Prayer

Praying for One Transforms Church

By Kent E. Fillinger “Pray for One.” Bo Chancey sent an e-mail to everyone atÂ Manchester (New Hampshire) Christian Church on theÂ Thursday before he preached his first sermon there. He told them his inaugural message would be for each person to pray for one person to follow Christ. That Sunday, Chancey told the 1,200 who had gathered that if everyone would consistently pray for one person, the church would double in size in two years. Chancey continued to reinforce his “pray for one” message in his various communications. “Pray for one” is now part of the church”s cultural language. People regularly

February 7, 2013

Drive-through Prayer Draws Traffic

By Jennifer Johnson Since last April, Centerpointe Christian Church (Lexington, KY) has offered “drive-through prayer” one Wednesday night a month. A small team of volunteers stands on several corners and in front of the church waving signs to direct drivers to the building, while two couples wait to pray with anyone who pulls in. “We see everything, from families having trouble to people coming right from the bars,” says Rex Hughes, coordinator of the ministry. “Each month is a reminder of the burdens people around us carry every day.” The team hands out cold water in the summer and hot

September 18, 2012

Have a Good Trip . . . I Mean, Meeting!

By James Riley Estep Jr. My family and I enjoy taking trips. We”ve become rather good at preparing for the trip, traveling together, having fun, and capturing the memories. Trips and travel are a lot like meetings. In fact, meetings could learn a lot from family trips. Perhaps most important to consider is this: who”s driving? Elders” meetings are typically driven by the chairman. His role is to oversee and administrate every aspect of the journey, from preparation to the return to the real world in which we serve. Meetings have one driver, the chairman. Where Are We Going?

September 3, 2012

A Call to 40 Days of Prayer

By Staff Dave Butts, founder of Harvest Prayer Ministries (Terre Haute, IN)Â and chairman of America”s National Prayer Committee, has set up www.40daysofprayer.net to provide information, prayer guides, and links to ministries sponsoring prayer efforts for the 40 days leading up to this year”s elections. The ministry writes, “The challenge is not to pray for a specific candidate, but simply to have 24/7 prayer for our nation during that time. We are beyond political solutions for our nation, but we are desperate for God”s intervention. We are challenging people to pray God”s purposes for our nation, revival in the church, and

July 7, 2012

The Mystery, the Meaning, the Love

By Rick Chromey As a man and woman exchange vows of commitment, to love for better or worse, in sickness or health, for richer or poorer, “until death” separates them, two people become one. In their physical relationship, they are one flesh. In their personal choices, they are one mind-set. In their seasons of loss, trouble, or crisis, they are one spirit. A divine thread is woven within the Christian wedding. What God has joined together, no one on earth can separate. A marriage is rock solid when God ties the knot. The bride”s white dress represents virginal purity. The

December 8, 2011

Praying for Tunisia As Never Before

Most Christians want to obey Jesus” command to “ask the Lord of the harvest . . . to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38), but they struggle to know how to pray for a nation they”ve never visited and missionaries they seldom see. Do you want to join thousands of other Christians in united prayer for unreached people? Do you want to receive daily, specific, insightful prayer requests that will empower and intensify your prayers? The website and associated movement www.Pray4Tunisia.com is bringing God”s people together and changing the way we approach prayer for the harvest fields.

November 15, 2011

Every Week for 10 Years

By Kim Butts For close to 30 weeks this year, believers from Christian churches and churches of Christ have participated in “Light the Fire: 24-7-520,” part of Restoration Revolution, a 10-year collaboration to share Jesus with all peoples. “Light the Fire” began on New Year”s Eve 2010 and will continue through December 31, 2020. It is not a program or an event, but a 10-year journey of prayer for the nations. Churches in several states, the nation of Venezuela, mission organizations, and Bible colleges/universities have set up dynamic prayer rooms to invite and seek God”s presence. A “torch” of prayer

October 17, 2011

Challenging Men to Take the Lead in Prayer

By Jennifer Taylor Â When John Seitz joined the Antioch Christian Church (Marion, IA) staff in 2000, he challenged the men to join a team committed to praying for his ministry and for the church. “Prayer is so integral in seeking guidance from God and providing spiritual protection for the pastor,” Seitz says. “We have a prayer ministry open to everyone, but I wanted this to encourage strong male leadership in the church.” In addition to praying through the week, each year the team gathers for a retreat, and each Sunday morning several of the men gather at the church building

October 6, 2011

Encouraging Male Prayer Leadership

By Jennifer Taylor When John Seitz joined the Antioch Christian Church (Marion, IA) staff in 2000, he challenged the men to join a team committed to praying for his ministry and for the church. “Prayer is so integral in seeking guidance from God and providing spiritual protection for the pastor,” Seitz says. “We have a prayer ministry open to everyone, but I wanted this to encourage strong male leadership in the church.” In addition to praying through the week, each year the team gathers for a retreat, and each Sunday morning several of the men gather at the church building

August 22, 2011

Life Lessons on Prayer

By Brian Giese It is easy to neglect prayer. The devil does all he can to distract us from it. We can rationalize it to the back burner because of our busyness. We can go day after day without anybody other than God knowing we have neglected prayer. This writer has been a slow learner in the school of prayer. I had been preaching 15 years before I began to take prayer seriously. That was 30 years ago, and God has taught me a few things about prayer during that time, for example: Prayer deserves priority. A national poll

June 2, 2011

Sheila S. Hudson

Deo Est Amo God Is Love

Sheila Hudson recounts her husband Tim’s near-fatal heart crisis, the global prayer vigil that surrounded their family, and the Psalm 91 hope that carried her through.

May 19, 2011

Barry McCarty

If You Want to Know God, Immerse Yourself in the Psalms

Barry McCarty reflects on how praying through the Psalms, shaped by Benedictine daily offices, deepened his devotional life and renewed his understanding of worship and prayer.

April 27, 2011

Mark A. Taylor

Starting a Prayer Revolution

Restoration Revolution’s Light the Fire emphasis is encouraging churches to commit whole weeks to prayer, focusing on world evangelization, kingdom purposes, and renewed anticipation for God’s Spirit to move.

March 8, 2011

Jan Johnson

The Earth: Handle with Prayer

Jan Johnson reflects on praying for creation amid Southern California fires and drought, asking how believers can serve as God’s agents in caring for the earth.

February 15, 2011

Pray Expectantly

By Sheila S. Hudson Dr. Karen Jones made her way to my ground-floor office. As she blinked back tears in her hazel eyes, she broke the news that funding from the State Department of Education hadn”t arrived. What she didn”t say was, without those funds, my job would go away. But both of us knew that was true. I was stunned. Neither of us could believe it. For seven years, Karen and I had worked hand in glove providing summer workshops for special education teachers. Now it seemed our partnership was coming to an end. Not only that, but at

November 24, 2010

Paul Covert

Teaching People to Pray One at a Time

Paul Covert shares practical lessons from Central Christian Church on building a vibrant prayer ministry through coaching, relationships, strategic prayer, and clear entry points for volunteers.

November 24, 2010

Paul Covert

Increase Your Church”s Passion for Prayer

Paul Covert shares practical ways Central Christian Church of the East Valley helps people begin, grow, and deepen their prayer lives through training, intercession, accountability, and prayer-focused ministry.

June 27, 2010

Chuck Booher

Great and Mighty Things

Chuck Booher shares how Crossroads Christian Church turned an impossible financial campaign into 40 days of prayer, renewed faith, and more than $3 million in commitments.

September 27, 2009