Have You Caught the Train?
For years now, we have been talking with Pastors about their corporate prayer gatherings. The conversations go something like this:
Esther and Mary: “Well, Pastor _____, does your Church have Corporate prayer meetings?
Pastor _____: “Of course, Esther and Mary, we have groups that meet at the Church on Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons. We are serious about prayer here at __________.”
We than ask, “How many of your children and teens are participating?”
At this point, we are almost always met with a somewhat prolonged period of silence as the Pastor mentally reviews the previously stated prayer gatherings searching for a response. “Few to none .” is the most frequent answer; one which is solemnly and softly intoned.
At that point, we’ll say, “Then you really aren’t corporate are you?”
These are small questions and answers that pack a big punch and are of utmost importance. As Esther says in her Let the Children Pray book, children are, perhaps, the most untapped resource of prayer power in the church today.
This brief conversation is a real eye-opener; one that, when well received, goes far toward breaking down preconceived, false notions and (possibly) generations old traditions that have marginalized and crippled both our children and our churches.
A newer, friendlier, more descriptive/inclusive term for Corporate Prayer is InterGenerational. See, you get the picture right away. InterGenerational prayer meetings have Moms and Dads, children, tweens, teens and “old folk” (grandparents/seniors) all interceding together – the Church at prayer and more effective than ever before! It doesn’t matter what age your intercessors are, Intergenerational means that EVERYONE participates and their agreement is IMPORTANT and POWERFUL. (one can put….)
The vision about the train on our website gives a very bold picture of what happens, how a church transforms, when it truly becomes InterGenerational in its intercessory efforts.
Perhaps this concept is new to many of you. For some, the idea of praying aloud in a shared prayer environment is intimidating. For others, the recognition of the validity and power of children’s intercessory prayers is revolutionary. We can tell you that you’ve never experienced the fullness of agreement in prayer until you have participated in a red-hot InterGenerational prayer event!
Esther Network and the Children’s Global Prayer Movement would love to help churches move into or grow stronger with regard to InterGenerational Intercession. Ask us about our Children’s Global Prayer Movement weekends and InterGenerational Prayer Events.
Host one for your Church in 2016!
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