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The Taking Prayer to the Streets, Prayer Journeys Resource Kit includes the Taking Prayer to the Streets, Prayer Journey Guidebook, overhead cell masters, listening guide masters, Taking Prayer to the Streets Pocket Guide, order form, and an Eternal Life witnessing booklet. The included CD contains a power point presentation, overhead cell masters matching the power point cells, listening guides, clip art, design for a sample prayer request post card and a follow-up card.
There are three parts to the Guidebook. The first four sessions share information on becoming more faithful in prayer. The fifth through seventh sessions expand on prayerwalking and regional prayer journeys to involve everyone in the congregation. Sessions eight through eleven share principles to develop an overall Great Commission Prayer strategy throughout the congregation. Session twelve is a practice session for field teams and support teams to cover their community in prayer.
One tactic of an overall prayer strategy is being On Mission through a Lighthouse of Prayer. Church members are being led by the Spirit to pray for their neighbors so the Lord opens doors to care for them in Christ’s name and share the gospel. Session nine shares specific information on starting a Lighthouse of Prayer as part of a comprehensive prayer strategy.
Learning the importance of Prayer. The importance of prayer took fifteen years to sink in. I knew prayer was important but it took an encounter on the foreign mission field for the Lord to teach me about biblical prayer and witness. The young Thai mother sat across from me in the truck-turned-taxi. She had a beautiful baby girl in her arms. The infant laughed and smiled with every bump as we made our way to a remote Thai village. Suddenly the Spirit urged, "Pray for that child. You are the only Christian she may ever meet." I prayed for an opening to share with the mother and soon was able to offer her a gospel tract in the Thai language. I recommitted myself that day to try to pray for and share Jesus with everyone in the areas where I work, play and live. Those long bus, train and taxi rides soon took new meaning as they became opportunities to pray and share Christ. It is a constant struggle to remain faithful to this commitment.
Called to Texas after the Journeyman experience, Donna and I struggled with how to start a Laotian congregation in Fort Worth. We would drive through the neighborhoods and walk the streets praying for the homes and businesses. As we prayed, the Lord often led us to important contacts in the Laotian community. We saw many people accept Jesus and join us in praying for their friends and neighbors. We didn’t know that we were taking part in what would be called "prayerwalking" and "prayer evangelism." I am so grateful to the Lord for His patient encouragement to be more faithful in prayer.
"What could happen if we prayed for and shared Jesus with every person in our city?"
The new millennium has brought increased interest in reaching North America and the world for Christ. The question keeps being asked, "What could happen if we prayed for and shared Jesus with every person in our city?" There is a renewed interest in reaching ethnic groups, people in the cities, and students with intentional prayer and witness. Christians are choosing to be On Mission with Christ in prayer, evangelism and ministry.
This is part of a prayer revival occurring worldwide. Thousands of believers are responding to God’s call to pray for and share Jesus with everyone in North America and the world. One of the responses has been a call to prayerwalking. Prayer Journeys expand the concept of prayerwalking and regional prayer journeys to include the entire congregation in covering their community in prayer.
I. This guidebook has three purposes. . . .
First, to help any leader or prayer coordinator to teach the congregation to cover their community in prayer. Teaching through the Prayer Journeys can help believers who struggle with keeping the lifelong priorities of praying and sharing Christ. All of the needed resources can be found in the Resource Kit, on the included CD Rom, or online at www.namb.net/prayer.
Second, to help a prayer coordinator to prepare, complete and follow through on a Prayer Journey. A congregation will probably continue to have Prayer Journeys in different neighborhoods, with different groups in the church and in other countries. The planning information in sessions five through seven provide the necessary training to help believers confront the gates of Hell with biblical, intentional prayer.
Third, to help a prayer coordinator lead the congregation to develop a Great Commission prayer strategy that reclaims the church as a house of prayer with a passion for lost people. The prayer plan in sessions eight through eleven includes information on how to make prayer foundational to the total life of the church. It also shows how to expand the church’s prayer ministry by developing lighthouses of prayer.
II. Teaching Options for the Prayer Journey Guidebook
The Prayer Journey Guidebook can be taught completely in twelve sessions of one hour each. Before feeling overwhelmed by that much time, take comfort that the outline can be presented in as little as one hour. Create whatever schedule and length of time works best for your church. Teachers may want to look at Appendix G for details on these formats and some presentation suggestions. These five formats are most popular.
- A one-hour class meeting for twelve weeks.
- A five or six night seminar.
- A one-day seminar.
- A weekend conference or retreat.
- Personal study guide.
"The man who mobilizes the church to pray, will make the biggest contribution to world evangelism in history.—Andrew Murray"
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