21 Days of Prayer

I have been reading a short biography on Charles H. Spurgeon. When he was given a three-month trial preaching opportunity as a 19-year-old preacher at New Park Street Church in London, his first task was that his church of 80 people would learn how to truly pray. Spurgeon said, “I can readily tell when a brother is praying, or when he is performing, or playing at prayer… Oh for a living groan!  One sigh of the soul has more power in it than half an hour’s recitation of pretty pious words!”

Pastor, are you leading your church to really pray?

21 Days of Prayer is an opportunity for you as the Pastor to lead your church to a deeper level of prayer.

Gary Rohrmayer, President of Converge MidAmerica

Why 21 Days?

The Prophet Daniel, who was deeply concerned over the spiritual condition of his people, prayed and fasted for 21 days (Daniel 10:1-3). There are certain seasons in our lives that we need to give focused attention to the spiritual needs of our family, church, and community. During the 21 Days of Prayer, you will teach your people how to truly pray to God privately and also how to petition Him publicly.

Privately and Publicly

You can teach your people how to start their day off with prayer through a 21 Days of Prayer Devotional Guide.

You can teach your people how to pray publicly by holding a series of prayer meetings. Some churches hold prayer meetings Monday through Friday from 6 am-7 am with a Saturday prayer meeting from 9 am-10 am. Other churches pick one morning a week and one evening a week for special corporate prayer meetings. Others will turn their regular meeting into focused times of guided prayer.

Here is a simple outline for a guided prayer session:

  • Worship: Two songs to get us God-focused
  • Devotional: Five minutes to get people’s hearts spurred on to pray
  • Prayer: Forty-five minutes for individuals to pray alone or to pray in groups. Provide specific corporate prayer requests.
  • Commissioning Prayer: 3-5 minute pastoral prayer sending them out for the day

This fall, we are challenging each Converge MidAmerica Pastor or church planter to lead their church through some form of a 21 Days of Prayer.  If you are planning a 21 Days of Prayer, please inform our office so that we can be praying for you and your church during the season.

May we teach our church how to pray like King David:

“With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him” (Psalm 142:1-2).

May we learn how to groan, cry and assault heaven with petitions and pleas!

 

21 Days of Prayer