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 A Prayer Guidebook for Churches and Associations
Challenging believers to reclaim the church as a house of prayer with a passion for lost people
By C. Thomas Wright
"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us…." Psalm 90:17
"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. 5:17
Specific, biblical prayer makes a dynamic difference in the lives of the families and churches that make up associations. This truth became very evident when our family gathered at the bedside of my dying mother. She was struggling to stay with the family she loved. We told her we loved her and would miss her but it was okay to leave the suffering of her cancer behind.
Dad led us in prayer for the Lord to grant us His comfort and to open the gates for mom to come home. God answered that prayer. Minutes later she stirred from her coma. She looked past us, smiled real big and nodded her head "yes." She released my hand and took Christ’s hand as she stepped on shore in heaven.
There was so much answered prayer evident in her last days. Mom lived only three weeks after the diagnosis of colon cancer. The local family members were in her room even though we did not know her death was imminent. The Hindu doctor was amazed at the peace our family felt and that none of us feared death. The testimony of Mom’s death has allowed the opportunity for ongoing witness to Him and others about the difference that Christ makes in our lives.
Associations across North America have a wonderfully unique opportunity. They can guide churches to listen to the Spirit for a powerful and comprehensive prayer ministry that touches families in every church and community. Prayer needs to be the foundation of everything in the life and ministry of every believer. It comforts, encourages, and empowers. However, it needs commitment to become a primary ministry of every church and association.
A. The Resource Kit
This Resource Kit includes overhead cell masters, a CD Rom and a guidebook. The CD contains a copy of the overhead cell masters, a Powerpoint presentation file, and a self executing Powerpoint presentation that does not require the Powerpoint software.
B. Purpose of this Guidebook
This guidebook prayerfully seeks:
- To identify ways to hear and respond to the call of God to pray.
- To encourage believers to seek the Holy Spirit for a prayer ministry strategy in an association or church that can be customized to their specific needs.
The resulting strategy provides a specific process to challenge believers to reclaim the church as a house of prayer with a passion for lost people. The strategy helps associations and churches create a prayer ministry that is foundational to everything done in and through their ministries.
Each section in this guidebook is in response to many requests for help from those who hear the call to pray. The response includes transforming lifeless rituals of prayer and witness into dynamic relationships with God and humankind. This information helps state, provincial, associational and church prayer coordinators. It was compiled with help from many Director’s of Missions (DOM’s), associational and state leaders and prayer coordinators.
C. More Than a Strategy or a Ministry
Prayer is broader than a strategy and is not a human made activity for the church. Biblical prayer is in response to the initiative of God. This guidebook tries to avoid presenting prayer as a program or a lifeless ritual.
Prayer also is broader than a typical prayer ministry. A prayer ministry coordinator advises, "Having prayer as a ministry should not limit prayer to a few people on the sidelines. A prayer ministry helps churches and associations saturate with prayer everything done in and through their other ministries."
God is calling His people to prayer and revival as He has done before each spiritual awakening. It is the responsibility of each believer to respond. Surveys indicate the majority of believers and unbelievers believe in prayer. There is a need for reclaiming biblical, specific prayer as a priority.
A professor commented, "North America has little hope of surviving the 21st century without a spiritual awakening." According to 2 Chr. 7:14, the awakening will come when God’s people seek His face, turn from wicked ways, humble themselves, and pray. Seeking God’s face implies being in right relationship with Him. Too often prayer seeks God’s hands and what He will give us or do for us. Revival and awakening need to characterize the desire of the believer’s heart.
D. An Associational Luncheon
One pastor said, "I always supported the associational and denominational meetings. But my heart was crying out for spiritual nurture. I wanted more than to eat and chat."
Revival is needed when believers treat holy things with mundane attitudes. We need to keep a sense of awe and gratitude to be ambassadors of the King (See 2 Cor. 5:20). Otherwise, our meetings can become like a typical pastor’s luncheon at some associations. The conversation centers around three groups of people: the "Sorry state of the churches" group, the "It’s not about God but about me" group and the "Sports and current events" group. Their "zipper prayers" open and close the meeting. Many leave feeling that they were really too busy to waste that much time. They return to the church overwhelmed and discouraged.
A pioneer-area pastor wrote, "I felt more like a errand boy than an Ambassador. I was tired of the ministry and overwhelmed by the lack of response. I wondered why I didn’t just quit."
Thankfully, this scenario is changing in many associations as they attempt to renew a personal passion to pray unceasingly. The focus is moving from events and program responsibilities to meeting needs and helping people to be On Mission with God. They have moved away from the belief that "This would be a great job if it weren’t for the people." They are seeing true revival.
Churches and leaders are becoming involved again. Pastors and staff are learning to both love and trust each other. Even the most "successful" pastors humbly recognize their total dependency on God’s power. People leave the meetings inspired, encouraged, and transformed. These things happen in associations and churches where people are encouraged to renew their first love for Christ and reclaim a personal passion to pray unceasingly. They experience revival. The revived hearts and minds result in a corporate culture of godliness and righteousness.
One group of pastors commented, "We are seeing the beginnings of a revival in our churches that has begun through the associational prayer ministry. In the beginning we actually had pastors who said they did not want to receive any more reminder calls about the pastor prayer meetings. We had some who made fun of the prayer leaders as ‘needing to get in the real world,’ and others who said, ‘While you pray, I’ll work.’ Some were afraid that the new emphasis on prayer and the Holy Spirit would lead to an unbiblical charismatic emphasis. Not all of those pastors have changed, but the ones that have come around are seeing the Spirit work in their churches."
"We need to be talking to God about men and women as much as we talk to men and women about God."
"Most Holy and Mighty God, You are the only Creator. Thank you so much for sending Your Son to pay for the consequences of my sin. Forgive me for denying you. Please make my entire life an offering to you. Sweep away all of my old nature. Renew a right spirit within me. Help me to tell others about You. In Jesus name, Amen."
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