Praying For Your Community

You have probably heard it often said “we’ll pray for you” or maybe even you have said it to someone when they have shared a concern, problem or something significant in their life with you. How seriously did or have you taken what you have said. For many it is only a one liner we pull out at the right time but if we are to live an authentic life like Jesus did maybe we need to also take what we say about prayer more seriously too. What do I mean? What if a group of people, a church, got serious about bathing their community in prayer, what if they did more than just hand out the one liner throw away sentence and seriously take praying for their community to a whole new level, what would it look like, smell like, be like?

Did you know that intercessory prayer can potentially have a life changing impact in the community around you? I could share many stories of the power of prayer in my community when I have intentionally prayed, Why not try some of these ideas and serve your community with the power of prayer! You might be more surprised than you think!

• Prayer Walks – Walk around your neighbourhood or community that surrounds your church or small group, placing “We prayed for you card in the mailbox and intentionally praying for that house. Not only will you get exercise by walking your neighbourhood but you

• Prayer Knocks – People are waiting for you to knock on their door and offer prayer, did you know that? Just by simply knocking of doors and offering to pray for them you will be surprised How the Holy Spirit might work through you! While some answers might be a plain “NO!” for others you might be in the right place at the right time to minister to that persons needs and share the love of Jesus with them

• Prayer request cards – letter box the neighbourhood with prayer request cards with a return address or even a website/email that they can send their request to you.

• Community Prayer Wall. – Do you have a church sign out the front of your church? If not what better way to advertise than creating a prayer wall. You can quickly create one which will allow anyone to come and write their prayer requests on it. Better still get permission to place it in a more public place and see what the Holy Spirit might do.

• Prayer Chains – It is a great way to get interest from your community, start a prayer chain, literally. Make little cards that can be linked together and place out the front of the church or similar position writing on the cards your prayer requests.

• Invitations to Pray – send out invitations to the local community for any prayer requests and invites to come along to prayer meeting whenever it is in your church. Be sure to have reply emails/address etc so you can be in contact with your community.

• Special Days of Prayer – If you know there was/is or is going to be specials days in your community why not hold days of prayer in your church. It might be for the council elections, our service men and women, Pray for rain to end a drought, prayer for an accident or emergency or really any day that is a significant day in the life of your community. Invite neighbours/community to come and see experience the power of prayer

• Prayer Breakfasts – Why not organise a prayer breakfast in your community. You could see a restaurant who might be willing to create a menu for the event and then invite Friends or you might run a Men’s or ladies prayer conference or a business prayer conference, the ideas and options are endless. This can be a real leverage opportunity in your community.

• Prayer Room. You could make a prayer room either at your church or rent a facility in the city or town. Making it open to all where all may come and pray or be prayed with. Advertise, letterbox etc and share the power of God. Further still you could create a prayer café, prayer nights and actually start a prayer ministry in the city

For assistance in regards to any of the ideas or for connect card samples contact the SQC Personal Ministries/Prayer Department by calling (07) 3218 7777 or email gregpratt@adventist.org.au