Archive for the ‘Prayer’ Category

Beyond a National Day of Prayer

Monday, May 4th, 2009

Thursday, May 7, 2009 is the 58th Annual National Day of Prayer here in the United States.  This year’s theme is “Prayer … America’s Hope.”  One might ask, however, when looking at the state of this country, what all those years of this prayer campaign have accomplished.  In many ways we are much worse than we were 58 years ago.

Two thoughts come to my mind about this:

  1. Our real hope is in the God to whom we pray and not the prayers themselves.  Prayer is merely the means by which we access the throne of grace.  God uses prayer but ultimately it needs to be about HIM and not us.
  2. We need more than a day of prayer.  The early church was devoted to prayer (Acts 2:42).  Are we as individuals and churches engaged in a lifestyle of prayer … constantly being aware of the presence of God in our lives and ready to communicate with Him at all times?

The benefit of such a day seems to me to be that it does draw the focus of people onto praying, those who may not regularly be praying for our country, maybe hardly praying at all.  How can we capture this focus and sustain it?

Ministry Tools Resource Center provides a section on maintaining a prayer ministry as well as a page filled with prayer resources.  The National Day of Prayer will come and go but perhaps this training and the additional resources can help you take it beyond.

Posted in Prayer | 1 Comment »

4 Critcal Steps to Effectively Prepare for Vacation Bible School

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Preparation for this year’s Vacation Bible School should have begun when last year’s VBS ended, especially step 1.  As I look back at the several times I directed and/or co-directed VBS, these are steps I wish I would have taken more seriously and done more strategically.

STEP 1:  Envision what VBS can be through prayer.

  • What does GOD want to accomplish through it?
  • Who does GOD want it to target?

STEP 2:  Envelop the whole process in prayer.

  • Ask God if there is a time best suited for what He wants to do through it and then put it on the church calendar.
  • Ask God about the best format to use … traditional, rotation, etc.
  • Ask God for wisdom in choosing the curriculum and developing the theme.
  • Ask God to help you be a wise steward of the allotted VBS budget and for creativity in raising extra needed to accomplish His answer to step 1.
  • Ask God to raise up gifted and impassioned leaders, teachers, and helpers for the various aspects … Bible lesson, crafts, snacks, games/recreation, etc.
  • Ask God to show you the best way to train the VBS staff.
  • Ask God for help in promoting VBS so you use the right means to attract the people He wants to attend.
  • Ask God for wisdom in maximizing the use of the facilities and church grounds by designating what areas should be used for the different parts of the program and also for room assignments.
  • Ask God to help you not to miss the many details that need to go into this such as collecting all the supplies, decorating, etc.
  • Ask God to motivate people to come to VBS as you begin pre-registration.

Step 3:  Enlist the prayer support of others right from the start.

  • Recruit a prayer support team specifically chosen to pray for VBS, often good to include those who cannot be physically involved in VBS.
  • Lead the VBS staff to keep praying from the moment they are recruited by giving them specifics of what they can pray for as the time approaches.
  • Gather the VBS staff to pray together each day of VBS prior to beginning the session.

Step 4:  Engage the entire congregation in praying for VBS.

  • Keep them updated about the vision and needs.
  • Plan a special time the Sunday before Vacation Bible School begins to invite the VBS staff to come forward and be prayed over.

Posted in Prayer, VBS | No Comments »