Do You Have A Prayer request [WORK]

The power of prayer cannot be understated. Many people see their spirits lifted when they call upon their faith for the answers. Praying alone is an effective way of dealing with any issues in your life and sharing them with God. You put your life in His hands and have faith that a solution will come to pass. There's an emotional release that comes with praying, almost as though you cast your problems aside as you know they're being dealt with by God.

The best thing about praying is that it doesn't have to be an individual thing. In fact, the power of prayer is more potent when multiple people pray for the same causes. As a church leader, you can encourage members to pray for different things or people. If a member struggles with an illness, you invite your members to pray together for a swift recovery.

Simply put, a prayer request is a call-to-action for members of your church to pray for a collective cause. You've already seen one example above, but another one could be praying for a particular event that recently happened. For instance, if there's a storm or mass flooding, you request prayer for all the people affected, praying that they'll be okay and that the event will pass.

The purpose of prayer requests is to get more people involved in praying. Prayer is more powerful when lots of people are praying for the same things. It's also an excellent way of showing support for other church members. Especially if you're all praying for someone in the church - it makes them feel loved and cared for. As a result, this also builds your community and increases the sense of belonging many people have.

How do you write prayer requests? Firstly, understand that this doesn't have to be a long thing. There's no need to write paragraph after paragraph - it should get to the point and ask for people's support. Generally, prayer requests should follow this simple structure:

Think of this as the headline - it's the first thing people see when they view your request, and it needs to catch their attention. This should only be a sentence of two long, and the main focus is on the problem/issue.

The best opening lines will act as a summary of the prayer request. They will be straight to the point, outlining the main reason for your request. Ideally, people should understand the purpose of your prayer request without needing to read anything else. Below, you'll see an example that gives you an idea of what you should write:

Here, the focus of your prayer is clear for all to see. Everyone that reads this will figure out why you need their support. It's also an important cause, which encourages more people to pray with you. The headline is short and gets straight to the point, which is precisely what you're looking for.

Next, you should expand upon the first sentence by providing more context. In the above example, you may go on to explain why your child is sick and why you need God's help to heal them. This is the hardest part of the request as you feel inclined to go into great depth. You want to explain all of your fears and worries, encouraging people to help you out.

Realistically, this will have the opposite effect. It may sound harsh, but people don't have the time to read an essay on your life problems. Instead, you need to keep it brief - go into more detail and speak about the key points. You want to communicate your message clearly while also explaining why this means so much to you.

In most cases, prayer requests relate to negative scenarios. Essentially, they're a cry for help - you're asking God to support you and make things better. As a result, it's very easy to be negative throughout your request. You're not expected to pose the request as though you're happy about it, but you should avoid giving across a message of doom and gloom.

Again, it sounds harsh, but people are put off by negativity. If you act like you've already given up and have no hope, it drives people away. In contrast, you should end the request with some positive notes. Address the fact that the problem is negatively affecting you, but reflect on it in a positive manner. For instance, say something like this after your description:

This is perfect as you're trying to remain positive by relying on your faith. People will admire this, meaning they're keen to help out and join you in prayer. Negativity suggests you don't have faith, and that's not a good thing at all.

Additionally, you should conclude the request with some words of thanks. One line is all you need - just express your extreme gratitude for any help you are about to receive. It's polite, but it also shows people how grateful you are for their help. This can encourage more people to respond to your request as they realize how much it means to you.

Ironically, the first and last lines of your request are the most important. Yes, the description is vital, but the first line draws people in and summarizes the main issue. It determines if people will actually read on and gain more context. The final line expresses gratitude, which can convince more people to respond. Still, ensure you have all of these elements in your prayer request if you want to see positive responses.

Realistically, the best option is to use a mass messaging service like Text-Em-All. Our service has many features and an intuitive interface that makes it easy to use. We've helped lots of church leaders send out church requests to entire congregations at the click of a button.

Primarily, the idea is that you send out text messages to every member of your church. If you have a prayer request, you compose it in the manner explained above, then click send. The software has all the contact details you need, so everyone receives a message straight away.

Already, you can see the benefit of a system like this. It's a convenient way of spreading the message to as many people as possible. Therefore, you have a higher chance of receiving responses to the request. This is also where the opening sentence becomes more critical. Most smartphones show the first line of a message in the notification preview before someone opens it up. So, a good headline will lead to more people opening the text right away.

As the church leader, you can compose your own prayer requests if you wish. These requests can be linked to specific events or people in the church. You can also send out requests from other members, but how do you receive them?

Some people may come up to you after a service and speak about a problem, asking for your prayers. In which case, you can write out a prayer request for them, sending it through the messaging service. Alternatively, you can have a prayer request form on your website for people to fill in. They write the request, then you take it and send it out. You could also encourage people to text you or send emails with any prayer requests. Regardless, once you have the requests, you can use your messaging service to spread it as far as possible.

There you have it; prayer requests 101. The power of prayer is extremely helpful during troubling times. As such, you must set up a system where members can make requests and have them sent out to the whole church. Then, everyone can come together to pray for the same cause, using faith to unite everyone.

Sending a prayer request is free and there is no commitment. In fact, you or your loved one doesn't need to be Christian or even believe in God for us to pray. Here are some Bible passages that may bring hope and comfort to those praying

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Don't give up! We're praying for you! We want you to feel God's love and healing power. Jesus Christ can heal you and bring new life. In fact, He wants to do that for you. Do you need another type of prayer? We have other prayer request forms where you can request more prayer for you or your loved ones.

Here at Grace Covenant Christian Church, we firmly believe in the power of prayer. We will be bombarding heaven on your behalf. We consider it a privilege to join you in prayer for your needs, your family,or whatever is on your heart.

We have a free e-booklet for you. God and Me (Steps To Everyday Faith) that talks about having a personal relationship with Jesus and making him Lord of your Life. Click here to download the free e-booklet.

The Wesley Church Prayer Team meets on a weekly basis (Thursdays at 10 AM in the church library) to review the joys, concerns, and prayer requests of our Wesley Church community. In addition to lifting individuals up in prayer, the members of the team often send cards to share written prayers and reassuring notes. The Prayer Team takes confidentiality seriously; when requested, all prayers are kept in confidence.

Do you have a prayer need? We would love to pray for you. Please submit your request below. You can choose for your request to be given only to our pastors and elders, or to be put on our prayer chain.

One of the best things about being a part of a church family is that you don't have to do life alone. If you have a prayer request or an answer to prayer that you'd like to share with us, simply share it with us below, and we'll be praying for you this week.

Father God we praise You for the doors you have opened to the Glory of Your Kingdom. I pray your blessing upon this ministry you have gifted and equipped Karrilee for. Continue to grow Karrilee in your wisdom and boldness, as she steps out in faith, Lord. Amen.

Betsy, may you have the balm of peace rather than the axe of anxiety eating away at you in this in-between period and for the tests themselves. Praying for a good outcome and for you to be kept as healthy as possible. Every blessing for the days ahead.

Elizabeth, I pray your nights will begin to get better as sleep quality improves and that you will be able to stay calm as you become more accustomed to using the CPAP machine. You have been battling long and hard and maybe this is time for a renewed health breakthrough. Lord, may it be so. 2b1af7f3a8