Engaging Church

Jay! 

Thanks for reading, Jay. And thanks to everyone who shared their stories. It was absolutely incredible to read about all the ways God has blessed people in unique ways. Here’s Jay’s story:

My wife and I felt that he was moving us to Louisville (About 4 hours away from home), but we didn’t know why. We prayed about doors opening and closing to show us the way to what He had in mind for us. It was incredible. I got a job (actually a promotion) in only one interview, we then sold a house we had owned for just 10 months in only 5 days in what is still a terrible housing market. When we got here we hunted and hunted and prayed over where we should live and using that home for His glory, maybe as a place for small groups or other type of bible study. We found a home and made an offer. The offer was rejected and we went back and forth with counter-offers. Finally I gave up and asked the realtor to show us a bunch more homes the next weekend, which mean another trip and countless houses with a restless child VERY unhappy we were moving from home. An hour later our realtor called. The homeowners had a change of heart and asked their realtor to call ours and make another counter. This one was way below what they wanted and right in the window of what we could afford so that my wife could remain at home with our son. I cried for quite a while because there was just no way He wasn’t sending us at that point. I am still not sure why we are here but the witness opportunities I have already been given have been more than enough reason to pick and go!

Yesterday we were treated to a guest post by Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church. He blogged on his new book and DVD, The Circle Maker, and also on the power of corporate prayer. Here’s one the quotes that really got me (emphasis mine):

Jesus talked about the power of spiritual synergy when he said: “If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” Obviously, it needs to meet the two-fold litmus test for any and every prayer. It has to be in the will of God and for the glory of God. But if it meets that two-fold test, then all it takes is two!  When two people agree in prayer, they have formed a prayer circle.

I don’t know about you, my prayer life ebbs and flows like the tide. Sometimes I’m confident in how I pray, what I’m praying for, and why I’m praying for it. Other times I feel like I haven’t the foggiest idea how to approach God at all. My motives feel wrong, I second-guess myself, and I wonder if God is going to get angry at me as a result of praying selfishly? The quote above reminds me that focusing on God’s will and glory are keys to praying in a way that pleases him.

My prayer life still ebbs and flows, however, especially in regards to church and ministry. Does yours? Have you ever prayed and prayed for something to change in your ministry, and then later realized that what you had been praying against was actually the best thing that could’ve been happening? I have.

All this to say, we always need reminders on how to pray. Our congregations and small groups will always have questions about prayer. It’s literally our direct line to God. It’s a subject we’ll be talking about “’til he comes” and maybe after.

 The Circle Maker Curriculum Kit by Mark Batterson provides everything you would need to implement a fresh teaching on prayer in your ministry. It includes the book, sermon outlines, a participant’s guide, a small group DVD, and more.

To win a free copy of The Circle Maker Curriculum Kit tell us in a comment below about one instance in which God answered a prayer in your life in dramatic or timely fashion. I’m guessing he may have answered it in a way that you didn’t see coming.