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Let's be realistic. Many American Christian youth leaders tend to act like practical atheists. They live their lives out of their own strength, not through the Spirit's power. It's so easy, with all the distractions of life, to go through the day prayerless, not even remembering God is there.
It is a natural tendency for all humanity to forget God. We need regular encouragement to stay connected to God in the midst of our busy lives. Sometimes a day (or week) on the calendar can serve as that encouragement - both for us and our students! For many, See You at the Pole is a great reminder for us to rededicate our lives and the schools we serve to God's purpose and direction.
So how can you equip your network coordinators, leaders and students to pray? Here are a few thoughts from a recovering practical atheist.
Listen
Before we can help others to pray, our hearts need to be focused on what God is saying to us. One way is to practice the discipline of solitude. Henri Nouwen describes in his book "Out of Solitude" how Jesus went out early in the morning to be with His Father. (Mark 1:35) Those times of listening to His Father determined His agenda for choosing and equipping other leaders.
In addition to dedicated times of prayer, we need to practice continual prayer, if we desire others around us to pray. This "abiding prayer" that happens throughout the day is illustrated in Jesus' description of being branches connected to the Vine. (John 15) In "Practicing the Presence of God," Brother Lawrence shared how he continued to pray throughout his duties as a cook in a 16th-century monastery. The book also shares how that same cook went on to equip his bishop to be better-connected to God. Out of his personal experience, God used Lawrence to influence others.
Prepare
We need to see that God has a unique relationship with students and desires them to love their friends by praying for them. We help students when we plan for and create sacred spaces for them to exercise this divine exercise of prayer. In our local network in San Diego County, we brought students together from multiple schools and churches for a meeting and invited them to pray with us. Their prayers were so powerful as they interceded for their friends and youth leaders!
Another preparation is through encouraging networks to connect with and invite the Moms in Prayer groups in your community to pray for the students become prayer warriors. That softens the soil, and builds a foundation of prayer for those students. More, it connects them in partnership with a whole new section of the body of Christ their community.
Gather
From our personal listening and preparation, we build a platform for equipping students and those who love them to pray. Prayer events like SYATP are only one aspect of our youth prayer strategy. Encourage youth leaders to place students in important leadership position. Then allow them to lead and to fail. The network needs to encourage the idea that students are the primary disciple makers of others students. Check out SYATP.com (or SYATP on Facebook, or YouTube) for some excellent resources to help networks as they equip youth to lead prayer gatherings.
As you work with leaders of networks to equip students to pray, don't forget to... pray. God longs to show you His plans and purposes. We need to see our communities and those who lead youth through the eyes of Jesus. Is there a better way than to ask Him what He sees?