The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
James 5:16 (NLT)

One of the greatest privileges of following Christ together is supporting each other through prayer. Our Connect prayer ministry provides resources for We Women to grow in the practice and joy of talking with God.

PHONE AND EMAIL CHAINS
Through both phone and email chains, we're able to respond quickly and prayerfully. We'd love to have your join us in this important work. Please contact Tracy (tracy@oakwoodnow.org) if you would like to be a part of one of these teams.

AFTER-SERVICE PRAYER TEAM
On Sunday mornings, Oakwood's team of after-service "pray-ers" are available to pray with those who would like prayer over a specific situation in their lives.  Comprised of both genders and all ages, the team is always open to new members...and always available to you each Sunday if you have a prayer need.

RESOURCE:

HOW TO START A HOME-BASED PRAYER GROUP

Prayer…powerful, wonderful prayer. In the book Becoming a Woman of Prayer, author Cynthia Heald describes prayer as “an opportunity, an invitation to intimacy with God.” We understand (and hopefully model) the foundational principle of personal, intimate prayer but what about corporate prayer…prayer together? What if we combine the invitation to intimacy with God with the special type of intimacy found in friendships we make with other women? It’s a powerful opportunity to come together and not only pray for each other, but to pray for others in our lives, to lift up the church and its leadership, to intercede for the needs of the body of Christ…the list is endless. What a privilege to join together in a powerful, relational intimacy with God, driven by a concern for His purposes.

Here are some steps you could take to start a home-based prayer group.

PRAY!
A successful at-home prayer group literally starts with prayer! Seek the Lord in prayer for like-minded women who share the same passion for Jesus and for prayer. Ask Him to make you aware of when the Holy Spirit is nudging you to step out in faith and ask someone to become a part of the prayer group.

PREPARE
There should be a clear vision for what you are trying to accomplish, as well as the focus of your particular prayer group.

Here are some questions to consider:

1. What are we trying to accomplish through this prayer group?

2. Is there a specific area of our lives that we’re especially focusing upon? (for example: kids in school; careers; personal ministries/disciplemaking; roles as wives; support in crisis; missionaries)

3. Who will we try to involve? How will we recruit?

4. When, where and for how long will be meet?

Do we need a group covenant or agreement outlining our commitments? Confidentiality? Availability? Other expectations?

PURSUE
Invite! Use all avenues available: personal contact, Facebook, phone, email. If it’s a group focused on praying for your school-aged children, inquire if there’s a community bulletin board at the school, or a community column in the school newsletter.

Some groups meet once a month, some once a week. Be clear on the amount of time you intend to spend together—it’s common to limit the time to one hour max.

PLACE AND PRACTICE
The first time you get together, be sure to include time for conversation and for everyone to get acquainted relationally. It’s wise to share the goals and commitments upfront, so that everyone is “on the same page.” Consider including a passage of Scripture that points to specific verses on prayer or looks at the life of Jesus and how He modeled prayer. (1)

To close your first time together, take time to pray! (2)

Each subsequent time you meet, be sure to allow time to introduce and briefly get acquainted with anyone who’s new to the group, and then give an opportunity for single-sentence “headline” updates on previous prayer requests.  And then be wise about how much time is spent talking about prayer requests, as opposed to actually praying! (3) Be sure to  honor the time limit you all have agreed to share.

PRAISE
It’s not only rewarding to get together to pray for each other and God’s purposes...it’s fun to also celebrate the answers. Consider having one of your prayer times periodically center on just thanksgiving and praise to our good God. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the “fruits of the labor” and also give God the glory!

PERSEVERE
Keep an open mind and heart, and let God lead this new venture. As with anything else, you may need to tweak it as you go along.

May you more and more become a woman who takes with gusto the opportunity and invitation to intimacy with God through prayer!

For more information or questions, don’t hesitate to email us: Elizabeth@oakwoodnow.org

--Kari Lyles, Debby Rowe, Elizabeth Cole

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(1)       Here are some verses to consider as you look at prayer:

Matthew 26:37-42; Luke 5:15, 6:12-13, 10:2, 11:2-4, 22:31-32;

John 5:30, 8:28-29, 12:49-50, 15:1-5, 17:18-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:16