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PRAYER/SPIRITUAL
AWAKENING
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AWAKENING |
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"How a Church Can Pray a Day"
How to have a 24-hour Day of Prayer in a local church.
Here are some ways to plan your “Day of Prayer.” How you cover the twenty-four hours is open to the creativity and leadership of the Lord in your church. There are many creative ways to cover the day in prayer (generally, start and end at 6:00 AM). Below are 12 suggestions, ideas, and practical pointers…
- Start with an attitude of humility. That is God’s first call to the heart and His people (2 Chronicles 7:14; 1 Peter 5:5-8; James 4:5-10). See also the guidelines for praying together in “S.A.M.E. H.E.A.R.T.”
- A church can open the Worship Center for people to come and pray throughout the day and night. To be more specific and more effective, sign up people to pray for a specific hour or half hour through the day and night. Generally, a “Day of Prayer” starts and ends at 6 a.m. Signing up helps make sure the entire day is covered. Although a place at the church can help focus concentration, people can pray at the church or at home.
- One option is to include a special time or times of prayer with the entire congregation meeting at the church or a central location. For example, an early morning, midmorning (around 10 a.m.), noon, evening, late night, or midnight meeting. Including one or several of these can be very meaningful for your “Day of Prayer.” This is a great time for families to pray together, for children and parents to join in seeking God.
A simple outline to follow:
Look Up —a time of praise, thanks, worship, singing
Look In —dealing with any sin blockages and praying the particular burdens God places on one’s heart
Look Out —the needs of individuals, of the community, and of the mission/ministries God has assigned or is assigning to a particular church
- Home Prayer Fellowships (day or night) are a great way to gather people for a time of prayer. Be sure it is a time of actual prayer and not simply a snack and fellowship time. Some business offices could be used for an early morning or lunch hour time of prayer.
- Students can have a time of prayer at school in the early morning before school, during lunch, during a free period, or after school.
- Various groups, prayer partners, prayer triplets or more could have a focused prayer time during this “Day of Prayer.” Groups could include youth, singles, men, women, deacons, Sunday school/small group leaders, or church staff. Sunday school classes or small groups could sign up to pray together for an hour or several hours during the “Day of Prayer.”
- If you have an Intercessory Prayer Room, use that as one of the ways to cover the “Day of Prayer.” Have intercessors in that room each hour and place specific requests for the “Day of Prayer.”
- As part of the “Day of Prayer,” include a Prayer Walk of the church that day. You can also Prayer Walk the neighborhood, schools or busineses around the church.
- Combine several of these methods. Have many points of prayer in many places throughout the Church or the Community on your “Day of Prayer.”
- Whatever gatherings or plans you have, include giving the people specific requests for prayer. A simple Prayer Guide in a Sunday bulletin would be helpful. Include requests related to the church and its ministries; the pastor, staff, and leadership; the community and its needs. Encourage people to pray for the lost by name and for wayward or lax church members to be revived.
Prepare a List — In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, the Holy Spirit through Paul declares the priority of prayer. “ First of all, then, I urge” prayers for “all men.” The phrase “all men” does not mean all lumped together, but “all” as in each one, praying for each by name. Prepare a personal list, prayer-group list, or church list of ministry areas, needs, etc. Include family, relatives, friends, neighbors, work associates, community leaders and school friends.
- Consider safety issues where needed. Look at security issues for night hours at the church. Look at safety issues for Prayer Walking neighborhood streets.
- Expect to meet with God and expect Him to answer with His wisdom, power and ability (Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 5:14-15; 1 Samuel 14:6).
To download other resources go to Prayer Resources.
As you connect with God in His Word, you will grow in knowing Him and better understand His will for your life. Treat this as your “daily bread” from the Bible (Job 23:12; Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:2-3).
—Rick Shepherd, 2007
DOWNLOADABLE FILE TO PRINT
I-366—Connecting on the Journey
For more info:
Call: 800-226-8584, ext. 3098 or 904-596-3098.
E-mail: i366@flbaptist.org
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