December 6, 2001
PrayTimerä :
Real Time for Real Prayer
Teacher’s Guide
www.praytimer.org
C. Thomas Wright, Ph.D.
"There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12)
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine (Jesus), and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock" (Matt. 7:24).
©2000, North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Alpharetta, Georgia
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without priort written permission of the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Manager, Editorial and Design Unit, North American Mission Board, 4200 North Point Pkwy., Alpharetta, GA 30022-4176; or call (770) 410-6292; or fax, (770) 410-6006; or e-mail permissions@namb.net.
All Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted. © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.
C. Thomas Wright is an evangelistic missiologist. He is an author, professor, church starter, and strategist. He has served in international and North American missions since 1975. He earned a Ph.D. in evangelism and missions from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently serves in the Prayer Evangelism Unit of the North American Mission Board, SBC. He and his wife, Donna, live near Atlanta with their children, Jason and Amy.
Produced by the Evangelization Group, NAMB. For more information contact the Prayer Evangelism Unit or visit namb.net/prayer.
"…far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart…." (1 Sam. 12:23).
Table of Contents
The Purpose for the PrayTimer Teacher’s Guide
The Purpose for the Software and Guidebook/Outreach Bible Study
Teaching Options for the PrayTimer Software and Guidebook
Teacher/Prayer Coordinator’s Duties
Communicate with the Church
Work with the Association and other Evangelical Churches
PrayTimer as part of a Prayer Strategy
Great Commission Prayer Strategy
Teaching Suggestions for Each Session with discussion questions
Conclusion
I. The Purpose of the PrayTimer Teacher’s Guide
This is a resource for teachers and prayer coordinators. It provides suggestions to help any believer use the PrayTimer Software and prepare for each of the six sessions in the guidebook/ Bible Study.
The believer as teacher
These resources help any believer to be a teacher. Matthew 8:19, Mark 5:35 and John 3:2 refer to Jesus as "teacher." The Greek word for teacher refers to having something to teach. Anyone who has something to teach can be a teacher. Jesus came to teach humankind how to know and accept His Father, the Creator. As part of the Great Commission, Jesus commanded His followers to be "teaching them (all nations) to observe all that I commanded you, . . .(Matt. 28:20)."
First Corinthians 2:13 distinguishes between ". . .words taught by human wisdom, . ." and those ". . .taught by the Spirit, . . ." The postmodern culture is full of teachers presenting their individual opinions and their human conclusions. Christian teachers present the Word of God through the power of the spirit. The world needs to hear the truth of God’s Word. Christian teachers need to be pliable in His hands. We must learn, and teach, how to respond to the pagan culture. We must reclaim the culture through unashamedly presenting the teachings of Jesus.
Believers need to understand how to apply God’s Word to their lives. Luke 6:40 presents a somber warning to teachers, "A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone after he has been fully trained will be like his teacher." Please let the Holy Spirit be the teacher. As you teach, be sure to use biblical illustrations more than personal illustrations. Be careful not to impose your personal experiences as universally applicable to every student. The truth of God’s word is not dependent on human experience to validate or invalidate it. Point people to Jesus more than yourself. Be sure they see the Creator more than the creation. Monitor how often you use the word "I."
II. The Purpose for the PrayTimer Software and Guidebook/ Bible Study.
This software helps maximize and expand the believer’s prayer life. It provides tools for individuals, prayer coordinators, and church staff to manage, print, and distribute personal, congregational or small group prayer requests.
It provides customizable calendar options for prayer requests with daily, weekly, and monthly calendar views.
These versatile computer templates help individuals and prayer coordinators manage and customize personal, congregational, national, and international prayer requests.
Customizable lists of prayer requests can be printed for personal and corporate use by calendar dates, subject, reason, or source.
Downloadable files are included to pray for specific national and international requests, as well as missionaries on their birthdays. Also included is a schedule of verses to read through the Bible in a year.
A library page is at www.praytimer.org/downloads to download other updated prayer lists.
Import files for local prayer requests are easy to create and add to the prayer database.
Export files can be created easily and distributed to church members or other people using the software.
Requests can be exported from PrayTimer into the Microsoft Outlook Calendar program.
The PrayTimer Guidebook/ Bible Study:
Presents six 90-minute sessions about prayer that can be used as an outreach Bible study. It also provides specific instructions to use the software. Session topics include following Christ in biblical prayer, spiritual warfare, and developing a prayer ministry. The popularity of prayer as well as the novelty of prayer software will interest believers and unbelievers. The first session is written to introduce unbelievers (and remind believers) that the source and motivation for prayer flows from their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This comes through finding and developing a relationship with the Creator God through His only Son, Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. The outline from that chapter can be helpful to believers as they share Jesus with others.
Helps identify, for believers and unbelievers, some differences between biblical prayer and prayer as it is presented in the contemporary culture.
Briefly presents a biblical study of spiritual warfare as it relates to effective prayer. It alerts believers to some decoys used by Satan that confuse people and divert resources from the legitimate battle.
Describes ways to help lead the church to become a house of prayer and help each believer to become a prayer warrior whether or not they use the software.
Presents detailed instructions for the PrayTimer software.
The Software and Teacher Resources can be installed from the PrayTimer CD in the back of this book. Updated versions and updated prayer lists can be downloaded from www.praytimer.org. The CD includes: Automatic installation wizard, A "Read me first" file, the PrayTimer software including an "Import Files" folder with downloadable components (31 Day Prayer Map, NAMB and IMB missionary birthdays, Read the Bible through in a year verses, sample NAMB and IMB PrayerGrams. These illustrate what can be created by any church or denominational agency), a Quick Start Guide, step-by-step software instructions (copied from Chapter 6), Adobe Acrobat reader, an uninstall program for the software. The Teacher Resources include a Teacher’s Guide, Christian Growth Study Plan Form (CGSP), a folder containing a clip art PDF and scalable clip art (with separate "Read me first" file), a presentations folder including overhead cell masters, two PowerPoint Presentations
(one for chapters 1-3 and another for chapters 4-6. (A PowerPoint Viewer is included in case you do not have the PowerPoint software), and (for PC’s) a separate uninstall program for the PrayTimer resources.
III. Teaching Options for the PrayTimer Software and Guidebook/Bible Study
The PrayTimer Guidebook can be taught completely in six one hour sessions. Many people prefer a 90 minute option to allow for more discussion and longer prayer time. Change the length of time and number of sessions to meet the needs of your people.
A. Disciple others. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus told his followers, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst." Two or three people are all you need to teach. You do not need thousands of people in a conference setting to justify the training. Choose a select group of leaders, maybe a ladies’ or men’s Bible study group. Or you may choose the deacons, the Sunday School teachers, or youth leaders. Teach them first, then let them help you enlist others until the entire congregation has received training. Training multiple small groups will eventually permeate a congregation with biblical prayer.
B. Choose a scheduling format. Choose one or more of these formats or create your own format that will allow for the most people to participate. Offer different formats over the course of a year to involve people with different schedules (young adults, mothers with small children, retirees, or business people).
Three morning sessions. Begin at 9 a.m. and end at noon with a light lunch. Child care would be very important.
A six week seminar. Plan on a 60-90 minute session on a Sunday night, other weeknight, or a morning for six weeks. End each class in a response time for guided prayer. This may be the best format with a local teacher.
A five to six day seminar. Begin on Sunday evening with dinner and a two-hour session. Then, Monday through Thursday or Friday offer a light dinner and 90 minute sessions. Adapt the length of time as needed in your congregation.
A one-day seminar. The training time may begin at 9:00 a.m., break for lunch, and continue until 4:00 p.m.
A weekend conference or retreat. Begin with dinner on Friday evening. Teach session one. Complete the training on Saturday.
Personal study guide. Some believers find it helpful to read through these lessons on prayer as part of their daily study time.
Teaching schedule. Create whatever schedule and length of time works best for your church. These suggestions may help those who are new to teaching.
Honor those who come on time by beginning on time. Don’t wait on latecomers. End the sessions at the scheduled time.
Be careful not to allow refreshment and fellowship time to reduce the teaching/discussion time.
Begin each session with a time of prayer, possibly including a short praise song. Allow each person or ask several people to voice a short prayer. Pray often during the sessions.
Cover the material so that the students understand each point. Watch the time carefully. There is a lot of information in each session. If you aren’t careful, you will only get part way through the material. Add sessions as needed.
Encourage interaction, but do not let any one person monopolize the discussion. Acknowledge the person, but say kindly, "Let’s hear from some others, too." Do not let personal opinion become the focus more than the Word of God.
Vary each session to maintain interest.
End each session with a response time. Lead the response time as the spirit leads you. Be sure to give enough time for people to pray about what they learn in each session. Be sure they apply the lessons to their life, their family, and their church.
D. Teacher preparation
Teaching depends on the personality and preferences of the teacher. The goal is for everyone to enjoy the session, learn the material, and become more like Christ. Talk more about the Bible and Jesus than your own opinions and personal illustrations. Impose the Scripture on your opinions, not vice versa.
Begin with James 5:16 and the need for righteous prayer. We should not teach from our unrighteousness. Allow the Lord to use you as His instrument.
Teaching styles include: discussion, lecture, question and answer, and other learning activities. Vary your approach so that everyone can learn in a way that is enjoyable, as well as informative. Many people find lecture to be very boring.
Work hard to include class involvement. Ask participants to read Scripture, and to share brief testimonies and comments. Encourage everyone to say something. When necessary, gently interrupt and say, "thank you, but let’s get on with the lesson."
Deal with objections by suggesting that learners find and present the biblical evidence for their belief. Many objections are based on personal beliefs and convictions that are not found in the Word of God.
Use teaching aids and audiovisuals whenever possible. Make posters or handouts of key points from the sessions. Use the overhead cells or the PowerPoint presentation included on the CD.
Repeating key facts and asking the students to repeat key facts helps students remember each lesson.
Work hard to provide practical application to your church and community. Talk about how each lesson applies to your church. What do you need to begin doing? What do you need to change?
Ask each table to serve as a small group for a brief discussion time to talk about what they have learned. Encourage them to keep the suggestions positive. Pray together.
It is important to be prepared. Study the material and share it with enthusiasm.
Start and stop on time.
Teacher/Prayer Coordinator’s Duties.
There are several things that need to be done to prepare for teaching a PrayTimer Seminar. Delegate as many of these responsibilities as possible to the prayer council.
A. Before the seminar
Involve as many church leaders as possible. Be sure to involve the pastor, prayer coordinator, and prayer council.
Decide which format schedule will work best for your target group.
Begin planning early enough to pick a good time on the church calendar.
Choose a teacher or invite the guest teacher as early as possible. A pastor-led seminar usually will involve the highest number of church members. A praying pastor will have a praying church.
Provide child care. It will enable many more people to participate.
Decide if meals and refreshments will be provided and make plans accordingly.
Provide copies of the PrayTimer Software and Guidebook for each student.
Encourage students with notebook computers to bring these to the training. Be sure to provide enough outlets and safe extension cords.
B. Immediately before the seminar
Set up the room. Don’t put too many chairs per table.
Set up refreshments. Place hard candies or mints on each table.
Provide pencils and paper.
Set up the PowerPoint presentation or make the overhead cells from the CD.
Make copies of the Church Growth Study Plan forms in Appendix C in case people want credit.
V. Communicate with the Church.
Use all of the communication channels in the church to publicize PrayTimer training. Assign different responsibilities to as many people as possible. A veteran church prayer coordinator advises, "Keep everyone informed and involved. The more people you have involved, the more people will be informed."
Put a notice in the bulletin and newsletter.
Include announcements in every Sunday School class and activity.
Have the children’s classes and missions organizations make posters to place in the hallways and classrooms.
Let the congregation know if meals and child care will be provided.
Send a promotional postcard.
Use the clip art and scalable logos from the CD or online at namb.net/praytimer.
VI. Work with the Association and other Evangelical Churches
.Consider coordinating your PrayTimer Training with other churches in the county or association.
Contact the local associational prayer coordinators.
Contact the state prayer coordinator.
VII. PrayTimer as part of a Prayer Strategy
Many prayer coordinators are looking for help in permeating their congregation with prayer. There are several resources that can help you in the bibliography.
A. Strategy suggestions
Be careful to keep prayer as a spiritual response and not a program or ritual.
Provide multiple events to involve as many people as possible in the prayer ministry. Many prayer coordinators rightly emphasize the prayer room. The prayer room is one effective prayer option. Also encourage people to participate in Lighthouses of Prayer, prayer triplets, and Prayer Journeys. Then, you have people involved in different events that appeal to different personalities and interests. The more options you offer, the more people will be involved.
Here are several prayer event options from Taking Prayer to the Streets. Use whatever approach fits your cultural or geographic area. More information on these approaches is available in the bibliography and online at namb.net/prayer.
a). Prayer Triplets. A prayer triplet encourages three believers to pray together each week. Each believer chooses three unbelievers to pray for with the group. The prayer triplet prays for all nine unbelievers to be saved. Often, one of the believers becomes the instrument to lead the unbeliever to Christ.
b). Concerts of Prayer. A concert of prayer is a gathering of believers to pray. Usually, there are not a lot of guest speakers talking about prayer. It is just a concentrated time of group and private prayer.
c). Prayer Revivals or Retreats. A prayer revival or retreat is an extended number of meetings to focus on prayer. It can have a conference or worship service format.
d). Solemn Assemblies. Joel 1:14 and Joel 2:15 calls for the church to participate in solemn assemblies of repentance and prayer.
e). Pastor/Staff prayer networks. These groups pray for the specific needs of pastors and staff in the church and association. Satan’s counter strategy includes intentional attacks on church leaders. Believers need to provide a hedge of protection around them through prayer. These networks meet weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Many of them meet during the worship service to intercede for the spirit to work freely in the pastor, staff, and people. If we who believe in prayer are not praying for them, then who is?
f). Lighthouses of Prayer. Many believers are being led to open their homes as a Lighthouse of Prayer for their neighborhood. Lighthouse families agree to pray, care, and share with their neighbors. See namb.net/prayer/lighthouses or the bibliography for Lighthouse materials.
g). Outreach Prayer Surveys. A prayer survey sends believers door-to-door in a community to ask for prayer requests. An offer to pray for another’s needs is usually well received and provides contacts for later follow-up by the church and evangelism teams.
h). Prayer Journeys. Prayer Journeys expand on the idea of Prayer walking and regional prayer journeys. The material seeks to involve everyone in the church to pray for and share Jesus with everyone in the community. See the Taking Prayer to the Streets material for more information.
B. Organizing a Prayer Room. A house of prayer needs a prayer room. Every church has a kitchen and rarely is the kitchen replaced with a Sunday School class! Reclaim the church as a house of prayer. Find a place where at least three people can pray comfortably.
Coordinate prayer times to keep someone praying in the room as much as possible. A few people praying are better than no one praying!
Be sure that every time someone steps into the pulpit, there is someone stepping into the prayer room.
Set up a computer in the prayer room with the PrayTimer software or print daily and weekly requests for use in the prayer room and prayer meetings.
Include lists of specific prayer requests in the prayer room. Structure prayer requests using the example of Christ in John 17. You may even create three or more prayer stations in the prayer room including lists and materials for these separate areas.
Pray for believers. Pray for every staff member, teacher, and member by name. Pray for states and their leadership using NAMB’s On Mission Prayer Map. Pray for missionary birthdays, IMB’s and NAMB’s prayer newsletters, and the IMB prayer fax. Download updated prayer requests from namb.net/prayer and imb.org/pray.
Pray for unbelievers. While praying for unbelievers, use the visitors’ and prospect list. Pray for contacts made during Prayer Journeys. Use the IMB directory of unreached people groups. This is available from their web page at imb.org. Pray for friends, neighbors, contacts, and prospects. Assume that a person is lost until you know they are saved. It has been said that D.L. Moody always saw each person he met as having an "L" for "lost" on their heads until he knew he could erase it. He has been credited with reducing the population of hell by a million souls! Pray for national and local political, sports, and entertainment figures.
Pray for personal physical and spiritual needs. Pray for spiritual growth, outreach, and the fruit of the spirit. Pray for the Spirit to open areas of our lives that have been kept from God. Pray to be pliable and obedient servants.
Many congregations are finding enough interest for the prayer room to be filled periodically for 24 hours. (A 24 hour prayer chain can also use the watchman network. Each person prays from their home and calls the next person on the list when they finish.)
Great Commission Prayer Strategy.
Each of these events is most effective if they are part of the overall biblical strategy for prayer. A strategy is different from a series of events. A strategy gives biblical direction and purpose to events. The Prayer Guide for Churches and Associations recommends these three parts to a biblical prayer strategy.
A. Renew a personal passion to pray unceasingly (see 1 Thess. 5:17). This purpose statement refers to the importance of a personal prayer life. As believers begin to practice a life of unceasing prayer, prayer assumes its primary and foundational place in our lives. In Matthew 6:5-7, Jesus cautions against the vain repetition that may be mistakenly identified as praying unceasingly.
B. Reclaim the church as a house of prayer with a passion for lost people (see Matt. 21:13; Luke 19:10). This purpose statement refers to the importance of a corporate dimension to prayer. As prayer is placed in its foundational place in a congregation, the focus of ministry turns toward the Father’s focus—the lost world.
C. Link believers in focused prayer for evangelization and awakening (see Matt. 18:18-20; 2 Chron. 7:14). This purpose statement refers to the importance of a kingdom perspective to prayer. Churches that become houses of prayer have people who saturate everything done in and through their life and ministry with prayer. They begin to include prayer for the worldwide harvest. These churches are led to join other congregations in associational, state, national, and international prayer initiatives for evangelization and awakening (such as the National Day of Prayer, See You at The Pole, Campus Prayer Journey, Prayer for the Persecuted Church, etc.). There is a lot of power in focused, united prayer. Many believers are focusing their prayer to respond to God’s call for revival and spiritual awakening.
IX. Teaching Suggestions for Each Session.
Session One: Following Christ in Biblical Prayer
Session Purpose: To help students lay the foundation of following Christ for an effective prayer life.
Ask two or three people to open the session with prayer (5-10 minutes). Lead them in prayer for the church and each church leader by name. Pray for the state leaders from that day’s prayer map.
Begin teaching through the overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation (45-50 minutes). Read an illustration or paragraph from the guidebook; emphasize the section on biblical prayer.
Ask a student to share the role of prayer in their conversion to Jesus (5 minutes).
End the session with a response time. Perhaps using the following discussion questions. Lead the students to each confirm their relationship to Christ. Watch for those who may not be followers of Christ. Be prepared to lead them to Christ. Ask the class to brainstorm ways to apply this session’s material to your church. (5-10 minutes).
Discussion Questions:
A. What are some differences between biblical prayer and popular prayer?
See page 8. Biblical prayer flows from a personal relationship with
Jesus.
B. What is the significance of the Creator seeking a relationship with His
creation? See pages 9-11. We can meet Him and know Him on His
terms
How does the culture portray sin and its consequences in ways that are different from biblical truth? See pages 11-13. Sin is to disobey God, God, is holy, Hell is horrible, Being good is not enough, Confess and repent.
Why is it important that God provided Jesus as the solution to our sin problem? Let believers share how they met Jesus. Watch for the opportunity to help unbelievers meet Jesus. See pages 13-15
How do we grow as healthy Christians? See page 15. Get nourished, through worship, baptism, bible study and prayer.
What does the book say that healthy Christians automatically begin to do? Talk about ways that the church and each person can share these truths with others in the church and the community. See page 15. Tell others about Christ.
Session Two: Praying from a Believer’s Heart
Session Purpose: To lead students to accept the definitive biblical teaching on the source and means of effective prayer.
Begin the session with a season of prayer. Ask people to pray a sentence prayer out loud as they are led by the Lord. Lead them to pray for the IMB and NAMB missionaries on that day’s prayer calendar and for other missionaries they know by name (3-5 minutes).
Ask someone to lead in a worship chorus (3-5 minutes).
Begin teaching through the overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation (45-50 minutes). Emphasize God’s expectations for prayer and for the person praying.
Ask students to read the Scriptures aloud in different translations.
End the session with a response time. Perhaps use the following discussion questions. Allow time to discuss how the world responds to biblical truth. Talk about the importance of choosing the correct authority for our lives. Conclude with a time of prayer (10-20 minutes).
Discussion questions:
What is the role of Jesus in our prayer? See pages 18-19. Jesus provides our access to the father.
Discuss the importance of the Holy Spirit in our prayer. See pages 19-21. He helps in our weakness, intercedes for us, and works for the good of the believer.
Talk about the implications behind God’s expectations for Prayer. See pages 21-26. It is not just an activity, a discipline, beware of imitations, focus prayer on the Father, forgiveness, Jesus as the Way.
What happens to the prayers of those who do not know Christ and do not have the Holy Spirit in their life? See page 21. Ineffective, powerless prayer.
What difference will this make in how you pray and how you share Jesus with others?
Session Three: Spiritual Warfare and the Biblical Plan
Session Purpose: To explain and contrast biblical spiritual warfare with popular conceptions of spiritual warfare.
Begin with an extended prayer time for wisdom and understanding. Pray for the fruit of the spirit to characterize everything that is said and done.
Ask for class members to share what they have learned that has made a difference in their personal or church prayer time.
Teach through the overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation (45-50 minutes). Emphasize the need for prayer warriors. Read the three goals for a prayer ministry. Ask each participant to personally decide whether their church meets these three goals.
Take extra time to study these Bible verses to be sure everyone understands the biblical truths about spiritual warfare. Lead a brief discussion on biblical spiritual warfare.
Conclude with a response time. Consider using the following discussion questions. Lead the class to pray for that day’s state leadership and protection from the evil one. Consider ways to present this material among the entire congregation (10-20 minutes).
Discussion questions:
How does the biblical focus of spiritual warfare change your perception of spiritual warfare? See pages 29-31. Conversion of the lost, Satan’s plans, responsibility for biblical authority and activities.
What are ways you have seen Satan’s plan in your life or in churches? See pages 31-32. Confusion, inactivity, false teaching.
Why is it important to identify false teaching? How do we identify false teaching? See pages 32-33. Study God’s Word to prevent confusion and decoys.
Identify and discuss the importance of each of the five biblical principles for spiritual warfare. See pages 33-37. God is in control, Jesus is God’s Son and has authority over Satan and his demons, Satan is the enemy of God and humankind, there is a battle between good and evil, there is a difference in warfare in heavenly and earthly realms.
What are the decoys and how do we protect ourselves from becoming unintentional false prophets? See pages 38-42. Stay with biblical truth to prevent becoming an unintentional false prophet. Spiritual Warfare Movement, animism, spiritual mapping
How does the conclusion apply to you and your congregation? See page 42. Spiritual warfare is ultimately won or lost in the conversion of lost people and discipling them through a local congregation.
Session Four: Christian Intervention- The role of an Intercessor/Prayer Warrior
Session Purpose: To lead students into their role as biblical intercessors.
Begin with a testimony of answered prayer (5 minutes).
Lead the class to pray for lost people that they know. Pray for the state leadership from that day’s prayer map.
Teach through the overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation (45-50 minutes). Emphasize the need for prayer warriors.
End the session with a response time. Consider using the fllowing discussion questions. Ask the students to get into small groups of 3-5 people. Discuss how to apply these lessons to their individual lives and church prayer ministry. Ask what action plans they can create and implement (10-20 minutes).
Ask two volunteers to lead prayers for God to call out prayer warriors and intercessors in their churches.
Discussion questions:
Why should a believer move from being a person who prays to become a prayer warrior? See page 43. To do something eternal and be a blessing to others
What characteristics of a prayer warrior do you see as most important? See pages 44-52. Connected to the Vine, grounded in the Bible, listen to the Lord, pray in truth, create a prayer plan, comprehensive prayer plan.
How can you incorporate into your church the three goals of a Great Commission Prayer Ministry? See page 53, personal, corporate, kingdom.
Which parts of the Great Commission Prayer Process do you need to incorporate into your church prayer ministry? See pages 54-58
What can you do to help prayer permeate the entire congregation?
Session Five: Maximizing Personal Prayer Time (whether or not you use the software).
Session Purpose: To teach students to maximize and organize their personal and church prayer time.
Begin with a prayer time for understanding. Pray for the day’s listing from the NAMB or IMB prayergram (3-5 minutes).
Ask volunteers to share with the other students what they have learned so far in class (3-5 minutes).
Begin teaching through the overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation. (45-50 minutes). Emphasize the three categories of people: believers, unbelievers, and those with personal spiritual needs.
Allow participants to form "buzz" groups to formulate ideas to strengthen personal prayer times. Allow a volunteer from each group to share their best ideas with the entire group.
Conclude the session with a response time. Perhaps use the following discussion questions. Talk about the importance of a personal prayer time. Include a prayer time for the Lord to bless them with a renewed personal and corporate prayer time (10-20 minutes).
Discussion questions:
Why do we need a daily, personal prayer plan? See page 59. Perspective, relationship, making an eternal difference.
How does the ACTS acrostic help prayer warriors? See pages 60-62. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.
What are the three prayer list categories and how do they help us pray? See page 62. Believers, unbelievers and personal needs.
What is the HEART acrostic and how can that help you pray for unbelievers? See page 64. Repentant Hearts, Eyes and Ears opened, Attitudes toward sin, Released to believe, Transforming life.
What excuses keep us from becoming prayer warriors?
Session Six: Motivation for Prayer and PrayTimer 1.0 Software Instructions
Session Purpose: To equip students to use the software for maximizing personal and corporate prayer.
Begin with a brief time of worship and praise. Pray for the IMB and NAMB missionaries on that day’s prayer calendar (5 minutes).
Be sure to invite people to bring their notebook computers for this session.
A live presentation of the software projected on the wall from a computer would be very helpful.
The overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation will be particularly important to explain the software.
Ask for a testimony from those who have been using the software and found it helpful.
Teach through the overhead cells or PowerPoint presentation (45-50 minutes).
End the session with a response time. Consider using the following discussion questions. Divide into groups to discuss how to use these templates and the software in their personal and church prayer times. Ask each person to share one specific action plan to use from the seminar. Include a season of prayer (10-20 minutes).
Discussion Questions:
What is our motivation to pray? See page 72. To grow in Christ.
Why is it so hard to choose God’s Will over our Will? See page 72. Pride, we have to change.
What are the benefits of allowing the Spirit to change our heart? See pages 72-73. Purity, unceasing prayer, sharing Jesus, comfort.
How can we grow in our relationship with Jesus? See page 73-74. Fellowship.
What are some benefits of using the software to help maximize our prayer time?
X. Conclusion
Being like Christ includes teaching others. What we teach is more important than how we teach. The Holy Spirit can use any willing servant. He will honor our study, our preparation, and prayer. Help your people renew a personal passion to pray unceasingly. Lead your church to be a house of prayer with a passion for lost people.