for pastors and prayer leaders. Ordering is easy on our website (www.waymakers.org), or call us (800-264-5214) to learn about bulk discounts and how to help people from different congregations pray together in sustainable ways.

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E-n-l-a-r-g-i-n-g the meaning…

One of the most familiar “group prayer” questions is, “Would you lead us in prayer?”  Everyone knows what it means.  But if we are going to be most effective in facilitating corporate prayer, we will want to broaden the meaning of this very familiar question. Here is what I wrote in United and Ignited.


 I have the privilege of sharing at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon a few times per year on the topic of dynamic corporate prayer.  One day as I was concluding 4 hours of “show and tell” on the topic, I glanced at the clock and realized I had just about one minute to sum up all I wanted them to catch. 

Here is what I said: 

I think I can say nearly everything I want you to walk away with in less than one minute.  My hope is that because of our time together today the meaning of the question “Would you lead us in prayer?” has been enlarged.  From: “Bill, would you lead us in prayer?”  And Bill stands, speaks, we listen, he says amen, and he has led us in prayer.  To: “Bill, would you lead us in prayer?”  And Bill says, “Sure, I would be happy to lead us in prayer.  I have been thinking about Psalm 90:14 (or a host of other verses or topics) which says, ‘Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love…’  Let’s close (or open) our time in prayer today by considering the things about God that deeply satisfy us.  I will give you a moment to consider what you would like to say, then I will start, and let’s have about 5 or 6 others of you follow right after me…”  Then after Bill pauses for 10-15 seconds, he prays, “Father, Your grace deeply satisfies me.”  Then, someone else might say, “Father, the blood of Your Son deeply satisfied You and it deeply satisfies me.”  Or “Father, being part of Your Body has satisfied my deep need to belong.” Perhaps others would mention, His peace, His mercy, His joy, or His calling, etc. 

     The specifics of the illustration should change from setting to setting, but I think you get the picture.  Leading a group in prayer can (and in most settings I would say should) include giving many people in the group an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the prayer.  It does not have to take any longer than if just one person prayed.  Your leadership, your prayer direction, brings the opportunity for the group to pray in the power of unity.

When we ask someone to lead us in worship, we don’t expect a solo, we expect him or her to do that which will help us express our hearts to the Lord.  Why should it be different when we ask someone to lead us in prayer?  Why not anticipate that the person who leads us in prayer would actually help us all pray rather than just pray on our behalf?

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Prepare to Pray in 2013

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Next year’s Seek God for the City came off press last week. That is earlier than ever before. Here’s why: The WayMakers team thought it would be important to have it in the hands of leaders before the election in order to encourage God’s people to be ready to pray together next year with solid biblical hope.

I’m sure you are praying now along with millions of others. The crisis our country faces is heightened by the election. Have you thought about how to encourage united prayer after the political crisis? The early months of 2013 will be a crucial time. Regardless of how the voting turns out, the challenges we face are far greater than any political solution. That’s why we want you to examine Seek God for the City 2013 now. It may be a very worthy and valuable tool coming at an ideal time (February 13 - March 24) for the people you lead.

As in previous years, Seek God for the City is designed to unite and focus prayer through the 40 days leading to Palm Sunday, February 13 through March 24, 2013. Check out the details at www.waymakers.org or call us at 800-264-5214.

We have been able to keep the same affordable prices. Quantity discounts make the 64-page booklet available for as little as $1.20 a copy. That makes it possible to equip many in your church or community for much less than the $3 single copy price.

Please get your review copy soon. I hope you find this tool to be helpful and encouraging for those you lead. But regardless of how Seek God for the City may be used, let’s be sure to pray in united hope in the early days of 2013.

Yours in hope,

Steve Hawthorne, Director
WayMakers

PS We are offering a complimentary review copy to leaders in recognized positions of pastoral or prayer leadership. Call our office at 800-264-5214 to request a review copy.

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I’ve been delighted with the magnificent photo on the cover of this year’s Seek God for the City. The beautiful city, bathed in light, with a river running through it, is Calgary, Alberta, if you’re wondering. Several friends have asked. Only a few days ago I had an insight about that image that I’d like to share with you.

9651004883?profile=originalAs many do around the turn of the year, I was at home pondering the days ahead. On the table beside me was a copy of Seek God for the City 2012. Recently, I’ve been meditating on Psalm 46. Somehow one phrase from the psalm lit up in full color: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.”

 

Elsewhere in that Psalm there are nations that roar; there are kingdoms that tremble; there are wars and weapons that bring desolation. But in the midst of all the raging chaos, there is a city, unshaken by the noise, sustained with a fearless joy by God Himself. And there is a river that flows, sourced in heaven’s life. But it’s not just one river with a single channel. It has streams, many of them. That gives me hope. Just a little stream of God’s river can bring to life the gladness of hope, the fearlessness of faith and the awesome hush of love.

 

But it wasn’t just that river with many streams that I saw symbolized on the cover of Seek God for the City, it was the light of morning. Consider these astounding words: “God will help her when morning dawns.” Do you realize that this means that it is not yet the morning? We are even now in the darkest hour before the dawn. God’s presence is steady as a river. But He is coming like a long-awaited dawn. And He will help her (the city is somehow a feminine entity) when that day comes.

 

Even though the photo depicts a sunset on the city, I was moved by the truth of the coming dawn. How bright the coming of our Lord. How sure His help even now in the day of trouble!

 

And that was all it took to remind me that amidst all of the other projects and urgencies before me, that I am summoned to pray with the joy of hope. An important part of prayer is knowing what to say. But a greater aspect of prayer is hearing what God is saying. In the midst of the noise of these crazy days, I recognized that God was calling me to hush, to be still, to listen and to know and behold what His works and purpose are all about.

 

So I’m going to be praying in these days. I want to urge you to do the same. Seek God for the City can be a tool to help you and the people who walk with you to pray with steady uplifted hope. But whether you use this resource or not, let’s pray great things. The river flows. The unshakable city stands steady. And the morning soon dawns.

 

Yours in hope,

 

Steve Hawthorne

 

PS: This year we’ll be releasing Seek God for the City as an app. It’s almost ready. Watch for it in the first days of February. Go to www.waymakers.org/seek-god-for-the-city.html.

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It’s true. I long for a day when prayer seldom will be mentioned in church. Now before you drop your membership to CPLN or report me to the heresy watchdogs, let me explain.

 

My dream is to see churches so committed to prayer that it is just done! It is so much a part of the spiritual DNA of a congregation that no one has to beg “please come to this prayer gathering.” People just come to pray.

Or the worship leader or prayer leader doesn’t have to fight for space to get some prayer times in the morning worship service . . . it is expected. Or people naturally participate in group prayer and get excited about what God is going to do in response. Or before or after a service you see pairs of people with heads bowed, praying for each other . . . spontaneously. Or when a decision is hard to come by in a board meeting, everyone realizes that they need to spend some time in prayer . . . and someone just starts praying!

Wow! Wouldn’t that be something.

So why isn’t that the DNA of most western churches? There are lots of possible reasons. Of course Satan hates to see a praying church, so he is working mightily against that happening. But I suspect there is another reason that is pretty prevalent in churches.

Prayer and its results cannot be controlled. And we like control.

In our western society today, rare is the church that does not adhere to a tried and true order of a service . . . and a pretty set time that the service should take (an hour, an hour and 15 minutes and so on). So because that is what the people want, and what seems to work the smoothest, we time everything (there is even program software to help us do it!), and schedule everything to make sure it fits the popular timeframe. So even if a pastor, as he prepares his message “gets something from the Lord,” it has to fit in 25 minutes . . . or he can beg the worship leader to remove a song or two, but that could be dicey. Easier just to shorten the message.  In that kind of a setting prayer is pretty much a perfunctory thing that we control. No one is really encouraged to pray, “in the spirit,” sensing what the Holy Spirit would have them pray. Instead, the pray-er knows to keep it short and to stick to the purpose—is the prayer a welcome, a bridge to something else, etc.  Heaven forbid if the person praying starts to get moved and prays too long. That would really muck up the plan.

Any church elder’s meeting or board meeting begins with prayer--usually one or two people, asking God for wisdom and to bless the meeting. A smaller number of boards might spend 15-30 minutes or more in prayer, but that is rare. And very few boards indeed would think to break into the meeting with prayer at a crucial roadblock moment. Why? Perhaps the reason is as sadly innocent as no one thinks enough of the importance of prayer to remember to do so . . . but I think the underlying issue of giving up control is at work here too. You see when we actually use prayer as a way to seek real direction from God—to hear His heart on a matter—we give up control. We have to obey what we hear. And that is often too uncomfortable for boards and leaders to do because the status quo may change. Years ago I was in a very uncomfortable situation at a ministry where I worked. A core of us had heard God say to do something differently. We had worked through it and discussed it, feeling this was of God. But when push came to shove with obedience, neither the individual who would have to incorporate this change nor our leadership would do it. It was not what conventional wisdom said to do . . . and what the industry typically did. It is much easier not to seek God!

Prayer cannot be controlled. Prayer opens the door to change, to rearrangement, to going off bulletin, to seeing the power of God displayed in the midst of His people. Prayer gives the Spirit “permission” to respond in whatever way He wants to respond. And deep down, our western, gotta-be-in-control mindset does not want to go there.

A recent news story in the premiere issue of Prayer Connect, “Mercy Drops of Revival” tells what happened when a pastor listened to God and threw away his comfortable plan. Prayer took over, and a mini revival that lasted several months profoundly altered his ministry. (You can read this article in the news section at prayerconnect.net.)


For many, sadly, that is too dangerous, and unconsciously prayer is kept in a safe, perfunctory, filler role in the life of a church. As a prayer leader or church leader, I encourage you to pray that God will open the eyes and hearts of your church leadership to realize that they must give up control . . . and pray.

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Empowering Kids to Pray

Do the children in your church know that their prayers are as important as adults’ prayers?
Until recently, it never occurred to me that children might not know how much their prayers matter. But a couple of weeks ago I heard about a church in South Africa that was a bit surprised when, after inviting the children to intercede for one another one Sunday, the children felt empowered.  “Usually only adults pray for each other in church,” the children’s pastor pointed out, but this time they were also being given the opportunity to pray. It made them feel important.”
“This particular day the Sunday school teacher spoke on Hannah and how she went to the temple to pray,” Pastor Noeleen Smerdon explained in an email.  “During her lesson she noticed how sad the kids were, so she began to speak about Hannah’s feelings and how her sadness drove her to the temple.  Then she asked the children to talk about what they were feeling. 
“One little boy whose grandfather had just died said he missed him badly. A little girl spoke about how she was sad because her mother was getting another baby. Each child spoke of his or her challenges and feelings.  The teacher then explained that when we feel down we must pray and praise.  She asked them to pray for each other. And what a rejoicing there was because the kids felt empowered that they could also pray for each other!”
Learning from what happened that special Sunday, Pastor Noeleen said that church leadership now encourages children to pray, practice discernment, praise and dance in the church services that used to be geared primarily toward adults.
The children report being encouraged by their new prayer empowerment, Pastor Noeleen said. “Just last week a boy came to me and said ‘Pastor Noeleen, a miracle took place! We prayed in Sunday school and I am healed of asthma! God is awesome.’”
No Junior Holy Spirit
Jonathan Graf, the founding editor of Pray! magazine, likes to say that “There is no Junior Holy Spirit.” The same Holy Spirit who fills and empowers adults fills and empowers children. Of course Jesus didn’t make a distinction either. If anything, He was preferential to children, warning adults not to hinder them in coming to Him “for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). 
I’m sure our churches don’t mean to hinder children from coming to God in prayer. But are there more ways we could encourage them so that they know that they can pray for one another and that their prayers are just as important as any adult’s? 
My church is having a 24-hour prayer vigil Easter weekend, with groups of people praying in one-hour shifts from Good Friday evening until Holy Saturday evening. To prepare the congregation for this event, we decided to interview several adults who have inspiring prayer stories during the church services leading up to that weekend. Almost as an afterthought, one of our planning team members suggested, “What about a child? Jeremy [not his real name] asked for prayer after the church service one Sunday and God really came through for him. Let’s ask him to share his story during the children’s sermon.” 
And so we did. After he shared, the children were invited to write their prayer requests on hand-shaped pieces of paper. These “hands” were placed on sticks and then on Palm Sunday, when ordinarily the children come into the sanctuary waving palm branches, instead they lifted up their prayers. And it is my prayer that these children will feel empowered, too, knowing just how much their prayers matter to God.
Pastor Noeleen’s church and mine aren’t the only ones who intentionally invite the children to pray. In a Pray! article from 2009, Carol Madison wrote about what happened in her church. 
I recently led a prayer gathering for elementary school-aged kids that was filled with refreshingly simple, pure prayers. We put an open microphone in the center of the room and watched as the children, who at first felt a little shy and self-conscious, one by one gained the courage to pray aloud in front of the entire group. Soon the line to the microphone was long as the children would pray a short prayer and then run to the back of the line to wait their turn again. Their prayers ranged from “Jesus, I worship You” to “God, please be with all the children who don’t have dads at hone.”
For the next 45 minutes the kids prayed with simplicity and abandonment. Afterward several of them stated it was the most fun they had ever had praying and pleaded with me to use the microphone again at the next prayer gathering.
In another issue of Pray! (2007) Brad Jersak wrote about inviting children to pray for him during the communion service at his church:
One of my favorite meetings at the Lord’s Table is with Allison, a precious little girl whose parents adopted her into their family.  When she was not yet three years old, she already was serving communion with her mom. She would say to me, “You need prayer. I want to pray for you. I want to put oil on you.” She would smear oil on my forehead, then lay her fingers there and pray. The last time she prayed for me, a migraine I had been suffering with for several days disappeared in the space of about one minute. In our fellowship, children have led us on a path to healed hearts and bodies. We are taking the prayers and ministry of children seriously. 
How are children being encouraged to pray at your church? If you have an inspiring or creative children’s prayer story, will you share it with the rest of us here at PrayNetwork?        
                                                                               
—Cynthia Bezek                            
P.S. For more encouragement about inviting children to pray, visit the Pray! archives and look up these great articles:
http://www.navpress.com/magazines/archives/article.aspx?id=14348                                                                                                                      
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Hearing God Together


Whenever I read Jesus’ last recorded prayer—“that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity” (John 17:22-23) I add my “amen,” but usually with a certain poignancy. The corporate unity He prayed for has always seemed so elusive to me. How can we get our ministry teams, churches, Christian organizations, families—any group of two or three believers gathered in His name—to operate in one accord?

Yet, somehow the early church seemed to find unity, even when they had to make important decisions and handle conflicts. I’ve been thinking about that lately, asking God what we can learn from them so we, also, can fulfill Jesus’ desire and prayer.

Two examples stand out to me from Acts. In chapter 13, while the church worships and fasts together corporately, they hear the Holy Spirit say that they are to send out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries (v. 2, emphasis added). They agree with God and one another, lay hands on them and send them off. Then, two chapters later, Luke reports a huge conflict about what is to be required of the Gentile believers who have recently come to faith. After much discussion and debate, the apostles and elders with the whole church wrote a letter with their decision. In the letter they state, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28) and they move forward with what they heard from God and each other.

In neither of these cases do we learn the exact process by which the believers got onto the same page with each other and God. But we do know that they had a habit of meeting together to worship, pray, and listen to one another and God. I think we can learn something from that.

In the past few months, three significantly different ministries that I’m a part of have been trying to practice listening-together-to-get-on-the-same-page. Some attempts seem more successful than others, but overall, I’m hopeful. In one group we needed to make a decision about our participation in a specific event that we each held different opinions about. In another we wanted to know God’s heart for the people we serve so that we could get onboard with Him. In the third, we wanted to hear Him about specific strategies for doing His work.

Although the exact methods differed, there were some definite commonalities in the ways the three different groups approached listening to God corporately. In each case:

1. Someone started the time by asking God a specific question out loud
2. We took time alone in silence (depending on the group, this ranged from 10 minutes to the better part of a day)
3. During the silence each of us individually jotted down our impressions of what we thought God might be saying
4. We came back together and compared notes on what we were hearing, and noted where several of us were hearing similar things.
5. Based on where we found agreement, we took that as confirmation and talked about next steps for moving ahead.

I’m still new at this, but in each of these recent experiences, I’ve been encouraged. I’m not sure it’s the actual method that matters so much as the group’s acknowledgement that apart from Him we can do nothing, that we need His Spirit in order to come together as His body, and that we’re going to take time to be quiet and listen for what He has to say—together. It seems like God honors our desire to honor Him in this way. And I get excited because I’m starting to see that maybe Jesus’ prayer for unity could actually be answered! I want that, don’t you?

—Cynthia Bezek

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"Again I say unto you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven" ( Matt. 18:19 NKJV)

I love praying corporately with a group of women on Tuesday and Friday morning or with my intercessory prayer team at church. When we are on one accord,in harmony on the prayer focus, even if the tune varies, its heavenly, powerful and freeing.

Corporate prayer is important to our Father because he wants believers to come together to pray. He wants to bring the church together to pray. He gives us His promise of faithfulness and much more to those who are willing to press their way to come together to pray on one accord in "agreement". Praying women and men in agreement energizes our praying.

The scripture lets us know that a special power is promised through corporate prayer. God can do things through agreeing prayers of the church , just like we see in the book of Acts when the church came together, that He may not do( He is sovereign ) through individual efforts. Author Sue Curran wrote in "The Power of Agreement in Corporate Prayer" as follows:

The prayer ministry of the church accomplishes much. The prayer gathering does more than enlarge the channel through which God will bless and give victory to His people; it actually moves us into an entirely different realm of power .

...

We move in a realm in which results are calculated exponentially. We move from the realm of addition to multiplication.... Corporate praying is the key to exponential power in prayer. See Sue Curran "The Praying Church: Principles and Power of Corporate Praying".

When every one is praying in "symphony" and is playing the same piece- a concert, in agreement, according to the will of God , He moves to answer, deliever and heal.

Let us come together this weekend in unified prayer "Down by the Riverside" in the city of Detroit and in all the cities of this country.

If you cannot attend this prayer gathering, join us where you are and let us know . Send your prayer focus or requests to ldfaygo@aol.com or post them in the comment

LYDIA CIRCLE OF CHRISTIAN BUSINESS WOMEN

Prayer Team Ministry

cordially invites you and your family to the 13th Annual

"DOWN BY THE RIVER SIDE" PRAYER GATHERING AT HART PLAZA

Saturday, August 28, 2010 7 AM-8:30 AM (Morning Prayer)

“And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the river side, where prayer was continually made; ….” Acts 16:13

At HART PLAZA-Woodward & Jefferson Ave. Detroit (near the fountain)

Calling all the Intercessors, Prayer teams, women and men of the city, and your families to join us there. My praying sisters and brothers press by the Holy Spirit to gather there to pray for:

  • City of Detroit, Families, Youth, Public Schools, the Economy, jobs and businesses, Salvation and Repentance,
  • Bring a friend, family member, neighbor and children
  • PRAYER CHANGES THINGS. A UNITED PRAYER CRY CAN SHAKE THE PRISON WALLS AND RELEASE THE CAPTIVE from sin, bondage, etc. and release God’s will on earth and the blessings of God

contact LDFaygo@aol.com L. Fegins, The Prayer Leader

Founder/Visionary: Missionary Minetta Hare

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Secrets to Facilitating Corporate Prayer

By Phil Miglioratti


As church leaders realize the need for more and fresher corporate praying, they recognize a critical need for people who can facilitate, rather than merely moderate. Moderators typically depend on printed prayer lists, requests offered by the group, and predictable methods and structures to guide the prayer time. Facilitators, on the other hand, make the whole experience easier to do, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide the content and format of the prayer time. By relying on Him instead of a rigid agenda, they enable the group to pray in line with the mind of Christ about the matters close to the Father’s heart.


Good facilitating requires being mindful of the process that takes place before, during, and after the prayer gathering. Facilitators have taken the time to discover the “secrets” of leading a group into the presence of the God.


Before

Biblical facilitating is mostly about obedient listening. If you are the facilitator, the prayer meeting begins for you hours, even days, before the actual meeting as you ask the Holy Spirit to set the focus and design the format. Begin by asking God to design the upcoming prayer time. Try these suggestions:

  • Note impressions or ideas that come to you as you begin to pray, for instance the Holy Spirit may reveal Scriptures, songs, even stories that you can use as you facilitate prayer
  • As the meeting draws near, pray over the ideas and ask the Lord to clarify the main purpose of the prayer meeting
  • As the Spirit guides you, design a loose format for your time together

During

Be ready to make adjustments to your original plan in order to avoid hindering the Spirit as the group moves forward in prayer.


You will grow in these abilities to facilitate as you identify and sharpen the skills and tools the Lord has provided for you for your strategic roles. These include your:

  • ability to hear God speak to your spirit
  • skill at discerning God’s voice in the prayers of His people
  • readiness to yield to the leadership of the Spirit
  • employing your senses, for example…

Eyes – Ask the Spirit to show you what is happening in the spiritual realm through what you see in the physical realm. Look for signs of boredom (yawning?), conviction (tears?), seeking the Lord (searching Scripture
without being asked?). Then, ask Him to help you discern how to continue.

Ears – Listen to the heart of the prayers being offered. If several persons pray on a particular theme or issue, that may be a sign that the Holy Spirit wants to park there for a while. Be ready to gently remind people to stay on topic and make certain it has been covered before introducing a new topic or request. Refuse to rush; wait for the Holy
Spirit to show you when it’s time to move on.

Voice – You need not wait until the session is over to ask for feedback. Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit as He inspires the reading of Scripture, and through the prayers or observations of others. Ask questions such
as:

  • What are you hearing in the passage we just read?
  • Does anyone else have a prayer on this theme before we move on?

Feet – When you divide the corporate body into small groups, walk around and listen to their prayers. This is a lifeline for you as you seek to facilitate the entire group. Your purpose is not to judge their prayers but to know how well each group is praying according to the plan the Holy Spirit is unfolding.


After

Some of the best lessons on facilitating a group prayer dynamic are learned by listening to the participants discuss their experience in a “debrief”segment. The purpose of a “debrief” is to help participants feel comfortable with a new form or style of praying by talking about their experience and even voicing their difficulty or concern. A few simple questions after the prayer session has concluded usually prompt beneficial observations and good insights:

  • What was your experience like?
  • Was this style of praying different? Difficult?
  • How did the Spirit lead us?
  • What did you hear the Lord saying?
  • Any surprises? Concerns? Questions?
  • How did you feel when I asked us to…?

If your request is met with silence, don’t panic; silently pray for the Spirit to reveal something helpful through the comments of His people. You will gain valuable insight into the attitude and readiness of the group, allowing you to adjust the speed of change and the amount of instruction the next time you pray together.


Of course the most effective prayer experiences are led by the Holy Spirit, but He is always looking for skilled people to get the group on the path and point the way.


Note>>>

  • Phil has also written a chapter in a new textbook on prayer. Click here to view/purchase Giving Ourselves to Prayer.
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