God’s Spirit is stirring hearts at Bradfordville. We see decisions for Christ almost every week. Spiritual and numerical growth are evident. Lives are being changed for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Dr. Dan Garland, a recent guest preacher, stated in his sermon that he sensed the Holy Spirit’s presence on our campus. Our church facility is beautiful, clean, and well-maintained. Many of you serve outside and inside on Sundays, allowing us to love people well. I could point out many other facts about what happens on Sundays. His statement led me to ask this question.
Why is the Lord’s Spirit noticeable and at work among our church family?
I believe a primary reason we see God at work is because of prayer. Prayer makes a difference! God made it clear that His house is to be a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13). I sense a greater dependence on and practice of prayer than ever before in our church.
1. Our staff meetings begin and end in prayer. We pray for the prayer requests during every staff meeting, and we pray for selected individuals by name in our weekly meetings.
2. The pastoral staff and I meet on Wednesdays to pray. We gather on Wednesdays at 10:00 am to pray for an hour. We don’t talk sports, weather, or politics. We spend an hour praying God’s Word. It’s a powerful worship experience!
3. The prayer team is actively praying. We have trained prayer warriors praying for people on Sunday mornings following the public invitation, and we have other people praying during the worship gatherings. Prayer undergirds all that we do as a church.
4. Ministry leaders believe prayer is a core value. We begin and end classes and meetings in prayer. We seek to make sure that God’s agenda is our agenda. Apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5). However, with Him, you and I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).
5. Other people are praying for us. I receive messages frequently from other people and churches that they’re praying for us. We have many homebound saints that cry out to God for us every week. I rejoice in their faithfulness. Great is their reward in Heaven!
May you and I have the heart of Epaphras! Paul said, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers…” (Colossians 4:12).
A church that prays together unites together!
In One Accord,
Pastor Ronny
Acts 1:14