We arrived at the Sportsplex tonight only to find the electricity was off in that portion of the city. The Sportsplex which is a giant skating rink with some other rooms has very few windows. So we began the process of deciding how we could do prayer in a cold, dark sportsplex with no childcare.
We decided on having an abbreviated prayer time with candles and give parents a choice to head on out or keep their kids with them during this time.
There was something refreshing about having no microphones, no video projectors, and no heat. It brought everything back to the heart of the matter: PRAYER
Mark did pull out his guitar and led us in a couple of worship songs. We had our Large Group Prayer Team stand out to one side and pray for anyone who wanted prayer. We had everyone individually pray through some requests: pray for family, our services the next weekend and for people to come to Christ for the first time.
We had an abbreviated prayer time, but an encouraging one.
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We are Thankful for:
First Time Decisions:
CC 6
Baptisms 5
Unique Comments:
Praise Jesus! I know I need to pay a friend's mortgage now!
Something changed in me today! Thank you!
I am amazed by the growth and love that is pouring out of this church.
Awesome! I love your worship and freedom in this church!
Great job guys! Thanks for sharing. What a blessing you ALL are. May God continue to do amazing things in each of your lives and at ELife!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
"Large Group Prayer Teams" go into action - Monday Night Prayer 101909
I was really excited about this Monday night as we had our LGPT in action for the first time. LGPT is our "Large Group Prayer Team". We had a training time for those interested in being on this prayer team in September. I'll share more about that in another post. Monday night, instead of having everyone in the room pray for various needs. We asked that our staff and support staff stand and for anyone in major transition to stand. We then had our LGPTers go to them and spend time praying for them.
We continue to see the devotional prayer time before corporate prayer set the tone. There is something about people coming in early and preparing their hearts for prayer that helps corporate prayer take off quickly at 7:00 pm.
People were connected in worship tonight. Our worship team for Monday nights are our primary worship team from the weekend. They have varying musicians with them each night. One reason our prayer time works is because our lead pastor is strongly behind the this time and is our whole staff.
After three songs I shared about the story of Jacob going to the land of Goshen as Joseph had asked. He was uprooting from a familiar place and going to a new place. I encouraged people to be willing to let God lead them to new places. Interesting too that as Jacob headed to Goshen he stopped at an alter made years before. There are times when we move to a new thing that God wants us to remember the old things He has done. We remember His faithfulness, we remember His promises to us and we remember His love toward us. We prayed for a moment about this.
We had a testimony for one of our college students on how God led her to go home one summer from college and spend the summer praying for her family. She shared how God moved powerfully in that summer in their relationships. She had to give up going on a short term missions trip to do this.
Another of our monthly focuses in foreign missions. We let people come to microphones and pray for specific missionaries and countries. God has developed many in our body who have a heart for the nations. We usually have 10 or more who will come and pray for various countries or missions.
Another night of Gods faithfulness to us as we sought Him in prayer.
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Thanks given for:
18 first time commitments to Christ.
18 people wanting to be baptized.
Connection Card Responses:
Unique Comments:
I feel Christ is really speaking through our pastors!
Way to go staff and how awesome you are as examples as servants for us all.
I feel so welcome here!
A new experience...5 out of 5 stars! ;)
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We continue to see the devotional prayer time before corporate prayer set the tone. There is something about people coming in early and preparing their hearts for prayer that helps corporate prayer take off quickly at 7:00 pm.
People were connected in worship tonight. Our worship team for Monday nights are our primary worship team from the weekend. They have varying musicians with them each night. One reason our prayer time works is because our lead pastor is strongly behind the this time and is our whole staff.
After three songs I shared about the story of Jacob going to the land of Goshen as Joseph had asked. He was uprooting from a familiar place and going to a new place. I encouraged people to be willing to let God lead them to new places. Interesting too that as Jacob headed to Goshen he stopped at an alter made years before. There are times when we move to a new thing that God wants us to remember the old things He has done. We remember His faithfulness, we remember His promises to us and we remember His love toward us. We prayed for a moment about this.
We had a testimony for one of our college students on how God led her to go home one summer from college and spend the summer praying for her family. She shared how God moved powerfully in that summer in their relationships. She had to give up going on a short term missions trip to do this.
Another of our monthly focuses in foreign missions. We let people come to microphones and pray for specific missionaries and countries. God has developed many in our body who have a heart for the nations. We usually have 10 or more who will come and pray for various countries or missions.
Another night of Gods faithfulness to us as we sought Him in prayer.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks given for:
18 first time commitments to Christ.
18 people wanting to be baptized.
Connection Card Responses:
Unique Comments:
I feel Christ is really speaking through our pastors!
Way to go staff and how awesome you are as examples as servants for us all.
I feel so welcome here!
A new experience...5 out of 5 stars! ;)
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Strong Presence of God - Monday Night prayer 101209
We continue to see a strong presence of God among us as we come together to pray on Monday Nights. Last night was no exception. One of our key prayer people told me that when they entered the room at 6:30 they were immediately struck by an awareness of Gods presence.
Worship tonight was two slower songs. "I exalt thee" which is a vintage song and "the more I seek you" from Gateway worship. The lights were dimmed and there was a incredible peace for me indicating Gods presence. I could hear sobs to my right and God was moving in someones heart and then someone to the left sobbing also.
Our prayer intern, Matt, really felt led to encourage people that God was there in a powerful way and that He was breaking chains upon people. I got up and had people linger more in Gods presence. I had Mark and Brandon sing I exalt thee again.
As we consistently do we went into a time of thanksgiving where we hear answers to prayer. Everyone gave a great round of applause for at least 30 seconds when the announcement came that we had 28 salivations this past weekend. David Eppler, a local pastor from Cityview Fellowship came and shared about 10 minutes on what it is to be an intercessor. An intercessor is one who stands in the gap and helps bridge the gap from a persons reality now to what the reality of Gods will is.
Tim led us in prayer for a young girl who was wrestling with the option of abortion, we prayed for David Eppler and the leadership of Cityview, we prayed for the prayer movements in the city: Pray Lubbock, 24/7 prayer, Remnant and all prayer gatherings of people, we prayed for people to come to Christ this coming weekend, we prayed for our lead pastor.
During our prayer ministry time we prayed for all public servants: mail, govt., police, fire dept, utilities, we prayed for all those who had gone through intercessory training, and then for any need anyone had.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks given for:
28 first time commitments.
20 people interested in baptism
Comments for the weekend:
I enjoyed it greatly and felt like God was talking to me through Chris.
THANK YOU! Amazing, Uplifting, Encouraging, Just what I needed!
What awesome worship time! Brandon thanks for reading scripture over us!
Awesome! I loved the loving atmosphere!
Off the chain!!!
Worship tonight was two slower songs. "I exalt thee" which is a vintage song and "the more I seek you" from Gateway worship. The lights were dimmed and there was a incredible peace for me indicating Gods presence. I could hear sobs to my right and God was moving in someones heart and then someone to the left sobbing also.
Our prayer intern, Matt, really felt led to encourage people that God was there in a powerful way and that He was breaking chains upon people. I got up and had people linger more in Gods presence. I had Mark and Brandon sing I exalt thee again.
As we consistently do we went into a time of thanksgiving where we hear answers to prayer. Everyone gave a great round of applause for at least 30 seconds when the announcement came that we had 28 salivations this past weekend. David Eppler, a local pastor from Cityview Fellowship came and shared about 10 minutes on what it is to be an intercessor. An intercessor is one who stands in the gap and helps bridge the gap from a persons reality now to what the reality of Gods will is.
Tim led us in prayer for a young girl who was wrestling with the option of abortion, we prayed for David Eppler and the leadership of Cityview, we prayed for the prayer movements in the city: Pray Lubbock, 24/7 prayer, Remnant and all prayer gatherings of people, we prayed for people to come to Christ this coming weekend, we prayed for our lead pastor.
During our prayer ministry time we prayed for all public servants: mail, govt., police, fire dept, utilities, we prayed for all those who had gone through intercessory training, and then for any need anyone had.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks given for:
28 first time commitments.
20 people interested in baptism
Comments for the weekend:
I enjoyed it greatly and felt like God was talking to me through Chris.
THANK YOU! Amazing, Uplifting, Encouraging, Just what I needed!
What awesome worship time! Brandon thanks for reading scripture over us!
Awesome! I loved the loving atmosphere!
Off the chain!!!
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