"Declare a holy fast; call a solemn assembly. Summon…all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."

—Joel 1:14

Some things just seem meant to go together. Peanut butter and ____. Bread and ____. Hot and ____. Hand and ____. Chips and ____. Debits and ____. Girls and ____. Salt and ____. Shoes and ____. You get the point if you mentally filled in the blanks with jelly, butter, cold, glove, dip, credits, boys, pepper, and socks.

For Christians, there are two spiritual disciplines for which the association should be just as natural. While many exercises can enrich a relationship with God—meditation, solitude, church attendance, private worship, Bible study, witnessing, giving, serving—these two are among a believer's most important tools for building better discipleship. The first is prayer—talking and listening to God. The second is fasting—temporarily limiting or abstaining from ordinary activities (food, sleep, recreation, hobbies, etc.) in order to concentrate more time on prayer. They should be as inseparable in our minds as grandpa and ____, husband and ____, brothers and ____ (grandma, wife, and sisters).

Yet, in a generation when busyness kills more souls than unbelief, prayer and fasting are neglected privileges. Few Christians deny the importance of prayer. There is something instinctive about reaching out to God. Fasting, on the other hand, is a spiritual discipline forgotten or feared by many believers. Jesus assumed that His disciples would fast. That is why He said, "when you fast," not "if you fast," as a prelude to instructions about the practice in Matthew 6:16-17. Yet, Thomas à Kempis, a respected German believer, observed:

Jesus has many who love his heavenly kingdom, but few who bear his cross. Many want consolation, but few desire adversity. Many are eager to share Jesus' table, but few will join him in fasting.

Influenced by à Kempis, English evangelist John Wesley encouraged the early Methodist he led to observe regular times of prayer and fasting as part of their daily discipleship. He admonished ministers and lay persons to fast every Friday, so that they might recommend the practice to others "both by precept and example." Wesley regarded fasting as a "means of grace"—a channel for God to influence and communicate with us by the Holy Spirit.

Why pray and fast? Listen to Wesley again:

…Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven; to express our sorrow and shame for our manifold transgressions of his holy law; to wait for an increase of purifying grace, drawing our affections to things above; to add seriousness and earnestness to our prayers; to avert the wrath of God, and to obtain all the great and precious promises which he hath made to us in Jesus Christ.

An Historical Sketch of Fasting

Many great names in the Bible are associated with examples of fasting—Moses, David, Elijah, Daniel, Jesus, Paul. In their respective cases, fasting was connected with such occasions as intimate, prolonged fellowship with God; repentance for personal sin; prayer for nationwide spiritual awakening and revival; deep concern over national crises and the need for divine deliverance; victory over temptation; and desire for God's wisdom and guidance.

"Prayer, acts of compassion, fasting—these three are one and give life to one another. Fasting is the soul of prayer, compassion is the life of fasting. Let no one separate them…."

—St. John Chrysologus, a 5th century believer

The testimonies and journals of reformers, revivalists, and religious leaders throughout Christian history point to the important role of fasting and prayer. For at least 400 years after Christ, faithful Christians fasted twice each week. The Didache, one of the earliest discipleship manuals ever written, instructed Christians to pray three times a day and to "fast on Wednesdays and Fridays." In a letter to his nation's king, Aristides defended Christians in 140 A.D. as compassionate people who would fast two or three days a week in order to supply food for the poor and needy.

"Prayer is the one hand with

which we grasp the invisible;

fasting the other, with which we

let lose and cast away the visible."

—Andrew Murray

Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church institutionalized fasting eventually. Eating meat on Friday, for example, was classified as a "venial sin"—a slight transgression that would not result in eternal damnation but did require pardon by the church. Although such efforts to legislate holiness stressed the importance of fasting as a spiritual discipline, it had the effect of making it an end in itself, rather than a means of spiritual deepening. By the sixth century, Christians who did not fast at specified times were punished. Legalism always turns blessings into burdens.

Many years later, Martin Luther helped reform such wrong teachings. He emphasized that faith, not works (even fasting), gained merit with God. Yet, Luther fasted—often enough, in fact, that critics accused him of doing it too much. Another reformer, John Calvin, was called an inveterate faster, but he lived to see God answer his prayers for the conversion of most households in the city of Geneva. John Knox, the man whose prayers the Queen of England feared, practiced regular fasting, impacting the whole of Britain as he wrestled day and night in concentrated prayer.

Mature believers do not brag about their prayer and fasting; but all would humbly testify that these are the sources of whatever success others credit to their accounts. Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Charles G. Finney, Dwight L. Moody and others whose evangelistic preaching shaped the souls of nations, often denied themselves food and sleep for the sake of prayer. Great revivals have followed the faith of leaders like these who set themselves apart for intense conversation with God. High tech gadgets, broadcast media, modern management theory, and marketing strategists do not produce spiritual renewal. It takes asking, seeking, knocking and fasting to release God's mighty power in our lives and times.

Reasons to Fast

Several factors commend fasting as a useful way of energizing a believer's prayer life. The first has to do with prioritizing prayer. Fasting places a limit on regular activities that limit prayer. It may be food, fellowship with friends or family, leisure reading, television, hobbies, sleep or recreation. "These are normal, profitable activities for me," you say. True. But important things often have a way of usurping the place of more urgent things. Fasting is an intentional decision to regain self-control through self-denial. When you choose to fast, you are affirming that your body is the servant of the spirit—an order that gets reversed at great risk. A willing spirit is often hindered by weak flesh: fasting strengthens both.

Fasting is also a means of clarifying and refocusing our attention on spiritual goals. How often have you said to yourself something like, "I'm hungry for a bowl of ice cream," or "I'm thirsty for some soda"? How can our physical appetites be so specific, when our spiritual hunger and thirst are not? Fasting is a way of refining our spiritual longings. It helps us tune in to the Holy Spirit, in other words, as He awakens desires in us that we will long to satisfy…desires for righteousness, holiness, humility, more effective witnessing, more fruitful service and more intimate communion with God.

Fasting is a way to turn off trivia and internal noise. It clears the mind for the One whose ways are not our ways and whose thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Often, we are unprepared to hear the voice of God. Particularly if He is speaking a "still, small voice"—an unobtrusive way meant to be discerned only by those who are truly intent on hearing and obeying God. Communication with the Lord can be like trying to listen to someone else while you are wearing stereo headphones: it is hard to understand what is being said until you take them off. Fasting cuts through the mental clutter that masks God's communication to us.

Fasting is a way to multiply options. Saying "no" to some things creates opportunities to say "yes" to others. "No" to seconds lets you say "yes" to dessert. "No" to impulse buying gives you the option of saying "yes" to a larger savings account. "No" to food or sleep or time spent in recreation can mean "yes" to an extended season of prayer, a day alone with God for a personal spiritual retreat, or a weekend away for a total spiritual check-up.

Benefits of Fasting

In addition to the above reasons for fasting, consider eight benefits of this spiritual discipline.

1.  Fasting intensifies the desire to pray. It turns hunger into a spiritual feast, making our appetite for God's blessings stronger. The self-discipline of fasting teaches the flesh to yield to the spirit.

2.  Fasting deepens humility. Humility is voluntary submission to God's will. It is an attitude fasting cultivates. James 4:7-10 reminds us that those who grieve, mourn and weep before the Lord (all indirect references to fasting) will be lifted up.

3.  Fasting encourages perseverance in prayer. Psalm 35:13 says David added fasting to his searching for God "when my prayers returned…unanswered." There are times when we are tempted to give up asking, but fasting and praying even more would be the appropriate response. Fasting keeps our minds on the spiritual hunger that drove us to start praying and the spiritual thirst that will not let us give up.

4.  Fasting increases our delight in God's answers. "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy," the psalm writer said (Psalm 126:5). The greater our sacrifice for a heart's desire, the greater our satisfaction when it is realized. Fasting does not force God to do what we ask; it prepares us to delight in asking for whatever will please Him most.

5.  Fasting intensifies concentration in prayer. It begins with a conscious decision to make prayer a priority—a decision that is usually prompted by specific needs or burdens. The decision to forego food to focus on prayer concentrates more spiritual energy on those needs. Fasting overpowers distractions that Satan uses to keep us from praying.

6.  Fasting amplifies faith. Jesus told the drowsy disciples who were supposed to be joining Him in a night of fasting from sleep, "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Victory over the flesh increases our confidence that we will be victorious in spirit.

7.  Fasting creates a new openness to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus returned "in the power of the Spirit" when He had won His forty day battle of prayer and fasting in the wilderness (Luke 4:14). Fasting is not going without food, so much as it is an emptying of ourselves in anticipation of a fresh filling by the Holy Spirit.

8.  Fasting helps drive Satan back from long-held territory. Soldiers locked in battle do not stop for coffeebreaks, but it seems that Christians involved in spiritual warfare often do. Some life situations are so intense that we dare not give up until we win a clear-cut victory. Because Satan does not surrender to the fainthearted, we should sometimes turn to fasting to keep us fully engaged in the struggle against the foe.

Why Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting?

What is the purpose of calling Christians and churches to participate in a congregational program of "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting"? Is this a new ritual? A new legalism? A cute gimmick?

Why not just "Forty Days of Prayer"? Why bring up the issue of fasting at all? A good answer comes from Andrew Murray, whose thoughts and books on prayer minister to millions. "It is only in a life of moderation, temperance and self-denial," he said, "that there will be the heart or the strength to pray much." Fasting intensifies the prayer commitment of individuals and groups involved in the ministry of intercession.

The Bible never commands fasting, but everywhere God's Word commends it as a freedom to be enjoyed by serious seekers after righteousness.

Where does the idea of "forty days" of prayer and fasting come from? Forty-day fasts are recorded only a few times in the Bible—Moses on Mt. Sinai, Elijah at Mt. Horeb, and Jesus on the mount of temptation. In each instance, however, these fasts marked the beginning of a mighty work of God affecting both individuals and nations. "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" expresses a desire for a similar outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Establishing such an emphasis in your church can inspire revival and give members an opportunity to develop new spiritual disciplines.

It has been many years since a spiritual awakening swept North America. In light of the profound changes and problems in our society, there has never been a time when the cry for much prayer—intense prayer—was more urgent. The necessity of more effective disciple-making and moral renewal is evident in every facet of society. The call for you and your church to participate in "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" is a recognition of the contemporary spiritual needs of the Church and of a world that is lost without Christ. Be unapologetic about making evangelism and church growth two of the top priorities of such an emphasis.

Participating churches should expect other benefits of calling their members to prayer and fasting. Implementing a "Forty Days" program will heighten expectations of revival and renewal in your own congregation. It can enhance the unity of your church. It can create a new openness to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. It can lead to increased Great Commission obedience by members and strengthen commitment to biblical priorities for other ministries.

Preparing Churches for Prayer and Fasting

"If you say I will fast when God lays it on me, you never will," said Dwight L. Moody. "You are too cold and indifferent. Take the yoke upon you." Prayer and fasting are too important to leave to the whim of human emotion. Instead, they call for deliberate self-denial.

Scheduling time in busy church calendars for prayer and fasting may seem like a difficult task at first. Perhaps a few over-involved members will need to fast from some church committee meetings or social activities, instead of food, in order to concentrate on prayer. If "more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of," as Tennyson suggested, then such a fast in order to make time for prayer may not be at all out-of-order.

There are at least two times during the church year when it is especially practical to schedule "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting." Lent is an obvious and traditional period for emphasizing self-denial and prayer. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (the seventh Wednesday before Easter). Excluding Sundays, which are days of celebration and joy, there are forty days between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday (the day before Easter). Many churches will find this to be a natural and convenient time to focus the hearts of their members on spiritual deepening.

Another popular time is in connection with the church's fall schedule, especially centered on revival/renewal events, Rally Day, Friend Day, or other special outreach projects. What better time could there be to organize the church for prayer than as a strategic part of its evangelistic efforts? Simply count back forty days from the date of a ministry event to determine the beginning date of your drive to include believers in a committed prayer campaign.

Communicating the purpose of your church's "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" will be critical to its success. Give the subject high profile attention in as many ways as possible. Print information in church publications, newsletters, and worship folders. Discuss the program in board and committee meetings, classes and small groups. Mention it in worship services, women's groups, men's fellowship gatherings, youth meetings, and other settings. Interview members of the congregation during worship services about answered prayers and personal experiences that have enriched their understanding of prayer and fasting.

It may be necessary to educate the congregation about the practice of fasting itself in preparation for this ministry. Explain clearly that there are many ways to fast and that the way each individual chooses should depend upon personal health and circumstances. Here are a few types of fasts to invite others to consider:

1. An all-day food fast—once a week abstaining from all solid foods and drinking only water or juices.

2. A partial fast—not eating one meal on a specific day or days or abstaining from certain kinds of food, such as meats or desserts during the fast period.

3. An activity fast—foregoing a time-consuming activity other than eating, such as entertainments, hobbies, television, reading, sports, etc.

4. An all-night fast from sleep—sacrificing physical rest for the sake of spiritual labor.

5. An extended fast—abstinence from food, but not liquids, for several days at a time or for an entire "forty days" period.

Preparing your congregation for "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" will also involve providing a variety of resources to encourage participation. Many churchgoers may never have fasted before. Plan a sermon series to explain the practice and Sunday school lessons to examine great prayers and pray-ers of the Bible. Lead a weekly Bible study for members who want to talk through the value and process of prayer and fasting. Supply devotional aids that suggest prayer themes and Scripture readings.

Involving Believers in Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting

"Forty Days" Prayer Helps. Many sincere believers are frustrated because they do not feel like they know what to pray about in private or group prayer. They are dissatisfied with shallow prayers that seldom get beyond the "God bless everyone—Amen" type. During "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting," your church can provide numerous special resources to deepen members' prayer experiences.

Publish a weekly prayer reminder during your church's "Forty Days" to call attention to intercessory concerns and written requests from congregation members. It can be as simple as a half-page insert for the worship bulletin; a letter from the pastor mailed each Monday or Tuesday with requests gathered from Sunday school classes and worship services; or a more complex prayer newsletter, featuring requests and devotional articles written by church members. Place prayer request cards prominently in church foyers or pew racks, and encourage their use by members to communicate concerns. These cards should include a place for giving permission to print requests in the weekly prayer reminder or to ask that they be shared only with the pastoral staff and select intercessors.

"Prayer—secret, fervent, believing prayer—lies at the root of all personal godliness."

—William Carey, missionary

Giving worshipers a daily prayer calendar can encourage their cooperation with the church's prayer program. Distribute these at the close of a sermon calling for a specific commitment to prayer and fasting on Preparation Sunday for your church's "Forty Days" emphasis. Hand them out in worship bulletins or mail them to members' homes along with a letter urging their use. The prayer calendar should suggest a daily prayer focus and a related Scripture reading covering each of the forty days.

."Forty Days" Prayer Cells. Prayer cells are small groups organized for the purpose of informal prayer. Groups may range from three to twenty persons, although eight to twelve is probably optimum.

Prayer cells offer participants a high level of intimacy. They provide a safe environment for new believers to learn to pray aloud with others; for individuals to update others on their spiritual progress and needs; and for members to express genuine love and concern by praying about each other's requests. Prayer cells are a significant opportunity to increase the caring/sharing quotient in your church. They perform the dual functions of serving as accountability groups and prayer warrior squadrons.

Prayer cells meet weekly at a time and location agreed upon by group members. Keep the following suggestions for success in mind as you organize "Forty Days" prayer cells:

1. Preach a sermon series prior to the "Forty Days" emphasis on biblical examples of praying together. Explain the value of prayer cells, how they work, the way to join one, the benefits participants can expect to reap, and the impact this ministry can have on your church. Be sure to stress the requirements of commitment to a prayer cell, including faithful group attendance, daily prayer for other cell members, and confidentiality.

2. Appoint a leader for each cell. Give specific leaders' instructions. These should include ideas for inviting people to join the group; a list of group member expectations; ways to keep prayer times interesting and non-threatening to newcomers and new believers; advice for handling sensitive prayer requests; tips for dealing with members who dominate group time; and topics to help groups pray beyond their own concerns and the needs for the church, community and world.

3. Set a time limit on prayer cell commitments, such as six weeks. Short-term commitments provide a sense of closure and accomplishment that promotes future interest in prayer group participation. Time limits also allow a natural exit point for withdrawal from a group in which a member feels uncomfortable. Some groups may choose to continue beyond the "Forty Days" period, but be sure everyone understands this is optional and voluntary.

Pastor's Prayer Partners. Every pastor needs prayer supporters—intercessors who faithfully, regularly stand before God to obtain mercy and blessings for the pastor personally, his or her family, and the ministry of his or her church. "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" is a perfect time to introduce the concept of a pastor's intercessory team to select members of your church.

Some of the qualifications pastors should look for in persons they select as intercessory prayer partners include:

1. A reputation for godly living.

2. A testimony and integrity respected by others.

3. A temperament suiting the person for a support ministry performed largely behind the scenes.

4. The maturity to persevere in spiritual combat.

5. Ability to keep confidences and willingness to be accountable in this area.

6. Willingness to meet occasionally for extended prayer times with the pastor and other partners (such as prayer retreats and pre-worship prayer times).

7. Willingness to pray privately on a regular basis for the pastor, church and community.

"Beware of placing the
emphasis on what prayer costs
us; it cost God everything to
make it possible for us to pray."

—Oswald Chambers

Worship Service Prayers. While searching for new ideas, it is easy to overlook the natural opportunities already at hand. Another way to involve believers in your church's "Forty Days" emphasis is through regular worship occasions.

For example, invite church board members, Sunday school teachers, or anyone interested to come to brief, pre-service prayer meetings. Invite them to gather around the pastor and others who have an "up front" role in leading worship to pray for them and for their ministries.

Another option might be to establish a prayer room near the worship meeting place in which a team of two or three persons prays throughout each church service specifically for the various aspects of the service as it progresses, the personnel involved, and the worshipers present.

Most worship services feature a number of spoken prayers. Use "Forty Days" as an opportunity for lay persons to lead invocations, offertory prayers, prayers of confession and assurance, prayers for specific church programs and benedictions.

Find unique ways to involve worshipers more actively in the pastoral prayer. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Use a "bidding" prayer, in which the leader names a topic of concern, pauses and "bids" the members of the congregation to pray silently or out loud about each matter during the pause.

2. Use the ACTS acronym to divide the pastoral prayer into four parts—Adoration, Confession, Thanks-giving and Supplications. After a brief explanation of each part by the prayer leader, invite worshipers to offer spoken prayers on each aspect in small groups or as individuals.

3. Another useful acronym is PRAY—Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield. Introduce these four emphases in the pastoral prayer and give the congregation an opportunity for silent prayers about each point.

4. Invite everyone to pray aloud at the same time. In one minute of prayer, for example, encourage worshipers to list out loud all the reasons they believe in God's goodness, or the names of special persons for whom they want to thank Him, or the names of neighbors and relatives they hope will come to know Christ as Savior and Lord.

5. Prior to the pastoral prayer, encourage members who desire the church's prayers for personal, physical, emotional or spiritual concerns to come forward to prayer altars and meet a lay counselor, who will pray quietly with them as the pastor leads the rest of the congregation in prayer.

6. Invite those with personal needs or specific prayer concerns for others to stand during the pastoral prayer, while a small circle of fellow worshipers gathers around them as silent prayer partners. Assure those seeking prayer support that it is not necessary for them to pray out loud or even tell anyone else their request.

Evangelism Prayer Groups. Praying for those who lack a relationship with God based on saving faith in Jesus Christ should be one of the primary reasons for promoting "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" in your church. Lost people matter to God—so much so that He sent His Son to seek and to save them. Prayer for the lost does not convince God to do more for them: its real power is the effect it has on those who pray and on other Christians they influence. Evangelism prayer groups will change the way your church perceives its community and mission.

An evangelism prayer group is defined by its name. Its mission is to seek the conversion of lost persons and their incorporation into an active life of Christian discipleship in the church. Group members need to be believers who are willing to devote themselves to earnest, fervent prayer for persons their church is trying to reach and for the witnesses and ministries that are needed to reach them.

Evangelism prayer groups are largely passion-driven. Most persons willing to commit themselves to such a ministry are motivated primarily by sincere concern for it. Strict rules (other than confidentiality and tact about discussing the persons they are praying for) are usually unnecessary. Whether they meet together regularly or only occasionally, all of their members agree to encourage and hold one another accountable for seeking through prayer the repentance and conversion of the unsaved.

There are several ways for evangelism prayer groups to identify lost persons on whose behalf to pray. The most natural beginning place is to list personal acquaintances, friends and relatives of group members themselves. Other prospects can be discovered by asking church members to write the names of unsaved persons with whom they have contact on prayer request cards.

How do evangelism prayer group members pray for lost persons? Here are some sample intercessory prayer requests:

1. The outpouring of God's Spirit on workers and witnesses being sent to lost people.

2. Compassion for those whose lives and needs we have trouble understanding.

3. Consistent Christian lifestyles of persons in the church who are active witnesses to the lost.

4. Divinely arranged circumstances that will point lost people to Christ.

5. Great conviction and sorrow for their sins that convinces the lost to turn to God.

6. Ability for unsaved persons to understand and believe the Scriptures.

7. Release from satanic bondage and blindness that block repentance.

8. Capable teachers to instruct new believers in the faith.

9. Continued obedience and spiritual growth of those who believe in Christ.

10. Success in starting new congregations to enfold new believers and expand the church's witness to the lost.

Special Events for "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting"

Nights of Prayer. Many churches at one time probably had a midweek service known as the "prayer meeting." The tradition continues in many places, although the service is now primarily a Bible study, with little time reserved for actually praying. Scheduling a weekly "Night of Prayer" during "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" can undo the neglect of true, passionate, evangelistically focused, corporate prayer.

Planning a prayer meeting is worthy of as much effort and attention to detail as planning a Sunday morning worship service. It is a service that will be open to all (so it must be sensitive to believers at all levels of spiritual maturity). It will encompass more people than a small group (meaning different leadership dynamics are needed). It will have as its goals teaching people to pray and increasing their conviction that prayer is the church's lifeblood (so it dare not be boring or perfunctory). The well-planned prayer meeting will be energetic, positive, uplifting, renewing, encouraging, and motivational. Choose forms and methods that fit your church, but plan with vision.

An effective "Night of Prayer" (whether the service lasts one hour or several hours) will be intentionally structured to include at least five elements:

1. Approaching God's presence—Plan creative ways to unite the church in its purpose of meeting God. Boredom and gloominess are enemies of group prayer; so are over-talkative leaders. Create an atmosphere of praise. Call the people to prayer with hymns, choruses, special music, a unison or responsive reading, dramatic Scripture readings, a unison confession of faith, or a multi-media presentation coordinated with music.

2. Adoring the Lord—Help attendees worship the Lord in silent recognition of His presence. Sing a cappella the words of worshipful, familiar songs that declare God's attributes. Invite individuals to offer spontaneous, one-sentence prayers of praise that ask for nothing, but rather simply express words of love and repentance and trust to God.

3. Acknowledging God's blessings—Allow time for reports of answers to previous prayers. Ask volunteers to offer a spoken thanksgiving to God for each reported answer to prayer or encourage everyone to respond after each report by declaring in unison, "His love endures forever!" Prepare a recent convert to share a testimony about the difference faith in Christ is making in his or her life. Have a small circle of believers gather around each person who shares this way to pray for his or her encouragement in Christ.

4. Admitting our needs to the Lord—Varying the intensity and length of different elements of a prayer meeting is important for maintaining attention and participation. Take a few moments to read Scriptures, to reflect on a significant quote about prayer, or to give a brief teaching on an aspect of prayer. Hand out notecards and pencils for people to record personal prayer concerns, as well as community and world needs shared with the group. Pray about these requests in small circles of 5-6 persons, instructing groups that they will have 10-15 minutes to take turns talking to God about shared requests. Remind everyone that those who are not yet comfortable about praying aloud should not feel embarrassed; rather, they should simply participate by silently affirming others' prayers. Also tell people they are welcome to share needs in their prayer circle that they may have been reluctant to mention to the whole group.

5. Applying ourselves to obeying God's will—Conclude the small group prayer circles with words of assurance from Scripture. Sing a song of testimony, praise or assurance. Urge each person to take home their list of prayer requests from the service as a reminder for their personal devotions. Close by having each person tell someone else in the room one way that God has encouraged them during the evening and an area that they realize they need to obey God more faithfully this week.

Prayer Vigil. "Vigil" indicates a time of vigilance or wakefulness—a time spent in watchful concern for the sake of others. A "prayer vigil," therefore, is a time when believers take turns standing watch over the needs of their church, community and world. Typically, volunteers take portions of a day (an hour or half-hour period at a time, for example) to form a continuous chain of intercession.

There are numerous options for organizing extended times of prayer. One is to sign up forty persons to take responsibility for one entire day of the "Forty Days" emphasis. During each person's 24-hour watch, he or she is responsible to set aside one hour to pray for the church, its staff, its members, and its ministry in the community and beyond. Provide each person with a prayer request list and an idea sheet for planning an hour of prayer. A few days before their assigned watch, a letter could be sent from the pastor as an encouraging reminder of their volunteer duty. Many churches find it useful to supply volunteers with a complete list of vigil participants and their phone numbers, so that every person in the prayer chain can call the one who follows him or her as a symbolic "changing of the guard."

Some churches utilize a prayer clock—a chart on which volunteers sign up for selected hour or half-hour or quarter-hour slots they agree to observe as part of an unbroken chain of prayer. The combined efforts can fill a twelve- or twenty-four hour prayer vigil.

Other churches may want to modify this idea for "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" by designating Saturdays during the period as days of prayer. Throughout the day from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. have volunteers come to the church for consecutive hours of prayer. As each successive person arrives, they can pray with the one who preceded them and then assume responsibility to carry on the prayer vigil. Smaller congregations might establish a partnership with one or two sister churches and conduct cooperative prayer vigils. Larger churches may want to organize longer vigils, covering several days with around the clock prayer.

Friday Fasts. Pastors and their prayer partners will find "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting" to be a natural time for special focus on more intensive intercession. One helpful way is to observe the historic Christian tradition of fasting from Thursday evening until mid-afternoon Friday (or even just one meal on Friday) and devoting mealtimes to prayer. Pastors and prayer partners might spend the lunch hour together each Friday, interceding for one another, for churchwide renewal, and for nationwide revival. The "Friday Fast" idea can easily be expanded by simply opening the church building to anyone who would like to spend a mealtime praying there. Leave prayer lists and request cards on the church prayer altar for those who come.

PRAYER RETREAT. Appoint a committee to plan a prayer retreat for your church during "Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting." Its purpose should be to provide uninterrupted time for group prayer on a wide range of issues and concerns. The whole retreat does not have to be spent in prayer; for example, it might include periods of singing, recreation, and fellowship around meals and personal quiet time. Make prayer the primary agenda item, though.

The church building is a possible location for a prayer retreat, but it may be more effective to select a less familiar setting. Specific time segments can be designated to pray for families, church renewal, church programs and workers, community concerns, and world evangelization. Progressive hours might be scheduled for prayers of praise and adoration, repentance and confession, intercession, meditation, and thanksgiving. An entire hour-long prayer meeting could also be structured around each theme.

Use the prayer retreat as an outreach opportunity. Ask the planning committee to design creative ways for retreat participants to pray by name for every person on your church prospect list and membership roll. Pray through your community's telephone directory or use a cross-reference directory to pray for families in your neighborhood street by street. Provide cards for worshipers in church services leading up to the retreat on which to write specific prayer requests that will be remembered there—especially encourage requests for unchurched loved ones and acquaintances. Visit neighbors in the community around your church building to ask for their prayer requests, letting them know that members of your church will be taking their needs to God at the retreat (be sure to follow up a week later with a call on those who shared requests to ask if God has answered and if the church can offer any other assistance). Provide "You Were In My Prayers Today" postcards for retreat participants to write personal notes to persons they are prayed for at the retreat.

CONCERTS OF PRAYER. The term "concerts of prayer" has been used over the past 300 years to describe various prayer movements focused on spiritual awakening. Concerts of prayer are especially related today to concern for church revival, renewal and world evangelization.

The idea of prayer being a "concert" comes from Jesus' use of the word "agree" in Matthew 18:19-20, where He promised His disciples that the Father in heaven answers the prayers of those on earth "who agree about anything you ask for." The Greek word for "agree" is sumphoneo, meaning "to sound together," from which the English word "symphony" is derived. When we "agree about anything we ask for" in prayer, we are praying in symphony—literally, raising a "concert of prayer" to God.

Concerts of prayer may last a half-hour to two hours (shorter sessions are recommended for churches just being introduced to the concept). Plan the concert by first creating an outline for the service; several ideas are suggested below. Your outline should provide three to five progressive prayer themes to give the service direction and create a natural flow.

Next, devise a variety of activities for each segment. Intersperse prayers with Scripture readings, songs, dramatic readings, testimonies and special music. Plan a variety of ways to involve worshipers in prayer—silent prayer; prayer partners or triplets; small prayer circles; prayers in unison or read responsively; everyone praying aloud at once; praying while standing, sitting, kneeling, holding hands.

Estimate the time needed for each activity to keep the concert on schedule. It is also important to have a "conductor," who leads the congregation in each activity so that they are joined together as a symphony performed for God as its audience. This person does little talking, most of which focuses on instructions for group movements.