Prioritizing Prayer
In our network, one leader served at a small church that had a prayer garden and we met there. Our prayers were about seeking His will, lifting up our kids and our community. As we prayed, I saw us mature with cohesiveness and intimacy among us. Then we were prepared to truly help.
-Venetia Yates, Network Coordinator, Bosque Farms, New Mexico
Pray Together
Discover God's DNA for Your Community
In working together to disciple teenagers, prayer is your foundation and source of strength. Your relationship with God fills you with His love, which overflows into the lives of those you are reaching. As you connect with Him you are more prepared to connect with others. Prayer is the vital communication we have with Him.
Ask God for His Vision
God knows how He wants to mobilize a movement in your area to reach and empower every teenager. Why not allow Him to orchestrate the movement? Ask God to give you His vision and heart for your community.
Establish a Foundation of Prayer
Building a local movement means making prayer intentional. With whom can you pray and who will pray for you? Here are some ideas:
Make prayer a consistent part of your network meeting.
Meet regularly in smaller prayer groups.
Take one or more days to have a group prayer summit.
Enlist the local Moms in Prayer, Intl. group to pray for your network and the schools you want to reach.
Set up a social networking group to share requests. (On www.nnym.org you can set up your network and share private posts with your group's members)
3D Prayer
Prayer can be multidirectional for your community. NNYM's Prayer Coordinator Mark Orr gives this great reminder to hit three levels as you pray:
Pray Up: Establish the vertical relationship with God through praise and thanksgiving.
Pray Across: Intercede for one another regularly and at gatherings.
Pray Out: Listen to God as He reveals your community's needs and resources for teenagers.
Pray Together
Connect through Prayer
How is your soul today? How can prayer help you in working together to influence teenagers to be disciple makers?
Ask God for His Vision
Take some time to pray right now. How do you sense God is moving in the lives of teenagers in your community? When can you schedule some more time to get away, asking God what He has to say about reaching and equipping youth in your community?
Establishing Your Foundation
Who would be willing to pray for the youth of your community? As you reread the "Establish a Foundation of Prayer" section what ideas resonate with you? What action points can you set to get people praying together?
Praying in New Dimensions
How can you build prayer more intentionally into your networking times with other youth workers?
InDepth
Check out these links for more articles to go deeper in praying together with your ministry network.
Adding Dimensions to Prayer in Your Network
Listening Prayer: Discover God's DNA for Your Community