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Running a prayer meeting
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Plan to have the meeting when it does not
conflict with other church activities.
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Have a day you keep, a starting time you keep
and constantly encourage people to be on time.
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Identify an assistant leader as soon as
possible.
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Establish Guidelines for the group (input can
comes from the group)
▪ Start,
stop times
▪ Location,
frequency,
▪ Leader,
second leader,
▪ Where
each member can call you or the group on.
▪ This
would outline the purpose of the group, starting time, what will not be done by
the group.
▪ A
prayer chain, contact info to each member, a facebook group etc…
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Remember
this is a prayer group not a home group
▪ Meaning
the focus is not primarily food, fellowship, teaching, sharing, games, bible
reading, or any other activity.
▪ Limit
testimonies.
▪ Dedicate
at least 2/3 of the time to pure prayer. (not including prayer requests,
explanations etc.…) in the first 1/3 should fit all other activities.
▪ The
leader should not teach!
▪ Reserve
refreshments till the end of the meeting so as to not hinder the prayer time.
If people need to leave they can.
▪ People
have only so much time. If they want these other activities then plan outside
this meeting, like another day.
▪ No Problem Solving - One of the
tendencies of Christian groups is to turn prayer request time into a counseling
session. That’s one reason we often don’t have time to pray. We’re too busy
trying to solve the problem ourselves. This is truly the work of the enemy to
keep us from praying! State the “no problem solving” guideline up front. Then,
as soon as someone begins to offer advice, remind them that we need to pray
about the problem, not solve it.
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The leader will give the group direction for
each meeting (the more prepared you are the more the meeting will flow)
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Prayer
topics
▪ Regular
church things, leaders, ministries, etc.
▪ PRAY
FOR THE CROSS EACH WEEK.
▪ Stay
on topic (if you say we will pray for this, then stay there and then move to
another subject)
▪ Upcoming
events (worship nights, special services, men, meat , movie, women's meetings
etc.) new hope events (CPU, etc..) that means you have to stay informed)
▪ A portion for individual prayer needs,
not all. Unless that is the theme of the day)
▪ Have
some form so that each person can be prayed for once.
▪ No Monopoly Don't let one person bring
many prayer requests.
▪ Know when the prayer request is supposed to
be prayed for by the individual, the group is not there to do the praying
for them. Remember the story of the 10 virgins who didn’t want to get oil for
themselves they want the oil from others.)
▪ No 3rd party distant prayer
requests - Encourage them to keep it personal, not just prayers for people
they know a situations in the world (encourage them to pray for this in their
personal prayer times)
▪ Pray for Kingdom things (your kingdom
come, be specific)
▪ Prayer
in understanding and in the spirit.
▪ Don’t
avoid concerted praying.
▪ Encourage
others to pray
▪ Don’t
surprise people you are not sure will or can pray. Ask them in advance and give
them an idea about the topic.
▪ Give
outlines and assign people.
▪ Don’t
be afraid of silence (silence doesn’t mean nothing is happening.)
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Know when you are finished or not
