And the formula for instant church growth is ...

Prayer. Nothing like keeping it simple huh?

Today I experienced for myself what unified, dedicated, agonising prayer can achieve in a church family.

We have a church family which usually averages 105 on any given Sunday. Ha! Not today! This morning we had around 150 people come to share in worship and fellowship.

Let me explain that we aren't resourced for 150 people on a Sunday morning. The space we currently use for church is an old bowling club, it's not large and we have 126 seats, which fit in the room rather snuggly. On top of that we have the current prayer tent set up in the corner of the room. So this morning, it's fair to say ... we were overcapacity, people had to sit on the floor. What an awesome problem to have! What really blew me away was the atmosphere. The place was buzzing, it was a hive of activity. There was joyful enthusiasm as we worshipped, it was loud. It was almost as though the corps family had experienced a revival and had a new lease on life. It was lively, enthusiastic. It permeated Christ's life in all its fullness.

Tonight, we had an evening service. It was a Praise and Prayer night to celebrate our week of 24/7. Usually, our evening services avergae 15 people. Tonight we had 45. SO MANY ages were represented, from a 6 month old baby to adults in their late 70's. People have tasted and seen that God is good, and have a desire for MORE!

I'm not sharing our numbers to boast about how many people we got to church today ... that's not the point, the exact number is irrelevant. Whats is relevant is the significance a week of 24/7 prayer had in our church community, and the growth we saw as a result. The growth goes deeper than numerical growth though. Corporately there was growth in unity and faith. We have seen some significant growth in the individual lives of our people.
One friend told me about her desire to now make prayer in solitude a priority in her personal life at home after having experienced it in the prayer room.
Anothers faith increased all the more as God gave her a new insight into what it meant to 'love your neighbour'. She felt strongly to start loving her physical neighbours, those who live beside her. When the opportunity came to invite her neighbour to join her in the prayer room, the offer was accepted ... she was able to pray for her neighbour, and her neighbour came to church this morning.
A new song was written by some of the youth in our corps as they spent an entire night in the prayer room.
A teenage boy prayed in church for the first time this evening with boldness and courage.
Where some were hesitant at first to sign up for time in the prayer room, as the week progressed they signed up again and again because with each hour spent with God, their hunger for him increased.
Tears have flowed, hearts have softened, hurts have healed, pains forgotten.
Forgiveness and Freedom, sought and found, Grace, hope, mercy and love abounds.

I gotta be straight up and say that today was Childrens day, and our theme this morning was "Ice-Cream Sunday". Part of that meant that some of the time at church today was making Ice-Cream Sundays and eating ... BUT I don't think that is what caused the growth in numbers ... if it was, we wouldn't have seen such increase at night church. Ice-Cream wasn't the attracting factor ... there was a greater force at play. The power of prayer.

Today I've witnessed some of the fruit of a week of 24/7 prayer. I'm excited to dig deeper and experiment with how we can make prayer even more of a focus in our church family. People are hungry and enthusiastic for more, it's exciting.

Just want to sign off this 24/7 prayer series with a few (ok a few more than a few) quotes on prayer:

"Charles Finney was also convinced that if the
church would just meet the basic conditions for Revival - deep

repentance and heartfelt, 'agonizing' prayer for the outpouring of God's
Spirit, then Revival would ALWAYS result."

"When God intends great mercy for His people, the first thing He does is to set them a-praying."

Matthew Henry

"Shall I give you yet another reason why you should pray? I have preached my very heart out. I could not say any more than I have said. Will not your prayers accomplish that which my preaching fails to do? Is it not likely that the Church has been putting forth its preaching hand but not its praying hand? Oh dear friends! Let us agonise in prayer.”

C. H. Spurgeon

“You must pray with all your might. That does not mean saying your prayers, or sitting gazing about in church or chapel with eyes wide open while someone else says them for you. It means fervent, effectual, untiring wrestling with God...This kind of prayer be sure the devil and the world and your own indolent, unbelieving nature will oppose. They will pour water on this flame.”

General William Booth

"The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray."

Samuel Chadwick

"When the glory of the Father
Is the goal of every prayer:
When before the throne in heaven
Our High Priest presents it there;
When the Spirit prompts the asking,
When the waiting heart believes:
The we know of each petition
Everyone who asks receives"

Author unknown,

"This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one."

Jesus

Thanks for sharing the prayer journey ... long may it continue.

Itsy Bitsy SamMe.



Something Bigger ...

There's something amazing about being a part of something bigger than yourself. Each time I've been in the prayer room this week I've felt quite emotional as I've taken up the prayer baton and then passed it on when my time was up. I think the best way to explain it is a feeling of solidarity and unity. There is a new found respect between people, barriers have been broken down,  it's unspoken but we are aware there has been a shift. We share a common purpose, we're all in it for the same reason, and together we will reap the benefits.

So far this week of 24-7 prayer has drawn our church family together in a way that exceeds my expectations. There's a physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual unity going down. It's quite spectacular. It's also connected us to our wider church and Army family on an international scale. We aren't doing this alone. As we pray, we unite with Salvationists in Norway, Iceland & The Faeroe's Territory, who are also praying 24-7. Today Big Spring,Tx in the USA Southern Territory join in on the prayer. We are a part of something bigger. And praying in unity, it will change the world!

This morning between the hours of 8am-9am we joined in The Salvation Army's worldwide prayer meeting. Every Thursday morning, people all around the world are praying ... I've heard it describes as "a Mexican prayer wave that travels the globe." It's such a privilege to be a part of something bigger than ourselves as we pray for the Army's current vision: One Army, One Mission, One Message. 

So far this week, I've been encouraged to hear about people sharing an intimate time with their Creator. One person has said "I didn't want to leave, are there still times available so I can sign up again." another has said "It was way better than I expected"

At the moment, as we journey through a building project, having had this experience of 24-7 prayer people are now requesting a space dedicated to prayer. A prayer room set up in the new building that we don't have to pack down. A place of refuge, restoration and strength from our busy lives. Why wouldn't we if this has deepened, challenged and encouraged the spiritual lives of our family?

I can't help but think of the possibilities ... Imagine the spiritual foundation we would set, if the week our new building opens, we engage in another week of 24-7 prayer. Oh, If our new dedicated prayer room was available during the week for anyone who accesses our building to seek God, and come before him in prayer. I imagine how amazing it would be, if we had 40 people from our church family who committed to being in the prayer room and praying during a 9-5 work day, 5 days a week while we serve the community. WOWZAS! The dream excites me.

To be part of something bigger than ourselves encourages and inspires, it establishes unity and gives an incredible sense of solidarity. God is so good, he's faithful and promises to hear and answer from heaven when we humble ourselves and pray. It's not to late to jump on board.

SamME

The journey continues

Day 3 of our 24-7 prayer journey has been and gone, and people continue to pray, from there homes into the wee hours of the morning. Powerful!

 As I spent time in the prayer tent today, a number of things caught my eye, that I thought were worth sharing and may just help and encourage your own prayer time with Jesus, where ever you may be.

Praise ...

Prayers of His people

People gathered in prayer.

“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” Matthew 18:20

 Written in the prayer room journal, the lyrics to a song which you can listen to here.

And perhaps the most impacting prayer for me in the prayer room yet ... the prayer of a child in the prayer journal.

(To read more about the simplicity of childhood prayer and our call to be child like, have a read of yesterdays post.)

If you are interested in finding out more about 24/7 prayer - the movement, check out the official website.

For information on The Salvation Army's global call to 24-7 prayer check this out.

Tomorrow morning, we join in a global prayer meeting and pray for the vision of The Salvation Army - One Army, One Mission, One Message. You can find out more details about the worldwide prayer meeting from the Generals website.

It's a bit itsy bitsy today, but hopefully you'll be able to find something here that will aid your own personal prayer time with Jesus.

Much love, SamMe

Play 'n' Pray - the skies the limit!

24-7 Prayer: Day Two



Our Church is currently spending the week in prayer, 24 hours a day for 7 days. So far everyone I have spoken to, who has spent time in the prayer room says "The time flies by", "An hour isn't long enough" "I'm signing up for another hour" or something along similar lines. The testimonies so far have been extreemly encouraging as people have sought God and found him. People of all ages have utilised the prayer space ... there is no limit as to who can come before God and experience His presence.

I've spent some time in the prayer room with Zac, Evy and Meila, (who I was looking after) and was encouraged to play and pray. Prayer isn't boring, it's not mundane (unless you make it that way), it can be exciting, fun and joyous. In the prayer tent is a dedicated space to encourage our kids to pray. 





Strait away Zac was drawn to the big beach ball which had sentence starters to help kids start their prayers. "Thank you for ..."

"I love you because..."

"Help me too ..."

"Help others too..."

"I'm sorry for..."

We had 'such fun', throwing the ball to each other ... praying and playing together. It was delightful, and I'm certain that God took great delight in his children enjoying their time with him.

We spent time playing with play dough, painting and sharing in communion together. As the kids painted their hands and put their prints on a sheet canvas, we talked about how God creates us all differently and knows everything about us. We thanked God for making us special and unique.

The simplicity of a childs prayer is inspiring. No flash words, no beating around the bush, just straight up honest. They pray for anything and everything, and nothing is impossible. Their prayers are bold, with a faith that says "the sky is the limit" ... actually, with a faith that says "not even the sky is the limit."

So much hope, so much faith, so much truth, so much love!

No wonder Jesus told us to come to him like little children.

"The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them." Mark 10:13-16 (MSG)

 

Simple.

 

Come to Jesus. Enter His embrace with the simplicity of a child, don't worry about using big flashy words, or trying to impress him (Matthew 6:5-18). Come, just as you are, honestly, truthfully, with hope, faith and in love. He delights when his children come to him in prayer. He longs to gather you in His arms and bless you.

 

Encourage prayer in the lives of our children. They get it. They pray without rules and regulations, in the beauty of it's simplicity. May we not complicate their prayer lifes with our own expectations and requirements of prayer, but encourage their honesty and freedom as they enter the embrace of Jesus.

 

SamMe

 

24-7 Day One: Experiencing the Presence

There’s a buzz of conversation. People are chatting and laughing as they cluster around tables. Knives and forks clang against each other. Chairs scrape back and forwards against the wooden floor. The smell of spaghetti and meatballs wafts through the room. People play with napkins in their hands, rolling them and unrolling them, tearing them up, keeping their fingers busy. The sight really is something to behold, a group of people; diverse in age, ethnicity, socio-economic status and religion coming together to share in a meal. This is our weekly community meal, where anyone is welcome and everyone is equal. Regardless!

Tonight though, there’s a difference. In the corner of the room sits a big white Marquee, a tent. It looks a little out of place. Draped across the tent is bunting which reads “24/7 PRAYER”.

Before the food is served it’s announced that there is a space for prayer in the corner of the room. That this week our church family will be praying for 24 hours a day. The offer is made for people to wander through the prayer room, and someone will be in there, if they want prayer for anything at all. The meal is served and people eat.

No one comes into the prayer room during the meal seeking prayer. The buzz continues. It’s noisy. Yet, within the prayer tent … tranquillity and peace. It’s a little bit surreal. There’s this overwhelming sense of calm. Quietness. Stillness. The noise could be overpowering … but isn’t, at all!

For the last couple of nights, I’ve lost sleep with excitement. Excitement about what God has in store. And this! It exceeds my expectations!

His Presence is like a blanket, it covers with peace, rest, joy, hope and life.

As I look around the room, a Martin Luther King, Jr quote on the wall captures my attention: “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

I breathe, I pray.

He is good. He is faithful. He hears our prayers. He responds.

People leave the meal and a small group of us gather for a time of corporate prayer. We are reminded that God IS 24-7. He never sleeps or slumbers. Where-ever we are, what-ever time, He is ready and available. Much of our time in group prayer is spent in silence as we sit … wait … soak.

We lift praise and adoration, we confess, we thank, we uphold others and their situations, we speak light into places of darkness, we make change in the spiritual realms and our Father is moved to action through our prayer.

As our time draws to a close we are acutely aware that although we leave this place of prayer, we don’t leave his presence. He goes before us, He hems us in from behind. We can continue in prayer, pick up where we left off, anytime, anywhere. We leave for the night, knowing that a fellow prayer warrior has taken up the prayer baton. That through out the night the prayer will continue. 24-7.

Thank-you Jesus for making the way for us to come to our heavenly Father in prayer. Let this week of prayer be for your glory. Let your Kingdom come, let your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. “And now, dear God, be alert and attentive to prayer, all prayer, offered in this place.” 2 Chronicles 6:40