Video Update from Pastor Chris

Thanks for making it to this prayer page! You are an important part of our church family and we thank God for you and the work he is doing in you and with you as a part of us.

This week many of us have been moved to pray specifically for unity for our church. As was shared in the video, our enemy is working to shatter and scatter us. We know that Jesus wants us united, bonded in the love of Christ, guarding the bond of peace (relational well-being) and maintaining unity in the Spirit.

 What to pray for:

·      Spiritual unity – that we would develop, experience, and keep the “unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

·      Healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation (Colossians 3:13)

·      Spiritual power to know the love of God (Ephesians 3:18)

·      Us to wait on the Lord and have renewed strength in him (Isaiah 40:31)

·      Fruitfulness as we faithfully seek to know and serve God (Matthew 3:18)

·      Leaders, small groups, families, and singles at PBC

·      Anything else God leads you to pray for.

It is our sincere desire that this is not just a moment of prayer, but that a culture of prayer and spiritual dependence on the Living God grows throughout each ministry and household at PBC. If you are interested in praying more for our church we have two organized prayer gatherings a week. On Tuesdays a group of women meet at 9 AM. On Sundays, we meet in Pastor Chris’ office to pray from 9 AM for 30 minutes. Please join us at one of these times. If you would like to start an additional prayer cluster in your home or at the church with a few other believers in our church family please let us know. Historically speaking, prayer has been a part of every move of God we are aware of. Thanks for being a part of what God is doing.

In Christ,

Your PBC Elders

Important Understandings as we unite in prayer:

·      Purposeful prayer comes from spiritual wisdom. Prayer is an opportunity to talk to God about what we see and listen to God about what he sees. We see best when we see the world through the lens of God’s Word and talk to him through that same effect.

·      Powerful prayer stems from God’s love and compassion. When we pray it is out of love for our church, for you, and desire for God’s involvement in our lives (Ps 73:28). Prayer does not indicate judgment or condemnation. Asking for prayer does not mean something is qualitatively wrong with someone or some ministry. Rather, we are seeing a trend of temptation and attack. Too many people think that telling someone you are praying for them is some form of spiritual judgment or tattling. It is the opposite; it is wisely seeing our need.

 ·      Radical prayer comes from radical dependence. We pray because we are dependent on God; we cannot be a healthy church family without God’s help. We need God’s help more than we know. A friend recently shared they were upset because they always seem to need God’s help and asked God when they could do things on their own without “Daddy’s help.” God replied, “Why would you want to do something without my help?”

 ·      Effective prayer is found in seeking God’s will not our own. James tells us that the prayers of a righteous person are effective. Righteous people are ones involved in doing God’s will. Righteous prayer seeks God’s will above our own. We cannot pray our own selfish desires in Jesus's name. Sure God hears. Yes, he will act. No, we don’t always get what we want. Yet, if our desires are righteous, we are simply asking for God’s will.