Summer Sunflowers beside our church plant in Yakima, Washington
In the work of church planting is an ever-present awareness of one’s dependence upon God’s character and His desire to establish a new local outpost of His kingdom in a specific city. We are always in need of a conscious awareness of our utter dependence on God, to be sure, but there are specific seasons of life where the weakness of our human limitations and frailty is set on display, and one is absolutely aware of just how dependent we are on the sovereign plan and actions of God. We are made keenly aware!
I’ve been made aware of this fact once again while reading God’s Smuggler (by Brother Andrew with John & Elizabeth Sherrill) aloud to my teens and tweens. I read missionary books and Christian biographies to my children for many reasons: first, I love this genre! Second, I want them to learn the stories of Christians who were totally sold out to the Lord, completely committed to living for Him, abandoning everything else this world has to offer to lay their lives down for the sake of Jesus and how He calls them to live. My prayer and desire for them is to catch on to what the Holy Spirit is doing in their time and to be a light in this world for the gospel of Jesus. So I read these stories to them to show them that there have been many people, at all times and places in this world, who have lived purposefully to make Him known in their spheres of life and work. They have witnessed God’s mighty acts, provision, and intervention in their lives as they laid down everything to follow Him, wherever He would lead. Their stories always include prayer and an honest dependence on God.
The most important work of church planting is prayer: prayer for the church, prayer for the city, and prayer for evangelism efforts. So we pray. Sometimes we don’t know how to pray or what to pray specifically. There are many types of prayers: passionate heartfelt prayers, quiet and calm prayers of silence and waiting, prayers filled with knowledge of God and His work in this world that remind the person praying of God’s faithfulness and power and sovereignty. There are pre-written prayers that help us to pray things we wouldn’t think of on our own. There are ancient prayers and written prayers spoken by Christians all over the world.
As you think about prayer, consider praying Scripture. You may want to write down your prayers, specific prayers for individuals, a specific prayer for your community. Recently, I came across Psalm 57 in my regular Bible reading plan. As I read through it, I realized this is a wonderful psalm to pray for our family, for others, for our church, and for our city. Praying God’s Word back to him is like a well-choreographed dance with the Father as the very words He inspired to be written (God-breathed words) are the words we then use to pray the exact will of God and ask for His help, the help He desires to give us. Here is one example of how to pray Psalm 57 (ESV) for your city:
A Prayer Based on Psalm 57
Be merciful to the city of Yakima, O Lord.
Cause Yakima to take refuge in You
Let Yakima take refuge in the shadow of your wings
till the storms of destruction pass by.
We cry out to you, God Most High,
You fulfill Your purpose for Yakima
You will send from heaven and save us.
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness to Yakima.
We live in the midst of lions, among much brokenness in this city,
Among the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
Whose tongues are sharp swords.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
The evil things that are done in this city are too wicked to name.
The news headlines bring shock and despair.
My heart is steadfast, O God,
My heart is steadfast!
I will sing songs of praise to You as I drive through the city.
I will open the windows and declare Your praise in Yakima!
I will fill the streets of Yakima with your praises on my lips.
For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over Yakima and all the earth!
In the Name of King Jesus,
Amen.
Let us be ever watchful and aware to see how God will answer our prayers in this amazing adventure of faith!