PRAYING
In Philip Yancey's latest book, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? writes:
Yancey contends that an expectation of answered prayer includes our participation. Sitting idly by and expecting God to do all the work also diminishes who we are. Our inaction in prayer reveals an absence of God in our lives whereas our active involvement indicates we are the flesh of God in the world today, the body of Christ.
As I read newsletters from other districts, I noticed in one of them that their district actively prays for member congregations. Congregations pray for congregations within the district. This is not a novel idea but it is a good one. I'd like to incorporate it into the life of our district.
Here is the plan. Each month we will list 3 to 4 congregations from our district in the newsletter for prayer during the month. Prayers can be offered private or public for these congregations. In keeping with Yancey's thoughts, I plan to do more than just pray. During the month I will also contact the listed congregation via a phone call to the pastor or a member of the congregation, or by visiting that congregation if my schedule allows. Others should make contacts with the congregations listed as well.
Within a year, every congregation will have received prayer and a personal contact. Through this active prayer effort we will begin to see that we are the embodiment of God as we pray for and relate to one another.
Could this be a beginning to a prayer ministry in our district? Possibly. This ministry could grow to include other districts, denominational ministries and offices, and even other denominations. The investment is minimal-just a little time and maybe a few cents for a phone call. But the benefits of love and grace will abound exponentially. That, I believe, is the ultimate answer to prayer!
Peace and blessings, brothers and sisters,
"Those of us who struggle with unanswered prayer dare not overlook an important theological truth about how God acts in this world today. The church is the body of Christ, and as such it does God's work. As Ronald Rolheiser expresses it, "A theist believes in a God in heaven whereas a Christian believes in a God in heaven who is also physically present on this earth inside of human beings…. God is still present, as physical and as real today as God was in the historical Jesus. God still has skin, human skin, and physically walks on this earth just as Jesus did."To pray "God, please help my neighbor cope with her financial problems," or "God, do something about the homeless downtown" is the approach of a theist, not a Christian. God has chosen to express love and grace in the world through those of us who embody Christ."
Yancey contends that an expectation of answered prayer includes our participation. Sitting idly by and expecting God to do all the work also diminishes who we are. Our inaction in prayer reveals an absence of God in our lives whereas our active involvement indicates we are the flesh of God in the world today, the body of Christ.
As I read newsletters from other districts, I noticed in one of them that their district actively prays for member congregations. Congregations pray for congregations within the district. This is not a novel idea but it is a good one. I'd like to incorporate it into the life of our district.
Here is the plan. Each month we will list 3 to 4 congregations from our district in the newsletter for prayer during the month. Prayers can be offered private or public for these congregations. In keeping with Yancey's thoughts, I plan to do more than just pray. During the month I will also contact the listed congregation via a phone call to the pastor or a member of the congregation, or by visiting that congregation if my schedule allows. Others should make contacts with the congregations listed as well.
Within a year, every congregation will have received prayer and a personal contact. Through this active prayer effort we will begin to see that we are the embodiment of God as we pray for and relate to one another.
Could this be a beginning to a prayer ministry in our district? Possibly. This ministry could grow to include other districts, denominational ministries and offices, and even other denominations. The investment is minimal-just a little time and maybe a few cents for a phone call. But the benefits of love and grace will abound exponentially. That, I believe, is the ultimate answer to prayer!
Peace and blessings, brothers and sisters,
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