Let's be honest, praying together is hard. REALLY HARD! It seems so easy to talk, plan, or share. But when it comes to including God in the conversation, it seems we fall short. So why should we pray together with other youth leaders for our community?
Peace
When we connect with God we find peace. An article by Kristen Rogers on CNN.com states: "Prayer has been hard to study, but the research we do have shows that prayer can reduce feelings of isolation, anxiety and fear." Praying together is the way we practice the principles in Col. 3:15: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace."
Power
There is a strength that comes when we unite our hearts in prayer. God is waiting for us to come to him so that He can unleash His power in our lives and community. In Acts 1:8, Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would give them power to share: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Partnership
Praying together invites God into the conversation. It builds a deeper intimacy with God and each other when we allow Him to be the focus. That is how the church began in the first century, as Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." The first disciples did life and ministry together. One of their priorities was prayer. If only we could see more of that today!
How do we increase prayer?
We want to encourage you to gather a group of trusted leaders to begin to pray for this year. We also want to learn best practices from others who have seen the power of prayer. In our next Network Conversations, Orlando Hale, Cincinnati area coordinator, will share how his city's schools are benefitting from youth leaders and teachers praying together. Doug Clark, NNYM National Field Director and See You At The Pole champion, will share ideas on how you start the conversation with youth leaders to pray together in your local neighborhood.
Join us on August 8th at 12:00 noon EST/9:00 am PST for our next Network Conversation.
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