How to Use the Prayer Resource Guide

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What you are holding is the product of many hours of prayerful searching and study. It is the heartfelt desire of the authors and compilers that this resource be used as a helpful equipping tool, offered in the spirit of the disciples’ request of Jesus: “Lord, teach us to pray.”

This material can be used to lead individuals, churches, and associations to develop vibrant, vital prayer ministries. This tool is in large part web-driven, using the online resources of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. With the virtually unlimited capacity of the World Wide Web, the material referenced is readily available, cafeteria-style, in an easy-to-use format, customizable to any number of individual or church needs – certainly more material than could be presented in this Handbook. Page 4 will lead you to the appropriate link to access these tools.

Our mandate is to “cover Mississippi in prayer,” and this material reflects that desire. Understand that this prayer mandate is an ongoing process. So know that this is the first step in an ongoing journey. The prayer site on www.mbcb.org will be frequently updated to reflect what God is teaching us and equipping us to do – more resources will follow.

Each of the following Action Steps are presented in a dated format, with a place to jot down your completion date. These are just suggestions as to how to use this material – make it your own!

1. Action Step 1
   • This Handbook gives you the dates for prayer events and training available. Highlight these dates in this Handbook, or transfer them to your personal calendar, organizer, computer, or mobile device. Of note:
     • 2011 State-Wide Prayer Rallies, p. 9
     • Growing Churches Conference, p. 13
     • More To Life training for Associational & Church Leaders, pp. 13
   • Promote these events, as applicable to your responsibilities.

   Date Completed ____________________________

2. Action Step 2
   • Read “The History of Prayer in Baptist Life,” p. 5, for an overview of how Baptists have traditionally embraced the ministry of prayer.

   Date Completed ____________________________

3. Action Step 3
   • Review the roles of the Associational and Church Prayer Coordinators, pp. 6 – 7. Does your church have a Prayer Coordinator? Use your Associational Prayer Coordinatoras a resource for your church’s prayer ministry. A listing of Associational Coordinators is on p. 22.

   Date Completed _____________________________

4. Action Step 4
   • Familiarize yourself with the Features on pp. 8 – 12, which includes the associational rallies, the call for 10,000 Prayer Warriors (note the downloadable commitment card – consider being part of this movement and invite others to join you!), and GPS – God’s Plan for Sharing.

   Date Completed ___________________________

5. Action Step 5
   • Study the many teaching and study resources on prayer referenced on pp. 14 – 18. There is abundant material offered here that can be used by a pastor, staff person, Church Prayer Coordinator, or other person as a private or corporate study. Any of these resources, available through www.mbcb.org/prayer, can be used in Sunday School, discipleship training, weeknight Bible studies, homegroups, as a sermon series, Wednesday nights, and other venues. These were designed to be adaptable to any number of teaching/learning settings. Choose a resource or resources and share it!

   Date Completed ______________________________

6. Action Step 6
   • Still need resources? Page 19 gives an overview of what else is available on the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board website. Check them out! And, if you want to go still deeper, there is a generous bibliography of books on prayer found on pp. 20 – 21.

   Date Completed ______________________________