Prayer - Jake Kampe

A few weeks ago, a pastor friend of mine asked me this question, "If you had to narrow it down to one thing, what would say is the single most effective tool for a Life Group leader?"  I thought about it for a moment, made a mental list and then began to take things off that were less important.  what did I come up with?  Prayer.  Regardless of the amount of training you have, what type of curriculum you use or how much Biblical knowledge you have, the key to succeeding as a Life Group leader comes down to the amount of time and effort you dedicate to praying for the individuals you minister to.  Prayer is the life source that flows through your group and keeps it healthy, alive and vibrant.  So, why is it that so many of us set prayer aside as a supplement to our preparation?  That's not a rhetorical question, by they way.  Why?  I'm not quite sure, but here are a few things that might help you in developing deeper and healthier life of prayer for your Life Group.  They've helped me over the years and changed the way I see myself as a Life Group leader.

1. Set a specific time to pray for your Life Group:  Face it; we're busy, and just like anything else in our hectic lives, we need to schedule our times of prayer.  Also, try setting a specific amount of time for prayer.  This will help you develop the habit and a regular schedule.  Remember to start out with short intervals so you won't overwhelming yourself or beat yourself up if you don't stick to your scheduled time.  Five to ten minutes is a good place to start.  Don't worry; as you grow in your spiritual life, the amount of time you pray will grow as well.    



2. Designate a place for prayer: This may not seem necessary, but when we chose a specific place for prayer, it helps us focus and helps eliminate distractions.  It also helps you stick to your scheduled time.  Find a comfortable space where you can relax while you commune with God and stick to it.  See Jesus' example in Matthew 6:5-7.   


3.  Develop a plan for your prayer time:  Of course, God doesn't require us to have a detailed agenda before we spend time with Him, but a specific plan can help us focus and keep our obligation.  A great place to start is the prayer requests from your previous group meeting.  By getting to know the members of your Life Group more, you will begin to be acquainted with more intimate details of their lives.  This will help you direct your prayers to specific needs.  If you find it difficult to be specific at first, try some simple like what Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13.  The ACTS acronym is good as well (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication)     

4.  Select a person and/or place for recording prayers, updates and answers:  Like most Life Groups, you probably have a person who has volunteered to be the groups prayer recorder.  If this is the case, you can rely on this person to fill this need.  However, as you grow as a Life Group leader, you will probably begin to pray in areas that go beyond the regular prayer requests.  Keeping a prayer journal is a great way to keep track of how God's Spirit is working in your group.  

5.  Ask God for direction from Scripture: A great way to expand your prayer time is to ask God to reveal specific passages in the Bible that coincide with prayer requests.  It's amazing to see this revealed for yourself, but it is also powerful to be able to share what God is showing you to the group.  This is also good when you are having trouble finding specific things to pray about.  Here's some of Paul's examples of praying for others: Ephesians 1:17-19, Colossians 1:9-12 and 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3.  

6.  Remember to pray with thanksgiving for each member:  Leading a Life Group is not always easy and sometimes we get frustrated with specific people.  But don't forget that not only do each of us have a huge responsibility, we are also incredibly blessed as well.  Remember when God called you to this ministry and don't forget to thank Him for each person He has brought into your Life Group.  Thank Him for individual personalities, contributions and yes; even the quirks!  These are the things that add flavor to your Life Group and help distinguish it from other groups.  This is a great example of how the Body of Christ works. See Ephesians 1:16, Philippians 1:3-4, Colossians 1:3-4 & 1 Thessalonians 1:2.   

7.  Pray through all possible elements of the group meeting before hand:  Before each group meeting, make sure that you've asked God if any areas that need prayer have been overlooked.  Try to cover every area from attendance to worship. Begin each group with no barriers and no obstacles for God's Spirit. Don't feel like you have to approach your prayer time with a checklist, but trust God to reveal what needs to be prayed for.  He'll reveal things to you that the people in the group may not have even shared yet.   

8.  Pray for your co-leader, and for the growth of the group:  Remember that the goal is for your co-leader to eventually be leading their own group.  This is a huge aspect to the overall health of the Life Group ministry and the beginning of new groups.  When you pray for your co-leader, think of the aspects of leading that you need prayer for.  Chances are that they face very similar issues in a limited sense, and will one day be in your shoes.     

9.  Pray for God's grace to help you as a leader:  Need I say more?  If you've been a Life Group leader for any amount of time, you know how difficult it can be.  We need prayer for God's strength: mentally, physically and spiritually.  Begin your prayer time by asking for God's grace, strength, wisdom and energy that is required for leading well.  We're in this for the long haul, so it's important to keep ourselves spiritually healthy for the demands of leading a Life Group.

10.  Pray for your church:  It's extremely important to remember that leading a Life Group is an extension of the church.  Your goal should never be to develop an independent ministry that is isolated from the big picture.  Pray that your group remains committed to the overall mission of the church and the Kingdom of God in general.  It's easy to begin thinking inwardly when leading a Life Group.  We have to remember that our greatest mission is an outward focus that will not only transform our own lives, but those that we have not yet crossed paths with.              

Well, with all this talk about prayer, let me ask you:  How can I can pray for you?  Just let me know by giving me a call or dropping me an email.  but just so you know, I'm already praying for you, like it or not!