OUR THOUGHTS:
Have you ever been to a large group prayer meeting where one or two people do all the praying? This article shows how to have a meaningful prayer meeting for everyone — many topics, different ways of praying, individual prayer and small group prayer, all of these are interspersed with singing or music.
Please feel free to use this outline for a very meaningful group prayer assembly in your church or community.
Celebration
Begin the Concert of Prayer with time of praise and worship. The emcee begins the Concert of Prayer with prayer.
Preparation
Emcee: “To begin, we will take time to prepare our hearts for this concert of prayer. Much like the participants of a musical concert tune their instruments before they play, so pray-ers must tune their hearts before they pray. With clean hearts we can intercede in harmony. Then we submit to the Holy Spirit who “orchestrates” the prayer meeting.
We want our Concert of Prayer to be pleasing to our Lord. To sound good to our Lord.
If even one of us is out of tune (has un-confessed sin), then the whole concert will not sound good to our Lord – He is our audience.
Take time to silently go before the Lord and ask Him to search your heart and point out anything that is displeasing to Him. Then confess it (1 John 1:9) and receive Christ’s cleansing.”
Dedication
Emcee: “We are sinful people and that is why we need the Lord. It is so easy to rationalize our sins, isn’t it?” (Give personal illustration.) Take time to let God examine your heart and point out those attitudes which aren’t pleasing to Him. Do this privately.
- Now with a partner, thank the Lord for the privilege of praying. Commit yourself to Him to be servants through prayer. Invite Him to pray through you.”
- Play worship songs before going into next section.
Seeking Fullness (abundant life) in the Church
John 10:10,
“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”
Are you experiencing the abundant Christian life today? Are you enjoying life? If not tell God about it and ask Him for renewal and revival of joy in your innermost being.
- In partners – for personal revival.
- In groups of six – for revival in your local church.
- The whole group – for revival in the church worldwide – choose a country to pray for.
- Pause and kneel to listen to the Father.
Emcee: Charles Stanley, in his book, Listening to God, says:
“Often times our Lord wants us to sit before Him in quietness. He doesn’t want us to do all the talking.”
As Isaiah 30:15 states:
“In quiet and confidence will be your strength.”
To have God speak to the heart is a majestic experience, an experience that people may miss if they monopolize the conversation and never pause to hear God’s responses. How can God speak to us if we don’t take time to listen? Quietness is essential to listening. If we are too busy to listen, we won’t hear. It takes time and quietness to prepare to listen to God. God’s voice is still and quiet and easily buried under an avalanche of clamour.
- Time of worship and singing.
Seeking God for Evangelization for our Family, Community, Country and the World
Illustration: Who are you praying for and seeking to win to Christ?
A woman who was praying for her neighbourhood was having doubts about the power of prayer. So she looked up at the apartment building and said to the Lord, “If my prayer really makes a difference, have the women in that window turn around and look at me.” The woman turned around and looked down on her. God uses our prayers to make a difference.
- In partners – for your non believing acquaintences – take time to write down and pray for at least five people in your world.
- In groups of six – for your church(es) – Take a moment to pray for the ones the Lord lays on your heart.
- As a whole group – for world evangelization – pick a country and pray for that country.
- Pause and kneel to listen to the Father.
Worship singing.
Testimonies: What Has God Said to us Here?
- In partners – tell each other how God impressed you during this concert of prayer.
- Grand Finale (in partners, kneeling)
- Offering ourselves to be answers to our prayers and also to live accordingly. Prayer for God’s empowerment in our lives for ministry today. Prayer for prayer movements.
- Song of Praise.
Closing Comments by the Emcee
~ Outline based on David Bryant’s Concert of Prayer
by Katherine Kehler
used by permission
FURTHER READING
Reading the Bible – where to start?