February 3, 2003

Recover priority of prayer for renewal, Elmore urges
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___ARLINGTON--Prayer should flow from every member of the congregation for a church to discover the will of God and spark

WAYNE Warren and Merilyn Starnes of Greater St. James Baptist Church in Dallas take notes in a conference session.

revival, according to Ted Elmore, director of prayer and spiritual development for the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

___Consider perceptions of unchurched, Seay says ___World is ripe for spiritual revival; harvesters needed ___Individuals can be on mission wherever they go, speaker says ___Tell Muslims about assurance of salvation in Christ, missionary says ___Recover priority of prayer for renewal, Elmore urges ___ Prospects found with online help ___To evangelize in a small church, ensure ownership, pastor advises ___Temple church models Jesus' admonition to go here, there & everywhere ___Serve up joy of Jesus to go rather than in churches only

___The importance of prayer has been lost in many congregations, Elmore said, explaining that people no longer make prayer a primary ministry but leave it to a small group of people.
___"Somehow, maybe in the busy-ness of our time, we have not given prayer the emphasis it deserves," Elmore told a breakout session at the Texas Evangelism Conference Jan. 27-28.
___Last fall, Elmore introduced a strategy to help churches understand prayer, know its benefits and become more involved in the ministry. Nine pastors have signed on to pilot the project, while other churches have shown interest.
___Any layperson or church leader can help a congregation become more focused on prayer by influencing their network of church friends, Elmore said.
___Pastors can begin the journey by praying for a God-given vision for the church, he added.
___With the vision plan in their hearts, pastors should build leadership teams that will help them communicate the vision to their congregations, Elmore continued. Increased prayer during public worship also can encourage congregations to pray.
___The pastor and leadership team next should prayerfully chart the course they wish to follow, starting with small steps and growing from there, Elmore said.
___Armed with a plan, church leaders begin to teach members about prayer, including lessons about intercessory prayer, spiritual warfare and how to hear God's voice.
___Leaders must train members on reasons for and methods of praying, he said. The members can then train future members about prayer. The church also should provide opportunities for members to start prayer ministries and follow the will of God as they understand it.
___The transition to becoming a prayer-based church may take as long as four years to complete, he acknowledged.
___

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