“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again.”
1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV)
The context for this verse is Paul being blocked by Satan again and again, from being able to go to this place (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Obviously, this is not an issue of God’s will, but of Satan’s interference. Our adversary, the devil, can and does block our way from doing God’s will. Like Paul, we must pray, earnestly, day and night, and not give up until God’s will is done and His kingdom comes as He desires (Matthew 6:9-10, Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 18:1). Whatever is being blocked from your life (or your family or church), keep praying and don’t give up! It’s God’s desire for all people to come to a saving knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9), but not all people are being saved. Keep praying!
Christmas provides a context, more than any other time during the year, for unchurched, pre-believing people to come to church. Please pray that God would remove every obstacle that blocks them from coming this year. Pray for those you know who don’t know Jesus yet, or are not walking with Him right now. Pray that they would be receptive to the invite they receive to go to a Christmas service. Pray that Jesus Followers in Athens would be filled with boldness to invite others to come to one of the many amazing services that will be happening around Christmas. And pray big, that God would move powerfully to save all in Athens this Christmas season!
Here are some great opportunities to earnestly pray for and with others this month and beyond. May God do exceedingly abundantly beyond what we may ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Campus Prayer
Monday, December 3 / 8 to 9am
UGA Tate Center – Room 480
This is the last weekly opportunity of the year for UGA students (and others) to come together on campus to pray for each other, for revival on UGA and for God to do amazing among us! Please join us if you can, as we wrap up this semester, even if you have to leave early for class or work. And get ready for some exciting changes in 2019.
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, December 6 / 9 to 10am
Living Hope – 2150 Lexington Rd, Athens, GA 30605
On the first Thursday of every month, Student Pastors from around our city meet up to connect and pray together. Please join us as we pray for a powerful movement of God to sweep across all the Middle School and High School campuses in Athens. Pray for the effectiveness and fruitfulness of every Student Ministry in our city. Ask God for more students to be drawn in, and that He’d rise up and prepare more leaders. Cry out to Him for revival in each church’s student ministry in Athens. And don’t give up pleading with Him to release an awakening (lost kids coming to Christ) on all the campuses across our city!
Prayer Walking at UGA
Saturday, December 8 / 10am to just before noon
UGA Arch – Corner of Broad Street and College Ave
Whether it is cold, wet, dry, sunny, gloomy, windy or still, every month we hit the pavement praying together on the second Saturday. If you are able, please come and join in with other folks from across Athens and focus prayer on the campus and on our city. Every prayer walk is amazing unique, and pretty awesome!!! We meet up at the UGA Arch and go from there. Whether you have never been on a prayer walk before or you’re a veteran intercessor, you are welcome to come as we walk, talk and pray for revival at UGA, across Athens, and beyond.
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, December 12 / 9 to 10am
Hill Chapel Baptist Church – 1692 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30606
This monthly time has become a safe place for pastors to connect, share deeply and pray with others who carry the same responsibility and important role in our city. As Senior Pastors from around Athens come together to encourage one another and pray for and with each other, please take time to pray for your pastor from wherever you are at. Ask God to refresh, encourage, protect and provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Pray that God would guard and deepen the amazing unity He has established in Athens among pastors. Ask God to meet them right where they are, and give them what it takes to finish the year strongly!
Groups Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, December 19 / 9:30 to 10:30am
Classic City Ministry Center – 386 N Milledge Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Life is better connected and that’s what the groups ministries are all about in Athens. Groups are a vital part of growing in relationship with Jesus. These ministries a vital part of our advancing the Kingdom of God. Please ask God to draw more folks into these life-giving groups. Ask Him to give abundant grace on each group leader in our city. Ask Him to rise up even more strong leaders in our city for more new groups. And most definitely pray for the pastors who lead the groups ministries in Athens! Pray as many of them are preparing for new groups launches in 2019.
Ongoing and inspirational…
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
Every morning at 8am (ET) Daily Prayer Texts are sent to cell phones across Athens (and beyond). These texts include a brief bible verse and a focus for praying. If you’re not already receiving these, stop right now and sign up. You will be joining with others across our city, and have the same prayer focus every day! To receive the Daily Prayer Text just text @athenspray to 81010 and you’ll start getting these inspirational, prayer focusing texts right away.
Campus Prayer
Mondays / LUNCH TIME
UGA Tate Center – Room 480
We will launch back into this weekly opportunity on Monday, January 14. Please note the new time (exact time will be posted soon)! This is for UGA students (and others) to come together on campus to worship and pray for each other, for revival on UGA and for God to do amazing among us! Please join us during this lunch hour prayer, if you can, even if you have to leave early for class or work.
Campus Ministers Prayer
Thursdays / 3 to 4:30pm
Campus View Church – 1360 South Lumpkin, Athens 30605
This weekly opportunity is for those who lead ministries on the UGA campus to connect, journey together and pray for each other and the campus. Continue to pray for the various campus ministries (i.e. Wesley, CRU, RUF, Team United, Grace Athens, etc.) and their leaders. Pray that God would continue to unite us and build an even deeper and wider level of unity on the campus. Pray that God would refresh these leaders during the holiday break. We meet every Thursday during the school year and will be starting back up on January 10.
Coming up…
Classic City Leadership Conference
January 3 to 5
The Classic Center – 300 North Thomas Street, Athens, GA
What a great way to start the year off with some practical and powerful tools in the areas of preaching, pastoring, leadership and lifestyle. Conference attendees will learn how to minister as adaptable disciples. For more info or to register go to… www.classiccityconference.com
New Year New Heart
Saturday, January 12 / 9am to 5:30pm
Cornerstone – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
This is an amazing annual prayer conference facilitated by Athens College of Ministry. The theme this year is “intimacy with God through prayer” and we’ll explore what that means and how to actually put that into practice. Definitely mark your calendar for this powerful day of pray and training. The cost is $35 and lunch is included.
For more info or to register… https://acmin.org/new-year-new-heart/
Pastors Racial Unity Gathering
Thursday, January 31 / 10am to noon
Venue yet to be determined
Every two months many of the black and white senior pastors from Athens meet up to intentionally discuss and pray through the various racial issues we live in. This gathering is a beautiful space where God is tearing down walls and obstacles, and in their place building authentic relationships. Please pray for God’s momentum to continue into this next gathering. Pray that the ground of racial unity that has already been taken would be occupied and that more would be possessed. Pray that God would give us His strategies to lead us into a reconciled, unified and transformed Athens!
The Mix 19
Friday-Sunday, February 22-24
The Classic Center
This is coming together! We will have a prayer room onsite again this year at The Mix. And we will be increasing the prayer for it even more than last year! Mark your calendar to be a part of it. More info coming soon. For now be praying for all the details to come into place, as the speaker and worship team prepares, for the 35+ student ministries in Athens who will be bringing students, for the 2500+ students who will be attending, and for the prayer covering for it all.
Repairer of the Breach Conference
March 22-23
Venue yet to be determined
This is a Christ-centered, locally focused, and freely given two-day Christian conference for Athens area churches and ministries. Its aim is to build unity amongst the saints and to equip them to love and engage our city in word and deed. The conference will consist of worshipping God through fellowship, prayer, biblical teaching and music, and will feature a diverse group of leaders, speakers, and musical worship team from across the city. Our ultimate vision for Athens is for God to be worshipped by every people group and every neighborhood. There is an information meeting on Monday, December 10 from 7 to 7:30pm at Living Hope (in the chapel). Please be praying for this strategic racial reconciliation gathering!!!
For more info please contact Trev Rogers at 706-254-1381 or rogers.trev.a@gmail.com.
For more (and up to date) stuff…
There are more prayer things happening in Athens than listed here. Some of the above activities may change, and there are other prayer opportunities that come up in addition to things listed above… you can get the latest happenings at www.facebook.com/groups/1423907481169281/
Bless you heaps!!!
Steve
