History belongs to the intercessors. – Walter Wink
We are starting our Church intentionally with gatherings around prayer. Why? Looking ahead at what we feel like God is calling us to as a community, it’s not hard to see that the mission of God for our lives together is way too big for us.
And let’s be clear – if it were something we could accomplish on our own, it wouldn’t be God’s will. Scripture is full of stories of people called far beyond themselves to the place where only God could come through. It was true then, and it’s true now. We need His power and presence in us as we begin this journey together.
So we’re calling on you to pray. And continue praying. And not just surface-level prayers, but big prayers for big dreams and big impact.
So how can you pray for Restoration? To get you started, here’s 10 ways you can be in prayer for our church.
Pray for unity.
As we launch a new community around the mission of Jesus in our city, pray that the Holy Spirit would bind us together as one body under one Lord. We’re coming from many different backgrounds and experiences, and we need the Spirit’s unity to hold us fast in a divided world.
Pray for diversity.
As we seek to be a picture of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, pray that God would grow our racial, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity. In the meantime, pray that we would have the courage to take intentional, tangible steps towards God’s vision for diversity.
Pray for our leaders.
As our pastors cast vision and a leadership team takes shape, pray that God would lead them in humility, wisdom, and courage. Pray for their families, and that God would provide for and protect them from the enemy.
Pray for our neighborhood.
As we seek to make an impact on downtown Lexington and the East End and NoLi neighborhoods, pray that God would open doors, give us favor within the community, and show us where He is already at work so we might join Him.
Pray for our partners at Grace.
Grace Baptist Church has graciously allowed us to continue meeting in their building for the foreseeable future. Pray that God would bless and provide for their needs. Pray that we would find new avenues of working together for the sake of the our city.
Pray that God would deepen our community.
Through City Groups, DNA Groups, and life together throughout the week, pray that God would grow a church family that is constantly inviting more and more people to the table.
Pray for mission opportunities.
There are an unlimited amount of opportunities to serve and make an impact in our city. Pray that God would narrow our focus on the few things we are called to together, so that we can have a greater impact where God is already at work.
Pray for our worship gatherings.
As we meet together for worship and communion with God on Sunday nights, pray for God’s presence to form us together as a community, and that our awareness of His presence would grow more and more.
Pray for our children.
Whether on Sunday nights or throughout the week, pray that we would be empowered to disciple our kids to know the restoring love of Jesus, and that as they do, they’d grow to learn how they were being shaped to be restorers in our world.
Pray for those around us that don’t know Jesus.
Because we know Jesus’ mission is restoration, we long for the wholeness He brings in the lives of those around us. Pray that God would draw their hearts to Him, and when we have opportunity to share our restoration story, we would have the courage to do so.