Help For Prayer Coordinators

I was asked to be the chapter prayer coordinator without much experience under my belt. But over the last few years, God has graciously taught me the main elements of effective prayer times. It's important to understand both the role of the prayer coordinator and some ways to create an environment conducive to prayer and worship. May the Lord use some of what follows to enhance your chapter's prayer life.

The role of a prayer coordinator
What are the main tasks that face a prayer leader? Here are a few:

Pray: The primary task of prayer leaders is to pray. We are far better at talking about prayer than at praying. Prayer leaders must be the first who cross the line between intention and action.

Listen: Discern the prayer topics and needs of the chapter and its members. Ask the Lord to reveal the work he's already doing and ways to pray for it. Listen carefully to your own struggles and the struggles of your peers as well as the dialogue among chapter members about chapter issues and events. Listen for God's perspective on the "spiritual temperature" of the group. This step of active listening to God, to the chapter members and to your own heart is vital in preparing and identifying key prayer topics and requests.

Communicate: A prayer leader communicates the need for prayer in the small-group context, at large-group meetings, at leadership meetings and in any other context of chapter life. But just saying that we need God because someone ought to say so will not suffice. The heart of the prayer leader needs to be sold on the need for God. Prayer leaders are to be a discerning, prophetic voice in their chapters who call needy and broken people to come before the Lord.

Prepare: A prayer meeting may only last for half an hour. Since the time for prayer is short, prayer leaders are sometimes tempted to think that it's okay to "wing it." Unfortunately, it's easy to tell when a prayer leader is unprepared. God will always be faithful to grace the group with his presence, but don't let that deter you from being excellent in how you prepare and lead. Always think of how you can make it easier for people to understand the requests and catch a vision to participate specifically in God's plans for campus.

Lead: Provide creative aids and guidance for the group during the prayer time. Sheep don't stop being sheep just because they're in a prayer meeting. Leadership is still necessary. The prayer leader sets the agenda and format of the prayer meeting so that people can be led through a meaningful time with Jesus. The agendas set are based on the issues and areas of need that the leader has been discerning. "Agendaless" prayer meetings may work if the group has a long history together and good chemistry, but they often fail. If prayer meetings are to be places where different kinds of people from various classes and walks come with a united voice, there must be clear direction and enough structure to set people free to pray. People need to be gently moved into confession, supplication and worship.

Train: Don't lead all the prayer meetings yourself just because you are the prayer leader. Train other people to lead as well so that they develop a vision for prayer and the Lord can multiply the ministry of prayer.

Celebrate your inadequacy: Make an effort to learn more about prayer, but remember that you are not adequate for the task. Don't let your own failures get you down; the ministry task set before us is always a gift from God. We must be careful of trying to become worthy of it. Therefore, when you see your own inadequacy in prayer, celebrate your weakness and then move on, because it is God who is sufficient for the prayer needs of the chapter, not you.

Worship
Worship is central to the prayer meeting. Nehemiah begins his prayer (Nehemiah 1:1-11; see the previous article) by extolling the character of God. His worship is about God and is directed toward God. Nehemiah also emphasizes the loving nature of God who makes covenants of love with his people.

Ideas for worship
Use few and familiar songs. If you only have a half hour, protect your actual praying time. It may not be possible to sing four or five songs. Choose one, and sing it intentionally and meaningfully.

Repeat the songs you have selected throughout the quarter so that your prayer team can learn them.

Make a song sheet that everyone can use throughout the quarter.

Pray the words of a hymn or Scripture. The words of hymns are rich and provide inspiration for prayer. Besides, it keeps us from pride in our own flowery prayers as we humble ourselves to borrow someone else's words to pray.

Use one-word descriptions. Ask everyone to worship by calling out one-word descriptions of God. For example, "holy," "majestic," etc.

Ask someone who is learning to play an instrument to try out their skills in a non-threatening environment. Have them learn to play a few songs you have selected.

Confession
Nehemiah is very explicit in dealing with his sins--he names them. Rather than run from God's presence, he acknowledges his sin in honesty. Naming our sins as they are frees us before God. Nehemiah also acknowledges the sins of his family and nation, demonstrating that he is an inextricable part of his community.

Ideas for confession
The following are some ideas for the time of confession in a prayer meeting:

Allow time for silent confession.

Use single-word confession. This style allows people all over the room to call out their sins before God without being verbose. We sometimes want to explain our sins to God rather than just name them as they are and await his hand of mercy. God justifies us by his Cross and not by our many words.

Practice verbal confession. People may also pray out their confession if appropriate or sing a song of confession together. Confess not only personal sins, but chapter failings and the sins of your campus as well. After a time of confession, spend a couple of minutes receiving forgiveness from God.

Affirm and proclaim God's forgiving love at the end of the confession time. It is important for us to know God's forgiveness rather than remain in the depths of our own shortcomings. Use Scriptures like 1John 4:9 and Psalm 32:5.

Supplication
Nehemiah's example is vital for shaping our prayer meetings. Nehemiah's prayer is constant. He prays this prayer "day and night" for quite some time. His prayer needs are also clear. Nehemiah knows exactly what he needs from God and is specific to name his requests for favor, success and mercy. He prays the word of God back to God, reminding him of his promises to Moses.

Ideas for supplication
Keep requests going in conversational prayer until you believe that God has responded or the group has completely laid the need in his hands. We have the tendency to pray and proceed quickly rather than await God's response. "Popcorn" prayer, while a popular way to express requests, may be inadequate for praying in depth about a topic.

Keep requests clear and concise.

Give people a visual list of needs. Use a chalkboard, or type up a prayer list.

Use maps to guide your prayer. If you are praying for a country, bring a map. Use a campus map, a chapter strategy map, or a vision statement to assist you in your prayers for the campus.

Try giving each day of the week a different theme. You can have a day for "listening prayer," one for missions, one for chapter strategy, one for small groups and yet another for outreach.

Pray Scripture. It's humbling and faith building to use Scripture to salt our prayers.

Record your answers. Recording the faithfulness of God increases our faith and gives us specific opportunities to praise and give thanks.

To encourage chapter participation, ask every small group to adopt a prayer meeting, taking on the charge to prepare and lead a prayer meeting. Some chapters assign each small group a day during the week to lead that day's prayer time.

Leading and coordinating chapter prayer is an awesome role, one full of overwhelmingly significant responsibility and opportunity. Enlist the help of others, and remember your inadequacy before God. Be open to all God wants to do through you and your chapter. Like Nehemiah, you'll stand amazed at his faithfulness.