Pray

In this tumultuous time of COVID-19 and social distancing, we need to cry out to God in prayer.  That catalyst has brought about this prayer chain.

Below is a link to our daily prayer chain.  You can sign up for a 15 minute daily commitment, which will be the same time every day.

Set a daily alarm and spend a few minutes praying.  There is a guide* below for how to spend your prayer time.  Save this list to your phone or print it so you can have it easily accessible during your prayer time.

Sign Up Here

We have provided a guide for you.  Remember, prayer is communicating with God. It should have components of listening and talking.  Don’t feel pressure to talk to God the whole time; leave space for listening as well. We also encourage you to pray out loud or write out your prayers.
Clear your schedule for this 15 minutes, try to quiet the distractions around you and make the most of this hour.  This isn’t a time for multitasking. Consider turning off your cell phone and if you need some help setting the stage try playing some worship music in the background.

Spend about 1 minute or so on each of the following:

1. Listen. Take the first couple mins to quiet your heart. Don’t come rushed into your time. Simply sit and listen.
2. Confess. Take time and confess your sins before the Father. It is important to start prayer off with a clear heart (if you’re with another person, don’t worry about praying this part out loud).
3. Thank God for the great things that He has done (today, this week, this month, this year, in your life, in your family life, in your friends life, in your small group, at church).
4. Pray for healing from COVID-19 (Corona Virus) in our nation and around the globe;  and pray for our church as it ministers and meets (online) in this unprecedented time.
5. Pray for friends that don’t know Jesus (think of friends/ family that do not have a connection to a church).
6. Pray for leaders in the church (deacons, Sunday School leaders). Ask for God’s blessing, provision and knowledge to be with them.
7. Pray for staff in the church (pray for guidance, pray for their family members, and pray for their specific ministry).
8. Pray for growth. Ask God to open to doors here at 1st Baptist for the lost and the broken and that the people here would feel a burden for the community.
9. Pray for the community (the hospital, the teachers, the fire department, the police, etc).
10. Listen. Take time and reflect on all the things that you have just prayed for.
11. Pray for the things that came into your mind while listening to God.
12. Praise God. Think of all the attributes of God and give him praise (love, kindness, joy, peace, patience, holiness)
13. Ask for God’s will to be done. When we pray, it is easy to get into the pattern of asking for things to be done as we see fit. God has the best plan, so go back through the guide and ask God for his will to be done above all else in our friends and families lives, in the leaders and staff in the church, in our growth, and in our community.

*Adapted from southgatechurch.com