Gary Rohrmayer's Blog, page 4
February 27, 2020
21 Day Campaign to Increase the Spiritual Conversation in Your Church
21 Days to Increasing Your Spiritual Conversations
Lead your church is how to increase their meaningful spiritual conversations.
For many years now, Gary Rohrmayer and Mark Albrecht have been seeking to remove the stigma of the word, evangelism, by offering a paradigm shift ‑ that evangelism is simply engaging others in meaningful spiritual conversations that point people to Jesus and His message of hope.
Gary & Mark believe that one of the marks of a follower of Jesus is that they can naturally engage others in spiritual conversations. Their hope for this 21-day missional experiment is that you will be surprised in how God is working in your relationships as you learn to listen, serve, bless and engage your friends, co-workers, and family in meaningful dialogs with Jesus.
Gary Rohrmayer is President of Converge MidAmerica and Executive Director of Church Multiplication Partners. Mark Albrecht is Lead Pastor of Northbridge Church and Regional Director of Church Planting for Converge MidAmerica.
Campaign Ideas
Devote 4 to 6 weeks to this Discipleship Initiative.
Preach a four to six-week sermon series on Spiritual Conversations:
Sermon #1 – Introduction to series and hand out the 21-day devotional book.
The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people.
Read Article – How to Create Momentum for Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
Invite the church to pray missionally for their friends and family who are far from Jesus.
Have them generate a list of 5 friends or family to pray for during the 21 days.
Invite the church to pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
Have your leadership team develop five to six prayer goals for the church for your members to pray for during the 21 days. Sample:
Pray for a revival to breakthrough our church.
Pray for a spiritual awakening to happen throughout our community.
Pray for the youth outreaches or retreats or special activities.
Pray for our pastoral staff that God would empower them (Ephesians 3:15).
Pray for the following cities as we seek to see a new church started there to see God’s kingdom expanded.
Pray for our missionaries that God will give them favor and effectiveness in their work (list them).
Purchase the 21 Days to Increasing Your Spiritual Conversation books at a discount from Converge MidAmerica to give out free to your people or simply charge $4.00.
Have your small groups or Sunday school classes study Gary Rohrmayer book “Spiritual Conversations”
Consider have hosting a Spiritual Conversations Workshop on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
Consider having Gary Rohrmayer or Mark Albrecht speak on a Sunday during your series.
Share your Spiritual Conversation stories with us.
Sermon Ideas
Sermon #1 - “Praying for Opportunities”
Key Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6, II Thessalonians. 3:1-2; Ephesians 6:19, Acts 14:27,
Description: We begin with a clear understanding that the work of evangelism and the transformation of the human heart is God’s work, not ours. Effective evangelism begins with a passionate prayer for God to act, and for God to show us where and on whom He is currently working. This message will begin by talking about our motivation for evangelism and what it means to be passionate for souls. We will talk about praying for God to awaken us as well as to open doors for opportunities to be a witness for him.
Sermon #2 - “Building True Friendships” (Gaining Understanding)
Key Scripture: Luke 5:27-32, I Cor. 18:1-17
Description: Most testimonies begin with God reaching out to someone through a caring Christian friend. Effective evangelists are usually “Ordinary Disciples” who choose to structure their lives to orchestrate real-time and genuine opportunities for friendships to be formed, for insights to be learned, and for spiritual conversations to unfold.
Sermon #3 - “Asking Good Questions” (Planting seeds, Creating Thirst)
Key Scripture: John 4:1-26, 39-42
Description: Effective fishermen know that you can’t just fish into the boat and you can’t use the same bait to catch all fish. Fishing requires patience, a reading of the conditions, and a way of presenting the bait so that the fish take it. Jesus calls us to be fishers of men. What can we learn from this analogy? Effective evangelists don’t just force themselves onto people and don’t take the same approach with each person. They learn to ask good questions that prompt thought and create thirst.
Sermon #4 - “Telling Good Stories”
Key Scripture: Examples of “Jesus Stories” - John 8:1-11 (judgmentalism), Luke 21:1-4 (money), Luke 18:9-14, (Heart condition) Matthew 21:12-16 (Hypocrisy)
Description: Effective evangelists are often good storytellers. First, they are able to tell their own stories well, the story of how they came to realize their need for Jesus and what He has done in their lives. They are also able to tell the historical accounts of Jesus’ life in their own words, as a story. This prompts people to think differently about Jesus and creates a hunger to know this Jesus who seems to be so different than the one we see so often portrayed.
February 25, 2020
New Book - 21 Days to Increasing Your Spiritual Conversations
Gary Rohrmayer and Mark Albrecht have been seeking to remove the stigma of the word, evangelism, by offering a paradigm shift that evangelism is simply engaging others in meaningful spiritual conversations that point people to Jesus and His message of hope.
They believe that one of the marks of a follower of Jesus is that they can naturally engage others in spiritual conversations.
Their hope for this 21-day missional experiment is that you will be surprised in how God is working in your relationships as you learn to listen, serve, bless and engage your friends, co-workers, and family in meaningful dialogs with Jesus.
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July 10, 2019
July 9, 2019
Join Us For Accelerate 2019
Register Now!
Who Should Attend?
This two-day workshop is critical for any denominational, associational or network leader to understand how new churches impact the legacy of your organization. Whether you are a national, regional or local church planting leader you will gain a wealth of knowledge and practical insights from our speaking team, Steve Pike, Daniel Yang, and Gary Rohrmayer along with other Church Multiplication Coaches.
What will you learn?
Planting a new church is one thing but providing leadership for a church planting movement is a whole other ball game. Join Gary Rohrmayer, Steve Pike and Daniel Yang as they walk you and your team through the why’s and how to’s of movement leadership.
How do you ignite a new movement of churches in an older organization?
How do you create a spiritual atmosphere for multiplication?
How do you develop a pipeline of new church planters?
How do you assess church planting couples?
How do you ignite a self-funding church planting movement?
How do you train and coach your church planters?
How do you resource churches to plant churches?
When?
September 10-11, 2019
Where?
The Billy Graham Center
Wheaton College
Sponsored by Church Multiplication Partners and The Send Institute
Registration deadline is Tuesday, September 3rd.
July 5, 2019
21 Days of Prayer and Fasting
God’s people all over the world have been seeking spiritual breakthroughs through prayer and fasting since the birth of the church. What is a great matter in front of you? A loved one far from Christ? A critical decision in the life of your family? A relationship that is falling apart?
What great matters are in front of your church or ministry? An evangelistic outreach? A financial crisis? A leadership transition? Missional expansion?
In the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting guide, Gary Rohrmayer introduces you to the rich spiritual discipline of fasting through the Holy Scriptures and the great Christian thinkers throughout the ages.
Our prayer for you during these 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting is that you will experience a deeper craving for the beauty of the Lord, the wonder of his leading in your life, the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the favor of God as you have never known before.
We invite you, your church leaders, pastors, staff and congregation to join us for 21 Days of Prayer.
Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign
Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)
Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:
Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and 21-day devotional book.
The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people.
Read Gary’s Blog – How to Create Momentum for Fall Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.
Have them generate a list of five friends or family members to pray for during the 21 days.
Invite them to courageously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
Leadership - develop five to six prayer goals for the church for your members to pray for during the 21 days.
Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.
Purchase the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books at a discount from Converge MidAmerica to give out free to your people or just simply charge them $1.00.
21 Days of Prayer & Fasting Sermon Ideas
1. Fasting is not an Option, it's an Assumption
Text: Mathew 6:16-18
Summary: Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Jesus takes it for granted that his disciples will observe the pious custom of fasting. Strict exercise of self-control is an essential feature of the Christian’s life. Such customs have only one purpose – to make the disciples more ready and cheerful to accomplish those things which God would have done.” We see in our text that Jesus did not say, "if you fast" but said, "when you fast". Fasting is not an option but it is an assumption for the serious-minded follower of Jesus. In our text today we can glean three takeaways concerning fasting from Jesus.
Fasting is a discipline that can be turned into a habit. Vs. 16
In fasting, it is virtuous to conceal our suffering and discomfort. Vs. 16
The rewards of fasting are mysterious. Vs 17-18
Application: For the serious-minded follower of Jesus, fasting is a consistent habit. In a world filled with indulgences we need, on a routine basis, to consciously lay aside our freedoms in Christ for the purpose of seeking the face of God, intimacy with the Son of God and fullness of the Holy Spirit. How will start making fasting a habit in your life?
Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we seek the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit through fasting. Pick up one of the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to God's face and look to be aligned with His purposes.
2. Fasting: Your Antioch Moment
Text: Acts 13:1-4
Summary: The Church in the City of Antioch is one of the healthiest churches we see in the New Testament. It was experiencing God's favor and tremendous conversion growth (Acts 11:21). The power of God's grace clearly evident (Acts 11:23). They were impacting the culture of their city (Acts 11:26) and they experienced deep compassion and generosity (Acts 11:27-30). Yet the leaders of this church were not satisfied and in Acts 13 we see them worshiping, fasting and praying for God's guidance. Deep in their spirits, they were longing to answer the question: What is next? They were a healthy, vibrant local church impacting their community and yet there was a restlessness, an earnest desire to be more and more a part of God's redemptive plan in this world. This was their Antioch Moment. Here are four things we can learn from their experience when it comes to fasting.
Fasting was done in Community. Vs 1
Fasting was not an Option for Followers of Jesus. Vs. 2-3
Fasting, along with worship and prayer was used to seek God's direction. Vs. 2
Fasting helped them align their lives and resources with God's purposes. Vs. 3-4
Application: Have you as a follower of Jesus experienced an Antioch Moment? Are you dissatisfied with your Christian experience? Are you asking the question: What's next? What about us as a church? Are we ready and willing to ask God want is next for us as a local church?
Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God for our Antioch Moment. Pick up one of the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to God's direction in how we can be more and more active in God's redemptive work in our world.
3. True Fasting
Text: Zechariah 7:1-14
Summary: After 20 years of a frustrating building project, Zechariah encourages God’s people with 8 prophet visions. In hearing these prophetic words of encouragement a delegation is sent to meet with Zechariah with a question about continuing various fasts that were held during the exile. Today I believe there are 4 insights on true fasting we can glean from both their question and Zechariah’s response to this question.
True fasting involves: Humbly seeking God’s favor. Vs 2
True fasting involves: Moving beyond an empty ritual. Vs 3
True fasting involves: Seeks God’s desires above my own. Vs.4-6
True fasting involves: Obedience to God’s revealed word. Vs 7-14
Application: Fasting without a humble petition is nothing but an empty ritual. You never see fasting without prayer but you do see prayer without fasting. Fasting is deliberately abstaining from the normal routines of life for the purposes of spending focus time in prayer and the study of God's word as we seek to align our lives God’s purposes. You can abstain from food, entertainment, social media for the purpose of spending in praying and seeking God. In this fasting is more about replacing than it is about abstaining. Instead of eating a meal you take your meal time and give it to God through extended prayer and feeding on His Word. Instead of watching your favorite television program you take that time and offer it to God reflecting on your relationship with Him and your spiritual progress as a disciple. Fasting without extended times in prayer and God's word is simply a diet.
Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God for a spiritual breakthrough that will lift us to a new level of faith. Pick up one of the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to intensify our prayers with fasting.
4. Fastings Strengthens our Prayers
Text: Selected
Summary: Strengthening our prayer life through fasting is one of the ways that helps us align our lives and our churches in what God is doing around us. There are several biblical reasons why one should engage in a personal fast. One of those is to strengthen our prayer life. Ezra says that the people of God, "...fasted and petitioned God…" (Ezra 8:23) to overcome the challenges that they were facing.
Nehemiah testifies to the fact that he "fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Nehemiah 1:4) as he responded to God’s call on his life.
Daniel also strengthened his prayer life as he devoted himself to God "...in prayer, petition, in fasting…" (Daniel 9:3).
Isaiah wrote that one of the results of true fasting would be God breaking through in our lives. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn…then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:8-10) By aligning our hearts with God through fasting we find ourselves consumed by His resplendent nature. This breakthrough comes when He strengthens our prayers and He burst through the darkness of our confusion with the light of His love, joy, and peace.
How does fasting strengthen our prayers?
It brings us to a stronger sense of humility & dependence on God and God alone to provide. (Psalm 69:10)
It heightens the seriousness of our prayers. (I Samuel 7:6)
It creates a new level of urgency for prayer and God’s answer. (Ezra 8:23)
It brings a greater sense of focus & clarity to our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)
It removes all the fluff in our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)
It can lead to a deeper level of community with those who join us in our fasting & praying. (Nehemiah 9:1-3)
Application: Will you make fasting a regular habit in your prayer life? It will definitely change the way you pray! Donald Whitney writes, "Fasting does not change God’s hearing so much as it changes our praying."
Invitation: Over the last 21 days we have trusted God for a spiritual breakthrough. It has been our prayer that you would receive a fasting testimony. Would you take time this week and share with us how God has revealed Himself to you over the last 21 days?
Strengthening Your Prayers through Fasting
Strengthening our prayer life through fasting is one of the ways that helps us align our lives and our churches in what God is doing around us. There are several biblical reasons why one should engage in a personal fast. One of those is to strengthen our prayer life. Ezra says that the people of God, "...fasted and petitioned God…" (Ezra 8:23) to overcome the challenges that they were facing.
Nehemiah testifies to the fact that he "fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Nehemiah 1:4) as he responded to God’s call on his life.
Daniel also strengthened his prayer life as he devoted himself to God "...in prayer, petition, in fasting…" (Daniel 9:3).
Isaiah wrote that one of the results of true fasting would be God breaking through in our lives. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn…then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:8-10) By aligning our hearts with God through fasting we find ourselves consumed by His resplendent nature. This breakthrough comes when He strengthens our prayers and He burst through the darkness of our confusion with the light of His love, joy, and peace.
How does fasting strengthen our prayers?
Donald Whitney writes, "Fasting does not change God’s hearing so much as it changes our praying." I believe it changes our praying in several ways:
• It brings us to a stronger sense of humility & dependence on God and God alone to provide. (Psalm 69:10)
• It heightens the seriousness of our prayers. (I Samuel 7:6)
• It creates a new level of urgency for prayer and God’s answer. (Ezra 8:23)
• It brings a greater sense of focus & clarity to our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)
• It removes all the fluff in our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)
• It can lead to a deeper level of community with those who join us in our fasting & praying. (Nehemiah 9:1-3)
Arthur Walls writes, "Fasting is calculated to bring a note of urgency and importunity into our praying, and to give force to our pleading in the court of heaven. The man who prays with fasting is giving heaven notice that he is truly in earnest."
21 Days of Prayer
21 Days of Prayer Campaigns
This summer I have been reading a short biography on Charles H. Spurgeon. When he was given a three-month trial preaching opportunity as a 19-year-old preacher at New Park Street Church in London, his first task was that his church of 80 people would learn how to truly pray. Spurgeon said, “I can readily tell when a brother is praying, or when he is performing, or playing at prayer… Oh for a living groan! One sigh of the soul has more power in it than half an hour’s recitation of pretty pious words!”
Pastor, are you leading your church to really pray?
21 Days of Prayer is an opportunity for you, as the Pastor to lead your church to a deeper level of prayer.
Why 21 Days?
The Prophet Daniel, who was deeply concerned over the spiritual condition of his people, prayed and fasted for 21 days (Daniel 10:1-3). There are certain seasons in our lives that we need to give focused attention to the spiritual needs of our family, church, and community. During the 21 Days of Prayer, you will teach your people how to truly pray to God privately and also how to petition Him publicly.
Privately and Publicly
You can teach your people how to start their day off with prayer through a 21 Days of Prayer Devotional Guide. In addition, this year we will be providing print copies or downloadable copies of 0ur devotional guides entitled: 21 Dangerous Prayers, 21 Courageous Prayers and 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Each of these has a resource page to help you plan a comprehensive campaign.
You can teach your people how to pray publicly in holding a series of prayer meetings. Some churches hold prayer meetings Monday through Friday at 6am-7am with a Saturday prayer meeting from 9am-10am. Other churches pick one morning a week and one evening a week for special corporate prayer meetings. Others will turn their regular meeting into focused times of guided prayer.
Here is a simple outline for a guided prayer session:
Worship: Two songs to get us God-focused
Devotional: Five Minutes to get people’s hearts spurred on to pray
Prayer: Forty-five minutes for individuals to pray alone or to pray in groups. Provide specific corporate prayer requests.
Commissioning Prayer: 3-5 minute pastoral prayer sending them out for the day
This fall, we are challenging each Converge MidAmerica Pastor or church planter to lead their church through some form of a 21 Days of Prayer. If you are planning a 21 Days of Prayer, please inform our office so that we can be praying for you and your church during the season.
May we teach our church how to pray like King David:
“With my voice, I cry out to the Lord; with my voice, I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him” (Psalm 142:1-2).
May we learn how to groan, cry and assault heaven with petitions and pleas!
June 11, 2019
Spiritual Warfare: False Teachers
This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?
As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem. See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.
13. False Teachers
“No man is exempted from the subtle deception of doctrinal drift – the man of God expects this temptation.” – Gary Rohrmayer
Text: 1Timothy 4:1-2 – “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
Problem: “Satan uses demons to influence teachers to give false doctrines that appeal to people. They are actually described as seducing spirits, hypocritical liars with no conscience.” J. Robert Clinton
Antidote: “A Bible-centered leader like Timothy should teach the truth about these evil doctrines countering these heresies.” J. Robert Clinton
Reflective Questions:
Where could the enemy attack your personal theological convictions?
Where could the enemy subtly influence your churches theological framework?
What is Paul’s strategy in protecting the church from false teachers? See I Timothy 4:4-16
What is Paul’s strategy in combating personal doctrinal drift? See I Timothy 4:4-16
How does theology drift potentially affect missional drift?
Prayer: Holy Father, Beautiful Savior, God of all truth, we seek your light and your love to protect our lives from the delusions of the enemy. Help us to cherish and nourish the deep truths of the faith. Fill our lives with good teaching that ignites a passion for God and missional hunger. May we be leaders who watch our lives and doctrine closely; who live what we teach and set examples in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Teach us how to preserve the truth for ourselves, for our hearers and for the Glory of God. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Next Post: Blinding People
View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare
February 4, 2019
Twenty Years and Counting!
Twenty years ago I left the pastoral ministry of the local church. There is not a day that goes by that I think about going back into the pastorate. If I could be a regional leader and a pastor of a local church I would do it in a heartbeat.
This year we are celebrating the twenty-year mark of serving with Converge MidAmerica. When I entered this ministry a well-known church planting leader told me, “Gary, remember movements are messy! They are filled with all sorts of victories, setbacks, and defeats. Don’t let the messiness of church planting and regional ministry distract you from moving forward in God’s mission.”
Taking three steps forward and two steps backward are all because we are in a battle, a spiritual battle of epic proportions! The Apostle Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) The Apostle Peter wrote these words to young leaders, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (I Peter 5:8) The enemy wants to not only attack churches but he wants to destroy the future of the church and its young leaders.
I have seen those spiritual attacks come in a variety of stages: 1) The enemy tries to discourage the leader, 2) if he cannot discourage them then he tries to distract them from God’s mission with all sorts of good, well-meaning activities, 3) if he cannot distract them then he tries to derail them. The enemy tries to derail through a variety of temptations that attack the spiritual, moral, ethical, and relational fiber of a leader. 4) If the enemy cannot derail them, then he seeks to disqualify them from ministry by destroying their soul, their ministry and all those touched by their ministry. 5) Being disqualified is the way the enemy ultimately devours us in ministry.
Not only do the setbacks and defeats come because we are in a spiritual war they also come to keep the leaders humble, broken and surrendered. David Yonggi Cho wrote, “The lesson of brokenness is not a popular one today. People only want to know how to be successful, Yet, I have learned that success does not come by learning easy formulas or principles: We must learn the secret of brokenness, which gives us more grace. It is that grace that grants us ultimate success.”
The Apostle James addressed the issue of brokenness, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (James 4:7-10).
Brokenness keeps us from trusting in our success. Brokenness keeps us clinging to our Savior. Brokenness keeps us completely surrendered.
Over the last twenty years, I can say that I have experienced more of the grace of God. It is only by the grace of God I have been able to keep my head in the game of this type of ministry and it will only be by the grace of God that we will see His Kingdom expanded and reach the 400 Strong Churches Vision.
So we praise God not only for the victories but also the rejoice in setbacks and even defeats!
I am humbled and honored to serve our pastors and churches in this role. I look forward to experiencing more and more of God's grace in the messiness of ministry.
November 18, 2018
21 Dangerous Prayers Campaign Resources
“This my God is my prayer. Draw me from Your fire, form me on Your anvil, shape me with Your hands and let me be Your tool.” – Max Lucado
Dangerous Prayers! Can prayer be dangerous? Is prayer supposed to be dangerous? Any encounter with a Holy God can be dangerous—not in a life-threatening way, but in a way that can be life-altering and soul-shaping.
All too often we pray safe prayers: God bless me. God help me. God protect me. God heal me. God provide for me.
Dangerous prayers are risky and life-stretching. Dangerous prayers come out of a spirit of brokenness. Dangerous prayers are filled with boldness and daring faith.
My most dangerous prayers have come in moments of deep frustration and seasons of brokenness. I pray more dangerously when I need to experience God’s light in my soul, His power in my ministry, and His leading for the future.
Over the next 21 days, we are going to explore the dangerous prayers that have been prayed by God’s people for thousands of years. We trust God will meet you in a dangerous and life-transforming manner. We pray that you will not be the same and that your family, neighborhood, workplace, and church will be impacted because you personally have met with God.
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Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign
1. Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)
2. Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:
Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and hand out the 21-day devotional book.
The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people. See samples below.
3. Read Article – How to Create Momentum for Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
4. Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.
Have them generate a list of 5 friends or family to pray for during the 21 days.
5. Invite them to dangerously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
Leadership Team develops 5-6 prayer goals for the church members to pray for during the 21 days.
Sample:
i. Pray for a revival to breakthrough our church.
ii. Pray for a spiritual awakening to happen throughout our community.
iii. Pray for the youth outreaches or retreats or special activities.
iv. Pray for our pastoral staff that God would empower then (Ephesians 3:15)
v. Pray for the following cities as week seek to see a new church started there too see God’s kingdom expanded.
vi. Pray for our missionaries that God will give them favor and effectiveness in their work. (list them)
6. Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.
7. Purchase the 21 Dangerous Prayers Books at cost and give out free to your people or merely charge them $1.00.
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ii. 50+ - $1.00 per book (Plus Shipping)
Purchase 21 Dangerous Prayers
Purchase Kindle Version 21 Dangerous Prayers Kindle
8. Share your Dangerous Prayer Stories with us. DangerousPrayerStories@converge.org
21 Dangerous Prayers Sermon Ideas
Sermon # 1 – What is Dangerous Prayer?
Text: Genesis 32:22-32
Summary: Take Jacob, for instance, who wrestled with God out of great frustration and the paralyzing fear of meeting his brother Esau. He clung to God in prayer as a wrestler grappling with his opponent—and in the process, he was changed profoundly (Genesis 32:22-32).
Dangerous Prayers:
• Mark our lives. As Jacob was humbled physically, he was reminded that he was also changed spiritually (vs.25, 31).
• Change our identities. Jacob received a new name, which reminded him that his identity was in God and not in his birthright (vs. 28).
• Draw us closer to God. Jacob came face to face with God. As God’s great mercy was revealed, Jacob experienced a deeper sense of intimacy (vs. 30).
• Impact the community of faith. This event in Jacob’s life was memorialized to remind us that when the leader is changed, it affects the people they are leading (vs. 32).
Application: When was the last time you prayed dangerously?
Invitation: Over the next 21 days we are going to explore the dangerous prayers that have been prayed by God’s people for thousands of years. We trust God will meet you in a life-transforming manner. We pray that you will not be the same and that your family, neighborhood, workplace, and church will be impacted because you personally have met with God.
Sermon #2 - “Lord, Search Me.”
Text: Psalm 139:23-24; Jeremiah 17:9-10
Summary: Confessional prayers allow God to breathe into your life. When you invite His holiness, righteousness, and glory to invade your being, He reveals your needs and any obstacles that are hindering your growth and usefulness in His mission.
There is no room for morbid introspection in the life of a follower of Jesus. Why? Because when we search our own hearts, we can quickly fall into self-deception. Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” He continues, “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit
of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Only God is qualified to search our hearts correctly.
David’s prayer acknowledges God’s searching power, admits that we are so easily deceived, and humbly submits to God’s truth rather than our feelings or perceptions.
Application: When David prays, “see if there is any grievous or painful way in me,” he is asking God to reveal to him those “blind spots” or unknown areas of his life that are hindering him from experiencing the fullness of God in his soul and God’s pleasing path of blessing. Find time today to ask God to search you and show you His way:
Sermon #3 “Lord, Break Me.”
Text: Psalm 27
Summary: Transformational prayers allow God to shape and mold us. They seek God’s sanctifying power, strength, and grace as we work out the gospel in our lives through confession and repentance. They find God’s leading by submitting to His Word and surrendering to His ways.
Choosing the higher road in relationships can be dangerous. But it is the only way God wants us to live. You cannot control the way people treat you, but you can control how you respond to their treatment.
King David was a man who suffered the ill-treatment of King Saul. At the time of this prayer, he was running for his life by hiding in caves and retreating into the wilderness. David prayed for God to show him the level path and teach him how to walk on it. He prayed that God would reveal the right thing to do in the midst of these unfortunate circumstances. God answered him by saying, “Wait! Wait on me!” (Psalm 27:14).
Waiting on the Lord is courageously trusting God to deal with your enemies. When we learn to wait on the Lord, we find the strength to take the high road in our relationships.
Application: Let’s be dangerous today by asking God to show us how to take the high road in our difficult relationships.
Sermon #4 “Lord, Send Me.”
Text: Isaiah 6:1-8
Summary: Missional prayers align us with God’s purposes. They teach us to rest in God’s power and presence as we advance His mission and promote His Glory. They position us to be usable by God in any way possible.
What happened in Isaiah’s life to make him willingly volunteer to be God’s man in any tough situation?
• First, his heart was changed by the presence of God. God engulfed him with His holiness as he worshipped the Lord in the temple (vs. 1-4).
• Second, his heart became aware of his sinfulness and his personal need for God’s cleansing forgiveness (vs. 5).
• Third, his heart was broken by the condition of God’s people and their need for God’s word (vs. 5).
• Finally, his heart was touched by God’s cleansing fire (vs. 6-7).
Accepting God’s assignment needs to be rooted in a profound experience with God. God’s assignments are miraculous in nature, and only God can change a human heart. Only God can cleanse a sinner and bring revival to a human heart and nation of people.
Application: Isaiah prayed this dangerous prayer because he experienced a dangerous and yet merciful God. Take time today to seek the Lord and listen for His specific assignment for you.
Other Materials:
Free Sermon Series Package: “Dangerous Prayers”
LifeChurch.TV “Believe your big risks will be rewarded. Believe what you ask for is possible. If you’re ready to see a spark in your life, pray boldly. Pray daringly. Pray with fire. And remember God’s listening to your Dangerous Prayers. This three-week series teaches us to pray bold prayers “.
This sermon package includes:
Series artwork
Countdown video
Loop video
Bulletin outlines
Message videos
Preaching outlines
Transcripts
Talk it over PDFs
