Prayer Resources

"A Breakthrough Year of Prayer"

"If you knew the gift of God...You would have asked and I would have given."  The Words of Jesus from the Gospel of John (chapter 4, verse 10).
 
God has been using these words to mess with me. If only I would ask, Jesus would give. It's a good parallel to James 4:2 ("You do not have because you do not ask."). And it speaks of a most basic but yet most powerful of truths: God gives. God gives the Holy Spirit's power and the Holy Spirit's gifts. God does and God expects to. It's supposed to be a very natural exchange. We ask. God gives, if we ask. 
 
And that's where, I confess, sometimes a breakdown occurs. Sometimes I get or feel busy. Sometimes I want to go straight to my action planning or steps. Sometimes I think I have to first show my commitment and put up a down payment of hard work in myself, whatever. My first step though should be girded and bathed in prayer. 
 
Like many of you I was challenged by last year's Annual Conference theme and especially our collective opportunity to trust God for a Holy Spirit "Breakthrough Prayer Movement":

  • To renew and revive our churches, unleashing new life.
  • For our clergy and leaders to be empowered with the contagious, miraculous message of Jesus.
  • And for the Spirit to transform and use us boldly, without limits, to reach and make new disciples of Jesus Christ and change the world.

Wow. That sounds so big. I don't know if I've always thought that big for us before.
 
Ever since Lakeside, it's had me praying. I confess I'm learning to trust God all over again and most especially, as it relates to my belief in what God wants to do in and through us as a Connection. Like many pastors, all too often I felt alone and therefore "on my own."
 
Our district clergy cluster leaders and I therefore invite you to pray. I now believe God wants to do so many big things in us, we need to be about some big-time praying. We are committing ourselves to a whole year of it, at a whole new level, starting this Advent, the official start of the Christian year. We aren't just praying, though, just to pray. We are praying and pressing into God, so that God will empower us to reclaim and reach all the communities within the Miami Valley for Christ.
 
Will you join me in what I'm confident will be a huge, Holy Spirit adventure? If we truly knew the gift of God, that's what we would ask.
 
The following are just some of the ideas that can help anchor our year:

  • Conduct a Prayer Walk for your community or church's neighborhood. Resources will be available through your clergy's local cluster group starting in November. If you didn't do anything else the rest of the year, what a great accomplishment this would be.
  • Share and join the rest of the District in praying every week a fresh, weekly published prayer for your church and community. They will be distributed via email the first part of each week, based on that week's lectionary reading. Feel free to distribute it to the rest of your church or use in your weekly worship services. I will be using and following "A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God" written by Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job. It is available through Cokesbury either by calling or visiting online at www.cokesbury.com.
  • Develop your own ways to elevate the importance of prayer in your churches. Share them in your cluster groups. Our leaders will then chronicle all the neat and innovative things you come up with to mutually resource one another.
  • Do a church wide study. Many are using Martha Grace Reese's "Unbinding the Heart" or there are several written by Terry Teykl which are available (Acts 29 especially). You may check out all their resources by visiting www.gracenet.info or www.renewalministries.com.
  • Mark January 24th on your calendars. Terry Teykl will be on our district for a teaching and training time during the day for our pastors and an evening session open to all.
  • A July Prayer Retreat is in the works too for the 9th through 11th.
  • Our year will culminate on Christ the King Sunday, November 25, 2012, the final Sunday of the Christian Year.
  • Stay tuned for even more...

 I am expectant because I believe in God and I believe in the God in YOU! Will you join me as if learning to trust God all over again for all that God wants to do in us and through us for the sake of Christ?
 
Many blessings and thanks,
 
Chris H.
Rev. Chris Heckaman
Miami Valley District Superintendent
4501 Denlinger
Dayton, Ohio 45426

937.489.6575