“Whoever believes in Me, …
streams of living water will flow from within him.”
John 7:38 (NIV)
Just recently I was filling our Honda Odyssey’s fuel tank at the gas station. While cleaning the front windshield I noticed a swooshing sound on the other side of the vehicle, but at first, I didn’t register what it was. Then suddenly it dawned on me that the fuel was gushing out onto the ground. By the time I got there, gas was everywhere. It was messy and potentially explosive. I sensed the Lord bring John 7:38 to my mind. It is out of the abundance of our heart that flows His living water to others. If our tanks are empty, we have nothing to give to others. As we dive into September, cry out for God to fill you afresh with the Holy Spirit, that He would overflow on others because of you!
Here are some opportunities to press into God with others this month and pray that His presence would overflow on those around us in our city.
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, September 6 / 9 to 10am
Classic City Church Ministry Center – 386 N Milledge Ave, Athens 30601
Each month (first Thursday) the Student Pastors from around Athens meet up to connect and pray together. Join us as we pray for a movement of powerful God to sweep across all the Middle School and High School campuses in Athens this Fall. Pray that each Student Ministry would be effective and fruitful. Pray for students to be drawn in, for leaders to rise up, and for revival to happen in each church’s student ministry. And pray that God will release an awakening on all the campuses across our city! Btw, please begin praying for The Mix 19 (Feb 22-24), and be sure to mark your calendar to join us in The Mix Prayer Room!
Prayer Walking at UGA
Saturday, September 8 / 10am to just before noon
UGA Arch – Corner of Broad Street and College Ave
Rain or shine, hot or hotter, we hit the pavement praying big time prayers. These prayer walks are always quite amazing and very unique!!! We meet up at the UGA Arch and we’ll go from there. This is a monthly opportunity (the second Saturday) to join in with other prayer warriors from across our city to focus prayer on the campus and our city. You are welcome to come as we walk, talk and pray for revival at UGA, across Athens, and beyond (even if you’ve never prayer walked before).
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, September 12 / 9 to 10am
Living Hope – 2150 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
Every month Senior Pastors from around Athens come together to encourage one another and pray for and with each other. This has become a safe place for pastors to connect, share deeply and pray with others who are in the same role. Senior Pastors carry a tremendous responsibility and play a very important role in our city. And God has given us an amazing and unique grace for unity in Athens, especially among pastors. Please pray for your pastor.
Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, September 20 / 9 to 10am
Watkinsville First Baptist Church – 1610 Simonton Bridge Rd, Watkinsville 30677
Each month the executive pastors from across Athens connect and pray together. Please pray for these guys who “run” the churches in our city! Ask God to give them wisdom from above, with grace and courage to walk it out.
Groups Pastors Prayer
Thursday, September 20 / 10 to 11am
TBD
It’s no secret, life is better connected. And that’s what the groups ministries in Athens do, and it is a vital part of our advancing the Kingdom of God. Many churches have just launched new groups with a huge number of folks signing up. Please pray that God would draw in more folks to these groups. Pray that He would prepare and pour out grace on the group leaders. Ask God to give us a strong groups ministry with strong leaders in our city. And please pray for the pastors who lead the groups ministries in Athens!
Prayer for the Middle East
Wednesday, September 26 / noon to 1pm
Living Hope (House of Prayer) – 2150 Lexington Rd, Athens 30605
This is the monthly gathering of focused prayer for the Middle East and Israel. There are usually some very specific prayer requests that lead to very focused prayer into a battle torn land! Everyone is welcome to join in as we pray for Israel and the nations / peoples of the Middle East. Please pray for the Kingdom of God to advance in Israel and across the Middle East!
Pastors Racial Reconciliation Gathering
Thursday, September 27 / 10am to noon
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Road, Athens 30606
Black and white senior pastors have been meeting up for over two years now, with the focused purpose to discuss and pray through the various racial issues we live in. This gathering has become safe to tear down walls and build authentic relationships across previous barriers. Please pray for God’s momentum to continue into this next gathering. Pray that the ground that has been taken would be maintained and occupied. Pray that each pastor would be prepared for this gathering, especially as we talk about practical ways to walk it out in our community. Pray that God would give us His strategies to lead us into a reconciled and transformed Athens!
Ongoing and inspirational…
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
Every morning at 8am (ET) these Daily Prayer Texts are sent to your cell phone. Each text includes a brief bible verse and a focus for praying. Pause right now and join with others across our city, having the same prayer focus each day! To sign up just text @athenspray to 81010 and you’ll start getting these inspirational, prayer focusing texts right away.
Campus Ministers Prayer
Thursdays / 3 to 4pm
UGA Wesley Foundation – 1196 South Lumpkin, Athens 30605
This is a weekly opportunity for those who lead ministries on the UGA campus to connect, journey together and pray for each other and the campus. Please pray for the various campus ministries and their leaders. Pray that God would continue to unite us and build an even deeper and wider level of unity. We meet every Thursday during the school year. This year we are reading Andrew Murray’s awesome book, The Believer’s Secret of Waiting on God.
Campus Prayer
Mondays / 8 to 9am
UGA Tate Center – Room 480
This is a weekly opportunity for UGA students from the various campus ministries and others to come together on campus to worship and pray for each other, for revival on UGA and for God to do His awesome deeds among us! Starting September 10, we will be meeting every Monday!!!
Encounter Gatherings
Thursdays / 6:30 to 8pm
Cornerstone (Athens Prayer Center) – 4680 Lexington Road, Athens 30605
These weekly gatherings continue through the summer and are open to everyone who wants to meet with God and grow in their faith. The summer focus is “The Believers Authority.” 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!
40 Days of Prayer
Starts Sunday, September 23
St James UMC – 111 West Lake Drive, Athens, GA 30605
This is an opportunity to be trained and experience pray in various forms. This is open to all who desire to grow in their prayer life. To sign up, go to http://www.sjumc.org/40-days-of-prayer-wesley-groups
Coming up…
New Year New Heart
Saturday, January 12
Cornerstone
This is an annual prayer conference facilitated by Athens College of Ministry. The theme for 2019 will be related to hearing from God. Save the date!
For more (and up to date) stuff…
Not every prayer activity in Athens is listed above. 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
