A good starting place for a church prayer group leader is to focus on and promote life groups that are centered around specific spiritual needs and interests. Every church should have prayer groups for focused intercession in or out of crisis. What are other prayer leader mobilization solutions? Are your prayer leaders focused on what God is focused upon?
Prayer Targets
Prayer targets may include a focused time for the unreached or new believers; prodigals; health; the church's outreach and mission; staff; leadership, new member assimilation; security; finances, young generations, and more. Your church staff may even recommend a topic that is needed for the congregation that is specific to a family or a person in need, concern, or guidance on a matter that affects the flock.
Prayer Groups
Having active prayer groups that are focused on specific needs is always fruitful. For example, I'm part of a group called the Praying Grandmothers which was launched from the growing demographic of our church body who have the time and availability to gather face-to-face in prayer. Also, this group mobilizes the desire of new participants to utilize their gifts, and passion for the Kingdom of God is of the utmost importance.
Prayer Outreach
Many of us may have had a grandmother who prayed for us. Most believers have a growing burden for our children and certainly our grandchildren. The need for concerted intercession for our younger generations is more evident every day. Helping facilitate a core team of three (a cord of three strands is not easily broken) has been a joy and great honor and divides the work so more are blessed and trained to lead. Meeting weekly at the building continues to provide a secure and focused place to gather. The church regularly promotes the group in their communications. We are free to invite others to ‘try us out’ from other churches or lay groups.
Prayer Practices
Praise: We find it vital to begin with praise as modeled by the LORD's prayer, Matthew 6:9 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..." and Psalm 100:4, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!"
Schedule: We extend lunch time on occasion to further fellowship and sharing and we schedule our time consistently for one hour.
Size: The group has had several come and go while it has become a core group for about 10 or so.
Goal: The goal isn't to be big, but consistent, focused, and fruitful.
Comms: We also have a text group which is important to keep us updated as needed on a prayer prompt, if we are away we stay current, or if something urgent develops.
Targets: While we pray specifically for our seed, we also are grandmothers who pray, meaning we cover topics affecting our generations. School curriculum, boards, safety, summer camps, prodigals, and social agenda are just a few of the topics that regularly affect many of our grandchildren.
It has been my privilege to help facilitate over 17,000 prayer warriors across the nation for many years. Your question is not too big or small.
If you would like help starting a prayer group at your church, please reach out to Lisa Crump at 877-930-8830 or email your questions to: lisa.crump@christianemergencynetwork.net
Every Bible-believing church should welcome more prayer! Thank you for your prayer leadership for such a time as this!
Lisa Crump
