Praying for People

We recently concluded an 8-week sermon/small group experience at our church called “The Unfolding Story” – the art of narrative evangelism. The experience was a journey of learning to see all of God’s activity and creation as part of a master story, finding your place in it, and learning to share it with others naturally.

The 2nd week of the series I introduced prayer as the means of making the story come alive and I challenged people in our small groups to each “pray for five.” Each person made a list of at least five people that don’t know Christ and began praying for them daily. We went through the entire two month experience each daily praying for five people without much visible effects. But as soon as the series ended, it was like the floodgates opened. We may have been done with the chapter, but God isn’t done with the Story.

In just the two weeks since that series ended I have heard of four different stories where people in our church had exciting spiritual conversations with a person on their “list.” One of those people even made a decision for Christ! To quote one of our members: “This prayer stuff really works!” Indeed, it does. Aslan is on the move! So keep praying! This prayer principle of evangelism is based on John 6:44 where Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…” If God has not already been working in someone’s heart, you can share the most eloquent, persuasive reasons for believing in Christ and it will fall on deaf ears (hard soil). Prayer opens up peoples’ hearts to receive the seed of the Story in soft soil.

If you haven’t, here’s how to get started:

1. Make a list of five people that you know personally who do not know Christ (or have fallen away).
2. Pray daily for each person that: a) God will draw people to Christ, b) the blinders will fall off (2 Cor. 4:4), and c) you will have the courage to share the Story when the opportunity arises (Col. 4:4).
3. Watch and listen for God at work.

I welcome your stories of effective prayer in the comments.