An update on the national prayer initiative for the Church of God.
By P. Douglas Small, National Field Director
Recently, I preached in a rather large church in Florida. Three years ago, the pastor there called for a week-long prayer revival. No speaker. He challenged the people to come and simply pray! They did. Hundreds of them. And after the week of prayer was over, they just kept coming. And three years later they are still coming, not in the same numbers, but a faithful core show up to pray five evenings a week.
In New York, a few weeks ago, I met with a group from the Bahamas who have purchased and renovated two apartment buildings in New York City, as places of refuge to which small groups can come in order to pray for the city of New York.
There are hundreds of this “little fires” everywhere.
On Saturday, I led people from 15 different congregations in a School of Prayer, six hours of training – little fires. A hunger for God. A desire to learn how to pray.
It is easy to get discouraged in prayer ministry. We feel that everyone should get it. The whole nation should be on its knees. A reporter noted that from the air, the Gulf of Mexico appears to have blotches of blood – the ocean turned to blood. An intercessor recently cried out tearfully that the earth (referring to the Gulf) is wounded and is bleeding. Perhaps it is all a symbol of the nation itself.
Don’t despair. If we give up on prayer – what do we have left? Prayer is almost always about a remnant. I still believe that God wants to send us a Great Awakening!
Join the Weekly Envisioning CALL
This Thursday, I will share information call regarding the September prayer initiative called “Cry Out America!” The number is 712-432-0075, access code 367853. The times for the call are 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. EST. The calls are designed to inform and inspire regarding the Awakening America initiative. Get your county leadership team on the call. Encourage other potential county coordinators to join the call.
Praying through the Heart of the Year for the Soul of Our Nation
Prayer Focus: A decrease in divorces and renewed commitment to marriage between a man and a woman in covenant relationship as God intends (Church)
Week 7: June 13-19
Pray that the rate of divorce within the Church, now mirroring that of unchurched society, will become vastly lower.
Pray that Christian husbands and wives will cultivate intimacy with God and with one another.
Pray that lines of communication will be open and honest between husbands and wives.
Pray that husbands and wives will spend time individually and together in prayer and Bible study.
Pray that legislative efforts to define marriage as other than between a man and a woman will be defeated.
Pray that the ministries of the church will encourage and strengthen marriage relationships.
Pray that marriage and family relationships will be centered upon the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Each week, you can get a fresh prayer guide and distribute it to your team, to pastors and ministry groups, intercessors and the like. Power points are also available. Go to www.awakeningamerica.us. Check the 20-8-1 tab and look for the prayer guides. This is a great way to begin to draw people in to the week of consecration and the 9-11 Noon Cry Out America rally.
COORDINATORS, COORDINATORS, COORDINATORS
Help us find people across the nation to lead the Cry Out rallies this fall. Check out the map at www.awakeningamerica.us and investigate areas where you have friends who are concerned about the nation. If there is no county coordinator where they live. Call them. Invite them into the process. Let’s make our next goal 1000 coordinators across the nation. Help us reach this important step.
NEW PRAYER GUIDE
Claude King, coauthor of Experiencing God and Fresh Encounter, has just written a prayer guide for our use during the 8 Days of Consecration. It has now gone to the typesetter. These guides will be available for purchase from LifeWay in bundles of ten, for about $5.00. Or, you can use the PDF, create your own guide, and print them locally. This will be a great resource.
We’re working to make the Cry Out America initiative a better experience for you this fall.
FACEBOOK
Connect with other state and county coordinators on Facebook. Look for “Cry Out America National OFFICIAL page.” It’s a great place to connect with others.