“When you fast… your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.”
Matthew 6:16a & 18b (NIV)
As we step into 2019, many folks and churches are intentionally fasting and praying for God to do awesome in their lives, church and city (Psalm 65:5a NLT). If your church isn’t “officially” doing a fast, let me encourage you to join in anyways, as the church in Athens is definitely stepping into fasting and focused prayer in January. As you prepare to this fast…
1) Ask the Lord what you are to fast from (could be complete meals, or specific items or types of food).
2) Ask Him how long you are to fast for.
3) Ask Him what you are to specifically pray for.
Fasting is not about detoxing your body or losing weight, though that can be a benefit. And let me say, you are not earning favor because of fasting. Fasting is a spiritual discipline to buffet your body and focus your desperate need for God to move in your life, someone else’s life, or specific cause.
Though Jesus said that “when you fast, do it in secret” (Matthew 6:16-18), it is helpful to share it with a few trusted others for accountability and celebration!
So, having said all that, would you join me in fasting and praying for revival in Athens in 2019???
Here are some great opportunities to pray for and with others this month and beyond. May God, who is faithful, answer your prayers with awesomeness!!!
The Mix 19 Prayer Watch
Sign-ups open January 1, 2019 at midnight
As we prepare for this year’s Middle and High School students gathering called The Mix, we have to prepare the prayer room as well. The Prayer Watch will be on site at The Mix. Churches coming to The Mix (and a few others who aren’t) will be signing up for a ONE HOUR slot from 11am on Friday, February 22 to 11pm on Saturday, February 23. Please see the youth pastor at your church for details.
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
Prayer for the Mayor
Tuesday, January 8 / 5:30pm
City Hall steps
We are told to pray for those in authority/government (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Here is an opportunity to come and pray for the incoming Mayor of Athens (Kelly Girtz). We will simply show up and pray quietly from crowd. By the way, the “swearing in” will take place on the steps of City Hall, right next to the statue of the Spirit of Athens. At the base of this statue is inscribed Ephesians 4:3 – you know about, endeavoring to keep the unity through the bind of peace! Let’s be praying that God takes the unity in our city to a whole new level!
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, January 9 / 9 to 10am
Young Harris United Methodist Church – 973 Prince Ave, Athens, 30606
This monthly opportunity for Senior Pastors has become a safe place for them 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 start the year strongly!
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, January 10 / 9 to 10am
Classic City Ministry Center – 386 N Milledge Ave, Athens 30601
Usually 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 begin to really press in to God in prayer for The Mix. 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!
Campus Ministers Prayer
Thursdays, January 10, 17, 24 & 31 / 3 to 4:30pm
Campus View Church – 1360 South Lumpkin, Athens 30605
This weekly opportunity (Thursday during the school) is for those who lead campus ministries at UGA, to connect, journey together and pray for each other and the campus. Please pray for the various campus ministries (i.e. Wesley, CRU, RUF, Team United, Grace Athens, etc.) and their leaders. Pray that God would unite us even more and build an even deeper and wider level of unity across the campus.
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/
Prayer Walking at UGA
Saturday, January 12 / 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, we hit the
pavement every month on the second Saturday, praying together for God to do awesome. If you are available, come and join in with other folks from across Athens and focus prayer on the campus and on our city. Every prayer walk is truly amazingly 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 have something to bring and you are welcome to come as we walk, talk and pray for revival at UGA, across Athens, and beyond.
Campus Prayer
Monday, January 14 & 28 / 12 to 1pm
UGA Tate Center – Room 480
We will launch back into this weekly opportunity on Monday, January 14. Please note the new time! This is for UGA students (and others) to come together on campus from various campus ministries and local churches 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 can’t get there on time or have to leave early for class or work. (Note – there will be no Campus Prayer gathering on MLK Day – January 21)
Groups Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, January 23 / 9:30 to 10:30am
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Road, Athens 30606
Life is way better connected and that’s what the groups ministries are all about in Athens. Groups are a vital ingredient for growing in relationship with Jesus. These ministries a key 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 even more new groups. And most definitely pray for the pastors who lead the groups ministries in Athens! Many of them are preparing for new groups launches in 2019.
30 Days of Prayer for The Mix
Thursday, January 24 to Friday, February 22
Everywhere
This year, we will be adding another prayer component to The Mix… a thirty-day daily prayer focus for it. If you’d like to receive a daily prayer text to help focus your prayer for The Mix, please sign up by texting @3cfd8f to number 81010 (or 706-321-4251)… You will also be able to follow along with the APN Facebook page.
Healing, Hope & Freedom Seminar
Saturday, January 26 / 9am to 4pm
St James UMC – 111 West Lake Drive, Athens 30606
This is an amazing opportunity being offered in the Athens area, and everyone is welcome! HEALING, HOPE & FREEDOM SEMINAR is an excellent class for those who want to understand more about healing prayer and/or those called to provide prayer ministry to others. This class serves as the initial training for those who desire certification as a Restoring the Foundations prayer minister.
Pat and Winston Harvey, authorized trainers for Restoring the Foundations and members of the RTF Healing House Network will lead the class. Topics include: forgiveness, dealing with life’s baggage, renewing your mind, healing life’s hurts, experiencing freedom, as well as a question time.
Please register by January 13 to ensure that your materials will arrive in time. The cost is $30, which covers the book, materials and lunch. To register email Sandy Blount your details at sandy.blount@gmail.com (be sure to include your name, phone number, email address and church affiliation) or call her at 706.296.6192.
Pastors Racial Unity Gathering
Thursday, January 31 / 10am to noon
The Light – 174 Henderson Ext., Athens 30606
God is doing amazing things in our city through this group of black and white pastors from Athens, who come together every two months to intentionally discuss and pray through the various racial issues we live in. God is definitely tearing down walls and obstacles that divide us, 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 territory would be taken. Pray that God would give us His strategies to lead us into a reconciled, unified and transformed Athens!
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.
CampusPrayer
Mondays / noon to 1pm
UGA Tate Center – Room 480
Campus Ministers Prayer
Thursdays / 3 to 4:30pm
Campus View Church – 1360 South Lumpkin, Athens 30605
Coming up…
The Mix19
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 are increasing the prayer for The Mix even more than last year! Mark your calendar to be a part of it. Whether your church is coming during a specific hour or not, you are welcome to join in at any time during the prayer room hours (Friday, 11am to Saturday 11pm). But for now, be praying for all the details to come into place, for the speaker and worship team, 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, and for all the churches preparing for a ONE HOUR slot at The Mix Prayer Room.
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. 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
