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BUILDING A HOUSE OF PRAYER WITH A PRAYER COACH

 

Across the United States today, more and more pastors and church leaders are responding to the “sense of urgency” for meaningful prayer times that their members are wanting; which is all part of the Lord’s final preparations of His Bride, the Church, before His return.

Pastors know it requires so much more than a one-time or one-weekend effort (prayer conference or retreat) for a church to expand their “prayer ministry” to what Jesus refers to in three Gospel accounts, a “house of prayer”.  Such an expansion requires someone to coordinate the effort (breadth and depth) for the church; to come along side the pastor and church leadership to help in transitioning to a church where prayer  “is the engine that drives the church” as Pastor Jim Cymbala describes his Brooklyn Tabernacle Church.

To fulfill Jesus’ mandate, some churches are responding by seeking the help of a“Prayer Coach”, who works closely–for an extended time frame–to fulfill this “spiritual” goal of the Lord for His Church. The term “Prayer Coach” means that this person will maintain an on-going relationship with the church (according to a mutually agreed time frame) rather than just serving as a one-time “guest speaker” for a “prayer event” sponsored by the church.  A successful “Prayer Coach” utilizes many of the same leadership practices that some of America’s great Christian “Athletic Coaches” have used to build their championship “team” of individual players. The role of both types of coaches is not to “run-the-ball” themselves, but rather, to teach, train, test and motivate those who do.

The “Prayer Coach” recognizes that building a “house of prayer” is a process, not an event.  Therefore, he or she must diligently maintain their own “spiritual-conditioning” program (I Timothy 4:8), so they are equal to the task the Lord has “called” them to within His Kingdom’s economy.  They also understand the parallel between building a physical sports team and building a spiritual “house of prayer”.  Both are built gradually with lots of practice; and both are accomplished with a team focus and effort that is based upon a clear “game plan”.