Cities around the world are beginning to seek God for transformation. Would you like to see the heating plant of this church?”, They were not particularly interested for it was a hot day in July, but they didn’t want to offend the stranger so they consented. “It’s risky, aggressive, and brought about through prayer. The Five Most Important Church Growth Principles These outreach principles work. It was as if the personal mission work was not of value. This was just the beginning. A praying church believes in the power of words spoken and words sung. God is looking for a man who will take the burden on himself for the nation. Many church members will say they really want revitalization, but their real desire is to move the church to 1988. Our church services … He prayed two things for them– love and holiness. The Holy Spirit desires to work in us individually and collectively. He shows up, not shows off. Acts 2:47 - Praising God, and having favour with all the people. You can’t format God. The late great Leonard Ravenhill was quoted as saying, “A praying man will stop sinning, but a sinning man will stop praying. When God is present by His Spirit, there is unity and mutual care. They give God the glory. What is required for transformation in our city that will change the face of everything?” Here are some requirements that will help bring life and transformation into your city: Are we willing to pay the price for God to transform our cities through prayer? A healthy prayer life is one of the chief means the Lord uses to grow His people in His grace. And the advance and triumph of His cause depend on one thing: that we ask of Him.”  E. M. Bounds This may be an opportunity to get more people praying. Corporate prayer is on par with preaching and teaching as a priority in a healthy church. So is the prayer meeting a grace-o-meter, and from it, we may judge of the amount of … Prayer in this instance is like water to a flower garden—without it the flowers will not bloom and grow. Churches and individuals in the region dedicated time in the prayer room. “Every praying church is a growing church, and every growing church must remain praying to stay growing” - Bp David Oyedepo “Every praying church is a growing church, and every growing church must remain praying to stay growing” “The Power of a Praying Church” ... spiritual sickness—we are not growing in our faith or we feel distance from God, even physical sickness because of unconfessed and unforgiven sin. We must know that none of us has the answer to our city; only God does. I really don’t even know if this is possible, but I think I have outgrown my church. God’s heart is that your church becomes a praying church. #2 Believe in the Need for Individual Prayer. Dear intercessors, That's what makes prayer the live wire of every growing Church. To this end, He brings forth love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in individuals and in the community of believers (Gal. After all, it was their prayers that resulted in rapid growth and the spread of the gospel. I usher, I’m in the choir, I run Children’s church etc. There are at least 3 beliefs required for this to happen. #1 Believe in the Need for Corporate Prayer. See OneThing. By creating opportunities for sharing personal missions, children, youth and adults expanded the vision of the church and enticed others in the congregation to be involved. The church of Jerusalem was birthed out of a prayer gathering after the disciples “ devoted themselves to prayer.” Every growing Church must remain a praying Church to keep growing." ‘For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people’ (Isaiah 56:7), says our God. Empowered bullies. Throughout the Book of Acts we see the Church praying for one another. We travail to birth them into Christ, we travail to see them established in the Kingdom (Galatians 4:19). through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the one who transforms and brings change. “The time has come to lift the bar of expectations. Acts 2:41 tells us that 3,000 souls were added to the church after a powerful prayer meeting! Looking mainly at how the early church prayed in the book Acts, Mark challenges us to show our trust in the Lord in the way that we pray to Him.   The students were taken down a stairway, a door was quietly opened, and their guide whispered, “This is our heating plant.” Surprised, they saw 700 people bowed in prayer, seeking a blessing on the service that was soon to begin in the auditorium above. Requirements for Transformation in Your City Emmylou Harris Moved To Tears After Band Performs Tribute Song. Sunday Prayer Every Sunday, you are welcome to join others from our congregation to pray for our worship services and Sunday school classes as well as the pastors, musicians, teachers and others who will be involved in our Sunday-morning activities. Many of the great movements of God throughout church history have begun with people praying for God to move in a mighty way. Houses of prayer are starting all over the world. But only a praying church will be a thriving church. First, those involved in teaching—whether in Sunday school or from the pulpit—must teach on prayer. We are willing to lay down our own agendas and get on our faces before God for however long it takes. 10 Very Possible Reasons Your Church Isn’t Growing: So with that in mind, here’s a list of ten things that might be holding your church back from realizing the potential of its mission. Are we willing to enter into God’s heart in prayer that the Church in our city becomes a praying Church? ” How true this is and the devil knows it all too well. Hang banners outside the church. Prayer for church growth may not have been the exact words used when the disciples gathered in Acts 1 but after their prayer meeting, the church grew rapidly. Seeking the manifest presence of God in a region is risky, but it is the way towards a true and powerful transformation in our cities. “The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. It’s not the work of man. It’s not a quick start but a long run. Transformation is attainable for God. A few years ago we started a month-long 24/7 House of Prayer in a central location in southern Spain. Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on You? Growing As A Praying Church. We must stop our busyness, remove ourselves from the distractions all around us, and become passionate for God. As a top priority, form an initial prayer team with at least 10 people praying regularly for him. 'If you call on me, I will answer.’ He takes care of the problems. Fifth, invite people who need prayer to come forward and have church leadership pray for them. See how they prayed (verse 29)! We need supernatural power. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. God’s approach is to come in through the back door. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. May you have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Growing As A Praying Church. In Growing Your Church in the Word we talk about a church is only as strong as your members and a few ways you can create a church culture of devotions, prayer and worship. The key to prayer—to praying often, to praying openly, to praying boldly and freely with gladness of heart—is to remember that you are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, invited to His saving grace, purchased by his precious blood, and anticipated by His sympathetic intercession (Heb. There is a flow with the Holy Spirit that is not stage-managed. I encourage you to establish a prayer meeting time, and then challenge your members to get involved. #1 Believe in the Need for Corporate Prayer. As a church of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should be busy praying: offering prayers for growth in faith and love, for a development of our knowledge, for an increase in the Spirit’s power among us. They are not stakeholders but shareholders. We must be willing to speak (and hear) the truth about these things if our churches are going to grow. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright © 2021, Christianity.com.   This is also our witness to others – in that when we are tested with hardships and troubles – our faith in Jesus remains unshaken. Here at the International House of Prayer (IHOP-KC) hundreds of individuals from all over the world come to learn how to start a House of Prayer and see transformation in their city. When the Church in a city or region decides to drop its own agendas and decides to come together to pray, there is great spiritual power released into the atmosphere. They didn’t pray, ‘Grant that we may be kept safe’ – ‘Grant that Peter and John may be protected’ – ‘Lord, don’t let it happen again!’ – but they prayed, ‘Lord, help us to get on with the job of proclaiming the gospel!’ He is willing to be invited but only on his terms. I will live and die believing for my city to be transformed.”  They must persevere through apathy and not give up. There are so-called churches that are powerless; as II Timothy 3 reminds us: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” They were seeking God’s Kingdom purposes for that region. As we prayed, God began to fit everything into place. Look for those kinds of things and rally prayer around them. At First Presbyterian, we desire to be a praying church, both individually and corporately. Fourth, provide a prayer time before the service. I have been attending my church for over 8 years now. We invite you to pray this prayer for your city and believe God for a mighty transformation: “Lord, whatever it takes. Find him on Facebook or read more of his work at servantsofgrace.org. Bible verses related to Church Growth from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order . We desperately need this kind of movement, but our North American churches often have few real prayer meetings. We’ll look first at Paul’s prayers for a growing church, 3:12-13, the motive for a growing church, 4:1, and instructions for a growing church, 4:2-12. Place ads in local papers. When we are praying for church growth, we would be wise to follow their example. This is the heartbeat of God. What Does It Mean to "Pray Without Ceasing"? Leaders must be committed to a community. While spending a Sunday in London, five college students went to the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear its famous preacher, Charles Spurgeon. There is an unexpectedness of God. Join us for the free OneThing young adult conference (One Call, One Story, One Coming King) here in Kansas City through the webstream. acts 12:1-10. i. introduction. In his book, E. M. Bounds on Prayer, Bounds emphasizes that a praying church is a successful church: “Success is sure to follow a church given to much prayer. We need to ask ourselves, “What are the requirements needed to bring God’s power into our city - power that will reach the lost and set the captives free? The Best Way White Christians Can Respond to Racial Tensions, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright © 2021, Crosswalk.com. In that moment, the students learned an important lesson: a healthy church is a praying church. Healthy churches equip the people of God through faithful ministry and application of the Word and Spirit. The church becomes a beacon of light and hope.”George Otis, Jr., Transformation video. Dave Jenkins is the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. What is needed in the worldwide Church at this hour is a unified, praying Church. 31 Powerful Quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Amazing Children's Choir Sings 'I Can Only Imagine', A Prayer for Peace in Confusing Times - Your Daily Prayer - January 19, Courage for the Days Ahead - New Year Devotional - January 18, 6 Major Differences between Christianity and the American Dream, 10 Encouraging Bible Verses about Not Giving Up. Individuals from several other countries came, dedicating large amounts of time in the prayer room. When God’s house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God’s house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. The good news is that the Church is still growing in Europe and North America. We lack God’s processing power. We are fooled by strategy. He provided in an amazing way a large 200-year old hotel. In a praying church there is an overwhelming desire to obey the Lord’s commission to evangelise the world. The measure of leadership is not influence with the public but influence with God.” He is greatly concerned with your city and cares deeply about reaching the people who live there. God is at work there, which means Satan will be on the attack. We all want transformation in our cities. “Success is sure to follow a church given to much prayer. Praying for Church Growth Outcomes. We’re often the last to see what so many others see, and once we see it, we can deal with it. Church growth is about more than getting a few extra warm bodies in attendance. The condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings. No, a populated church does not always mean it is a growing church. We are becoming desperate and that is a good place to be. 2-3, Paul shared with the Thessalonians what it was that he prayed for them. Prayer isn’t something that can be captured on a spreadsheet or summarized in a report. They chose to unite and drop their differences. 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