The Power of Prayer

At the end of May, we shut down all our home teams to begin a Wed. night prayer time. It has been the best move that I have made in a while. When we first started Axios, we met for worship on Sunday mornings and met for prayer on Wed. nights. That's all we did. But as we grew, there was a desire (and a need) for more. So we started other things, good things, necessary things, God-honoring things such as Bible studies for men and women, Bible Blasters for kids, VBS, Home Teams, etc. But we got away from praying. Not from praying individually but from coming together to pray. I always said that there are two things necessary to build a church. I called them Enabling Ministries. They were giving and prayer. Giving provides the resources, prayer provides the power. Giving and prayer are forces that unleash the abundance and power of God. In the four weeks that we have met together to pray, I have noticed these things:

1. Our giving has increased. I list it first because it is a number and therefore easy to monitor and watch. God plainly says, "You have not because you ask not."
2. The atmosphere is changing. Attendance has been fair to good but the spirit has been great. God's presence is being felt. Wednesday is carrying over to Sunday.
3. Visitors keep coming. God is sending people our way.
4. Lives are being changed. I received an e-mail from a man who is exactly the type of person we are trying to reach. Someone who has been disconnected from God and church but now wants to take "the next step" in their journey of faith.
5. Excitement is building. There is a sense that God is moving and that is always exciting.

The number of people praying is small (11 different people in all) but the power is that we are coming together to pray. Jesus acknowledges His special presence when 2 or 3 come together. I can't imagine what would happen if 20 or 30 would come together. I hope we find out.