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A Praying Church – Revised

I have so loved the beginning of our ministry with Gateway — almost 7 months in, but 7 months strong. Only more to come! Erica and I, (Elijah, too) love the highly relational atmosphere, the true family dynamic, where people get to belong. The number of tangibles that Gateway has to be a growing and faithful church is immeasurable, but it doesn’t matter how relational a church is, or how friendly, because the real driving force behind the healthiest churches is prayer. Before people ever walk into our doors, before we ever congregate for Life Groups, before we lay ourselves down for corporate worship, we must be a people united by prayer. This message isn’t to say that we’re not praying, but it’s putting the flashing neon lights before you for what matters most, individually and corporately, that prayer is the fuel that propels us into the days to come.

 

The ending of that last sentence begs the question, “What is to come?” Confidently, we do know. This makes the journey all the more exciting because we have an end in mind: our vision, a church for everybody. This is where our centrality to prayer comes in. That was the biggest dream we could dream up, and it was the best possible picture we could provide of the Kingdom of God, the future anticipation of what is it come.

How we achieve the vision? It means you getting on board with us.

 

The other day I was hit with something profound… What if there was a way we could all pray together? Everyday? Well there is! Starting today, with this post, I’ve set a timer on my phone at 12:01pm to go off every day, to remind me to pray for Gateway. If you’ve got a smartphone, you can easily set a daily reminder to pray for Gateway! What if 10 people prayed for Gateway at the same time? What if 25 people prayed for Gateway at the same time? What if 50 people prayed for Gateway at the same time? I can only think that amazing things, more than we could ever think or imagine, could happen.

 

I’m encouraged by the power of God, and His promises to answer our prayers when we look to Him. I love scriptures that push me in that direction, like, “Look to God and His strength; always seeking His face,” (1 Chron. 16:11) or John 14:13-14, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

 

Why do we need to pray at 12:01pm?

1201 is actually our address (1201 Longhills Rd W), and I’m praying for God to start a revival there with His surrendered people who are praying fervently and expectantly.

What am I praying over?

Here’s a list of items you can pray over:

  • Our Eldership
  • Gateway’s Preaching Team & Teaching Team
  • Gateway Kids Ministry
  • Gateway Youth Ministry
  • The lost of Saline County
  • The hungry and needy of Benton, Arkansas
  • Financial blessings that we can’t take the credit for
  • Praying for Spirit-led guidance
  • Future Gateway guests and members
  • Men in Saline County to be changed and transformed

How long am I praying for?

The length of your prayers is really up to you. If you’ve got a lunch hour, I encourage you to discipline your prayer life beginning with that hour. If you’ve only got 5 minutes? Pray for those five minutes.

 

The unfortunate reality is that I can’t force anyone to pray, but what I can do is begin praying. It is my prayer that others know a deep longing to see their family, friends, and neighbors come to salvation in Jesus. It is my prayer that our city, which is literally the geographic center of Arkansas (Benton/Bryant), be the lighthouse for the rest of the state, that a revival stirs up and Christ is exalted. What happens then? He draws all people to Himself and God’s church is built exponentially, more are added to its’ numbers, day by day, and not for our own accolades but to the glory of God. Is this your prayer, too?

 

Join me in prayer every day at 12:01 pm..

— Brandon

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