The more we get to know God and the wonder of our salvation, the more we realize how desperately we need him in every detail of our lives. We know we can’t change our own hearts– let alone the hearts of others in our families– or much of our circumstances, but God can. And he loves to answer the prayers of his people!
“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24
As a church we express our dependence on God by prayer. Even though we have much growing to do in the area of prayer, we are encouraged by God’s patience with us and the help that he is giving us.
As a church, we have tried to emphasize prayer from the very beginning and we long to grow in prayer so that our church, the community around us, and even those in other regions would be affected by our prayers.
How We Practice Prayer
Each of our small groups (called TAGs– Truth Application Groups) emphasizes prayer at every meeting. We also encourage each of our members to spend daily time in prayer, Bible reading, and meditation on an individual level. This has been a wonderful way to cultivate our personal relationships with God. We also encourage families to read the Bible and pray together at home. During our Sunday services, we often devote time to prayer for special needs. We also have a special Week of Prayer once a year in the time leading up to Easter Sunday, which has been a highlight of our church year after year, and has had a very powerful and positive effect on the families and individuals of our church.
However, the place where we find the most encouragement in prayer is at our bimonthly special prayer meeting, when our church gathers together for collective prayer. This time is when our unity and faith in prayer is most powerfully expressed.