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Devoted to prayer

The six essentials to becoming a praying church

Have you ever found your heart leaping with a big ‘YES!’ as you read “They devoted themselves to… prayer.” in Acts2:42?  Well then, this article is for you. I want to explore the question “What will it take for your congregation to become truly ‘devoted’ to prayer?” 

I believe there are often perceptions about prayer that need to change, obstacles to freedom and power in prayer that need to be cleared away, and a work of cultivating that needs to be done, so that the many facets of prayer begin to flourish among us. read more...

Praying Together Series:

These are papers with practical tips for praying in various settings prepared for the Salvation Army and used with permission. Feel free to print and also pass around.  
For the Neighbourhood | For Prayer Meetings |Small groups |Children | Family |  Half Night | Leaders | Ministry Teams | Sunday Meetings | Youth  

Group Prayer and Worship

When we gather in small groups, be it 3 or 4, or 12-15, we can hesitate to do more than just offer a few prayers at the beginning or end of our time. I think this is because our model of worship is Sunday morning… with a group of musicians, words on the screen and a sense of a big sound, and often eloquent pray-ers leading prayer times. 

One of the keys for meaningful small group worship is to realize that different settings require different approaches. read more...

Couples Who Pray Together

Prayer is the backbone of a Christian marriage, but many couples are reluctant to share the time and their intimate thoughts and concerns with their spouse. Don't let busyness rob you of the closeness and intimacy of prayer. It will be time well spent - for your marriage and for God's Kingdom. read more

Holy priests offering spiritual sacrifices

When an Old Testament priest went before God, sometimes he wore a garment with the names of all the tribes of Israel on it. He took them into the Holy presence – to plead with God on their behalf. We must do this also. All of us must do this, because we are all priests. Perhaps you feel you are not good with words. You cannot pray like the pastor can…or that person can. God does not need lots of words. He needs your compassion. He needs your heart to ache for the person you are bringing to him. Perhaps you will groan, or sigh, or weep before God and say only a few words. That is enough.   read more...

Cultivating the Presence of God together

Of course, God is everywhere present. There is no place we can go where he cannot be with us. (Psalm 139:7) But we all know from experience that some places have a real ‘presence’ of something, or someone. Perhaps you have walked into a home or a church building or maybe a garden and felt ‘the presence of God’ as a sense of peace. Probably that place had been soaked in prayer and worship for some time, and there is an unhindered access to God’s presence. read more...

Imagine worship in which people actually come alive!

Imagine the mystery and delight of not just hearing, but seeing the story of Jesus for the first time, almost as an eyewitness...   read more...

1857 Prayer Revival in America

The first day, September 23, 1857, Lamphier prayed alone for half an hour. But by the end of the hour, six men from at least four denominational backgrounds joined him. The next Wednesday there were twenty. On October 7 there were nearly forty. The meeting was so blessed that they decided to meet daily. One week later there were over one hundred present, including many unsaved who were convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sin...  read more...

Novel prayer pauses

In the early days of the Salvation Army they experienced wonderful revival, and then had to shape this movement by gathering their leaders together to discuss and plan how all their new churches would be structured.  They desperately wanted the Lord to lead them in this, and came up with a ‘novel’ and inspiring way of keeping the Lord in the centre of their deliberations.  We could learn a lot from their ‘novel prayer pauses!  read more...

When God's People Pray An inspiring DVD series with Pastor Jim Cymbala

Jim Cymbala is the pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle Church - and he and his wife have learnt through much testing and trial how to make prayer the engine room of their church and their lives.  He gives excellent teaching in each session and then there is a challenging and moving story related to the topic...  read more...

How can your church help people in midlife

An excerpt from 'Midlife Spiritual Doldrums' by Kath Wells)

Clearly there are four major things that people in midlife need. The first is to understand and work through the discomfort of the transition. The second is to find a ‘neutral place’ so they can reflect, unravel their confusions, and hear God afresh. The third is to explore their beliefs and theology in this place of change. And the fourth is to identify and take up the new challenges that God has for their lives in the season ahead...  read more...