8^th Annual Congregational Prayer Campaign

Each year for the past eight years our shepherds have called us to spend 40 days in a concentrated, coordinated, congregational campaign of prayer.  Why do we do this?

1.  Because the first part of our Mission Statement states that we truly want to be a church "of Christ."  By committing to this campaign we will be following the example of Jesus, who spent 40 days in prayer and fasting before experiencing spiritual victory over Satan! 

2.  Because our Lord taught us, "Ask and it will be given to you;  seek and you will find;  knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives;  he who seeks finds;  to him who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).  If our Father is listening, and truly wants to answer our requests, why wouldn’t we want to pray?

3.  Because the early church was devoted to "the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer " (Acts 2:42).  As a people who are committed to following the example of the New Testament church, we certainly want to restore their spirit of devotion to prayer.

4.  Because when the apostles were faced with opposition and persecution, "they went back to their own people...and they raised their voices together in prayer to God" (Acts 4:23-24).  As a result of their earnest congregational prayer, "the place where they were meeting was shaken, And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly" (Acts 4:31).   We are convinced that congregational prayer keeps us strong, and enables us to live and share our faith boldly, in the midst of an increasingly ungodly world.

5.  Because the apostle Paul urges us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).  Sincere, sustained conversation with God grants us a peace of mind that cannot be found anywhere else.

6.  Because the apostle John reminds us, "We have this confidence in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).  We pray because we are confidence of God’s reception, and we are confident because we pray and experience the blessings of answered petitions.

The message of 1 John 5:14 provides the theme for this year's prayer campaign: "THE CONFIDENCE OF PRAYER."    Each day we will celebrate the assurance that is given to God's children, and confidently claim the promises that Jesus has secured for us.

By using the daily prayer guides that will be provided we can coordinate our requests.  In addition, the guides will help us get out of the "rut" of our usual prayer routine by expanding our petitions and deepening our relationship with our Father in heaven.

The prayer guides will also be posted on our website so that you may keep up with the daily readings even when you are out of town.

The practice of serious, sustained prayer is one of life's great adventures. I encourage you to make the commitment to join us for 40 Days of Prayer!

–Dan