We are calling for a forty days of prayer emphasis from March 9 through April 17. The theme will be "Seek God for the City: Prayers of Biblical Hope."Why?
As a church we understand that being missional hangs on our dependence from God. We seek God for vision, direction and power. We understand that spiritual vitality is essential to the mission.
We also understand that, according to Acts 1:8, our mission begins in “our Jerusalem.” We pray for the transformation of our own city without taking our eyes off the “ends of the earth.” In fact, we understand that transformation flows from the inside out: from the individual heart to the church, from the church to the community, from the community to the city, from the city to the region, and from the region to the ends of the earth.
When?
As we look forward to Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event was an event marked with hope. We anticipate the increasing presence of His kingdom in our city. Ultimately, we look with hope to his return. It is with this kind of hope that we pray for our church, for our city and for our world. Furthermore, taking our cue from the significance of periods of "forty" in the Bible:
we dedicate 40 days as a church for focused prayer. Counting back 40 days from Palm Sunday (April 17), we will begin our season of prayer on March 9. Some traditions call this the Lent season. We may or may not like to call it that but we will want it to be forty days of fervent prayer.
We also understand that, according to Acts 1:8, our mission begins in “our Jerusalem.” We pray for the transformation of our own city without taking our eyes off the “ends of the earth.” In fact, we understand that transformation flows from the inside out: from the individual heart to the church, from the church to the community, from the community to the city, from the city to the region, and from the region to the ends of the earth.
When?
As we look forward to Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event was an event marked with hope. We anticipate the increasing presence of His kingdom in our city. Ultimately, we look with hope to his return. It is with this kind of hope that we pray for our church, for our city and for our world. Furthermore, taking our cue from the significance of periods of "forty" in the Bible:
- 40 days of testing for Noah in the ark (Genesis 7);
- Moses' 40 years of preparation before leading his people;
- Moses' 40 days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24);
- Israel's 40 years of testing in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8);
- Jesus fasted for 40 days before beginning his ministry (Matthew 4);
- the preparation of the disciples for 40 days after Jesus' resurrection (Acts 1);
we dedicate 40 days as a church for focused prayer. Counting back 40 days from Palm Sunday (April 17), we will begin our season of prayer on March 9. Some traditions call this the Lent season. We may or may not like to call it that but we will want it to be forty days of fervent prayer.
How?
Prayer guides for the “Seek God for the City” emphasis will be available in English or Spanish at the Calvary campus for those who are interested beginning this Sunday, February 27.
These prayer guides provide daily direction on how to pray for the city and for the world. Each day has Scripture verses, a theme of prayer for city transformation, a population to pray for, and a list of countries. During those six weeks we will pray seeking: (1) God’s face; (2) the gospel of the kingdom; (3) the righteousness of His kingdom; (4) the peace of the kingdom; (5) the joy of the kingdom; and (6) the visitation of Christ the king. Each week we will pray for a different continent and its respective countries beginning with the Americas and ending with Jerusalem.
These prayer guides can be used in your individual devotional time, at the dinner table with the family, in Bible Fellowships, Choir and praise team rehearsals, men’s fraternity, GROW and WIT groups and in worship services. No additional prayer meetings are being calendared for this emphasis. We would like this emphasis to be incorporated into the existing events of the church. However, if you feel led to form a prayer group for this purpose, feel free to do so. The prayer guides will be made available in the bulletin table and in the foyer. If you are able to, you may put a $1 cost-recovery donation for the booklet in an offering envelope and label it “prayer guide,” placing it in the offering plate.
I hope that as a Calvary leader, you will be intentional in both, your individual participation in prayer in these forty days, and in intentionally finding ways to lead your ministry to participate.
Additionally, we will be following the themes of this prayer guide in the Wednesday night prayer group that meets in the Slayton building at 6:30 pm beginning on March 9.
It is my hope and prayer that as his people we will grow closer in intimacy with him, we will experience his transforming power in our lives, we will grow in our compassion for our city and our world, and we will be thrust into his mission of redeeming the world to Himself. Only God can do that! That's why we are "seeking God" for our church and city!
Prayer guides for the “Seek God for the City” emphasis will be available in English or Spanish at the Calvary campus for those who are interested beginning this Sunday, February 27.These prayer guides provide daily direction on how to pray for the city and for the world. Each day has Scripture verses, a theme of prayer for city transformation, a population to pray for, and a list of countries. During those six weeks we will pray seeking: (1) God’s face; (2) the gospel of the kingdom; (3) the righteousness of His kingdom; (4) the peace of the kingdom; (5) the joy of the kingdom; and (6) the visitation of Christ the king. Each week we will pray for a different continent and its respective countries beginning with the Americas and ending with Jerusalem.
These prayer guides can be used in your individual devotional time, at the dinner table with the family, in Bible Fellowships, Choir and praise team rehearsals, men’s fraternity, GROW and WIT groups and in worship services. No additional prayer meetings are being calendared for this emphasis. We would like this emphasis to be incorporated into the existing events of the church. However, if you feel led to form a prayer group for this purpose, feel free to do so. The prayer guides will be made available in the bulletin table and in the foyer. If you are able to, you may put a $1 cost-recovery donation for the booklet in an offering envelope and label it “prayer guide,” placing it in the offering plate.
I hope that as a Calvary leader, you will be intentional in both, your individual participation in prayer in these forty days, and in intentionally finding ways to lead your ministry to participate.
Additionally, we will be following the themes of this prayer guide in the Wednesday night prayer group that meets in the Slayton building at 6:30 pm beginning on March 9.
It is my hope and prayer that as his people we will grow closer in intimacy with him, we will experience his transforming power in our lives, we will grow in our compassion for our city and our world, and we will be thrust into his mission of redeeming the world to Himself. Only God can do that! That's why we are "seeking God" for our church and city!
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