“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Here’s a question… if God answered all your prayers from this past year, would the world be changed or just your world? Too often our prayers are either so focused on our personal world, or simply so anemic that God’s answers really don’t change the world around us. He wants to do awesome things, we just need to ask. So, ask the Lord to expand your prayer depth this coming year. Make it a priority to always be asking for things that will impact the world, not just your world. Pray daily for revival in the Church and spiritual awakening in our city, and in our nation. Pray daily for at least six of your friends who have not yet surrendered to Jesus. Ask God to do audacious things in 2018, things that only He can do. He wants to do exceedingly abundantly beyond what you can ask or imagine, so dream and ask big every day this new year. If you do, twelve months from now the world will be different because you prayed!
Here are some opportunities to pray big with others this month. May you go from strength to strength this year in prayer!!!
Note… There will be no separate (Groups, Kid’s, Students, Worship, or Executive) Pastors Prayer in January. All the pastors’ groups will be meeting together for the Pastors Prayer Summit (see below for more details).
All Campus Prayer
Thursday, January 4, 2018 / 7 to 8pm
Memorial Hall – UGA Campus
We are kicking off the school year by gathering together with other students from the various campus ministries and local churches to pray on the very first day back in class at UGA!!! As we are anticipating God doing amazing things in 2018, we want to start it off with one hour for worship and unified prayer for revival on the UGA campus! Please mark your calendar, and PASS THE WORD! Starts sharp at 7pm!!!
Pastors Prayer Summit
Wednesday, January 10 / 9 to 10:30am
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Road, Athens 30606
All the normal pastoral groups that usually meet up to pray separately each month will all be converging at the same time and place as we kick the year off. Even if you have not yet joined in or there isn’t an exact pastoral grouping for you, please join us as we come together as the pastors of Athens to worship, dedicate ourselves to the Lord and pray together for revival in Athens! For all you non-pastors, please take this opportunity to pray for your pastor as well as all the other pastors from around Athens. This is an all pastors’ prayer gathering and it’s going to be quite awesome!!!
Prayer Walking at UGA
Saturday, January 13 / 10am to just before noon
UGA Arch – Corner of Broad Street and College Ave
Rain or shine, heat or cold (and it will probably be a bit chilly), we hit the ground praying. We meet up at the UGA Arch and go from there. This is a monthly opportunity (usually the second Saturday) to join in with other prayer warriors from across our city to focus prayer on the campus and our city. These are always pretty amazing and unique times of prayer!!! You are most welcome to join us as we walk, talk and pray for revival at UGA, across Athens, and beyond.
Prayer for the Middle East
Wednesday, January 17 / noon to 1pm
Living Hope (House of Prayer) – 2150 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
This is the monthly gathering of focused prayer for the Middle East and Israel. There are usually updates from the Middle East, which lead to some very specific praying. Everyone is welcome to join in as we pray for Israel and the conflict in the Middle East. Please pray for the Kingdom of God to advance in Israel and across the Middle East!
New Year New Heart
Saturday, January 20 / 9am to 5:30pm
Cornerstone – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
A fantastic prayer seminar put on by Athens College of Ministry. Cost for this all-day seminar is $30 with lunch included! For more info… http://www.acmin.org/New-Year-New-Heart
Campus Prayer
Friday, January 26 / 8 to 9am
UGA Tate Center – Room 480
This new ministry provides a context for students and others (i.e. faculty) from across UGA and various churches in Athens to come together on campus to pray for and with one another, and for revival on the campus. At this point, Campus Prayer is a monthly gathering, on the last Friday from 8 to 9am. Please pass the word to all UGA students you know, and continue to pray for greater unity on the campus and ultimately revival across the campus and beyond.
Citywide Prayer Leaders Gathering
Friday, January 26 / 9:30 to 11am
Cornerstone (Athens Prayer Center) – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
This is our monthly gathering (usually on the last Friday of the month) for those who lead (or facilitate) prayer ministries in Athens. These are quite amazing times providing an awesome opportunity to connect, hear what God is saying to each other and to pray together. Please pray for these strategic citywide prayer leaders (especially the ones you know), asking God to take them deeper and deeper in their own walk with Jesus and that out of this intimate place, lead their prayer ministries forward into the coming harvest! Pray that God would continue to raise up more prayer leaders in our city!
Ongoing and inspirational…
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
These Daily Prayer Texts are short messages sent to your cell phone every morning at 8am. Each text includes a brief bible verse and a focus for praying. To sign up all you need to do is text @athenspray to 81010 and you’ll start getting these inspirational, prayer focusing texts right away.
Campus Ministers Prayer
Mondays, January 8, 22 & 29 / 1:30 to 2:45pm
Near UGA
This weekly gathering for the directors of the various campus ministries at UGA is vital in building unity and spiritual momentum on campus. Pray for these leaders as they connect with one another and in humility journey together to reach UGA with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that each of these key leaders would grow in intensity with passion, devotion, wisdom and grace! This semester we will be working through Leonard Ravenhill’s book, Why Revival Tarries, so please be praying that God would give us the grace to apply it in our lives and ministries. Pray that we would be ready to catch the new wave of the Spirit that is coming!
Encounter Gatherings
Starting back up February 1…
Thursdays / 6:30 to 8pm
Cornerstone (Athens Prayer Center) – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
These weekly gatherings are open to everyone who wants to meet with God and grow in their faith. The focus will be on Revival & Spiritual Awakening. These gatherings include some amazing teaching, deep worship and lots of prayer! Everyone from across the city is invited join in if you are able! Also, starting in February will be a six-week class on training for Deliverance. This will run from 5:30 to 6:30pm every Thursday night before the encounter gatherings. No sign ups required, just show up on February 1.
Coming up…
Pastors Racial Reconciliation Gathering
Thursday, February 1 / 9am to 1pm
Hill Chapel Baptist Church – 1692 W Hancock Avenue, Athens 30606
This will be the continuation of our prayer and discussions into racial issues in Athens. This past year God has developed this as a safe context to share deep things and pray together into this important area. In 2018, we are hoping to put some flesh on it and begin to see it worked out in our congregations and community. Senior pastors please mark your calendar to be a part of this strategic gathering. Lunch (the breaking bread together) is included and is an important part of the day. For you non-senior pastors, please mark your calendar to be in prayer for this while we are meeting!
The Mix 2018
Friday – Sunday, February 23 to 25, 2018
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Road, Athens 30606
Pre-Mix Prayer Gatherings
This year we will be asking every leader coming to The Mix to participate in a prayer gathering prior to The Mix, with the primary purpose of praying for (over) them and for The Mix. So, whether you’re going to be a leader at The Mix, a parent, or just want to pray for The Mix, please join us at one of these Pre-Mix Prayer Gatherings, the dates, times and locations will be posted soon!
The Mix Prayer Watch
We will be having onsite, non-stop worship/prayer going simultaneously during The Mix this year. More details coming out early in January. Each church involved is asked to facilitate a one hour slot. Parents and folks from that church are encouraged to come and pray for their kids, as well as for The Mix in general. If you are interested in facilitating a slot, please let me know and I’ll be getting in touch with you sometime early in the year.
For more (and up to date) stuff…
Some of the above activities may change, and there are other prayer opportunities that come up in addition to things happening that were not listed above… you can get the latest happenings at www.facebook.com/groups/1423907481169281/
Bless you heaps!!!
Steve
