A Discipleship Ministry: Prayer – Part 2
Last e-newsletter began a new series on discipleship. Over the next several e-newsletters we will review specific elements of the TC program and how each element relates to discipleship.
So how do you begin a real discussion about the components of TC discipleship? Discipleship is a God thing. We rely on his presence and power to bring about true life change. Since it is a God thing and not a man thing then it requires at its foundation- prayer. Everyone knows we’re supposed to pray, but does it really take the priority that it should? We can all use a little reminder and fresh inspiration. So every discussion on TC disipleship should include and even start with the place that prayer belongs.
Prayer is the foundation to an effective discipleship ministry. If we really believe that is true, we as TC staff should be intentional and strategic in our prayer for the students and for the ministry. If we attempt this ministry without God, we are no different than a secular drug rehab.
Intercession is defined as “a prayer to God on behalf of another person.” We are to intercede on behalf of the students.1 Thessalonians 5:17 admonishes us to “Pray without ceasing.” Pray for the students when they first arrive. Pray with them during their prayer time. The PSNC classroom provides a great opportunity to pray for the students as you walk around the classroom. Work supervisors and other staff also carry the responsibility of prayer. Set aside private and staff time to cry out to God on their behalf. Even if you have prayer partners that pray for the ministry and students on an going basis, that does not negate your responsibility to pray for your students. You know them better. You can pray specifically.
Prayer:
- Reminds us that this is a spiritual battle and not a battle between us and the students (even though that is the way it often seems). Ephesians 6:10-17 says to put on the whole armor of God. Often we stop there in our reading. But the very next verse (18) says “pray…”! Put on the whole armor of God and pray. The battle is won in prayer!
- Prayer for the students increases our compassion capacity.
- Intercession on their behalf keeps our hearts attuned and sensitive to the students needs and victories, preventing skepticism and apathy from taking over.
- Without prayer, I rely on my human wisdom and strength and on the “program” and my efforts truly become futile.
- Prayer creates an environment where the Gift’s of the Spirit operate. To paraphrase something I once heard Greg Hammond of Florida/Georgia say: “The Holy Spirit can do more in a student’s life in a few minutes than we can do in 6 months.”
Think about it –
“When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do. And so on. But when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do.” Dr. A. C. Dixon
Does your center have a strategic plan for ensuring students are prayed for on a regular basis or is it just assumed?
Does your ministry allow time in the staff schedule for staff to pray for the ministry and students?
What are one or two steps you or your TC ministry can do to develop consistent prayer for the students?
Those beautiful words put to prayer say it all — “Remind us Lord that this is a spiritual battle and not a battle between us and the students.” What a beautiful way to say it. After 39 years in Teen Challenge ministry I often find the most difficult students turn out to be the ones God has set apart for a great work.
Making certain we pray for every student in the program vs. assuming they are being prayed for is so important. I am glad you mentioned it.
4 decades ago the Teen Challenge Training Center at Rehrersburg, PA had men and women of God who lived on campus and were there for one and only one purpose. To intercede for the needs of the centers students and staff. These dear people fasted and prayed around the clock for our needs.
We need similar people in the Teen Challenge minstry today. Ask the Lord to send them your way. I know of nothing more important than to have praying saints of God covering your students and staff with prayer 24/7.
Just look what it did for the Teen Challenge ministry over the past 50 years.
May it continue till Jesus returns is my prayer.
The staff at the ALTC Ladies center are right now in the process of 40 days of fasting and prayer for the ministry and the students. We are really beginning to see bondages broken through the power of God.
This following article is from David Wilkerson’s Devotional dated 3/18/2009.
Please carefully read Ezekiel 44:15–16. The Hebrew name Zadok means “right or righteous.” Ezekiel here is referring to a man named Zadok who served as a priest during David’s reign. This righteous man never wavered in his faithfulness to David or to the Lord. He stood by the king and by God’s Word, through thick and thin. Zakok always remained loyal to David, because he knew the king was the Lord’s anointed.
Because Zadok remained faithful through everything, he came to represent a ministry distinguished by its faithfulness to the Lord. Indeed, Zadok was a prime example of a true minister of God—separated from this world, shut in with the Lord, consistently hearing from heaven. Such a minister recognizes his main work as prayer: seeking God daily, constantly communing with the Holy Spirit and ministering to Jesus.
The new temple priests are faithful to stand before the Lord before they ever stand before the congregation. They spend precious hours in the Lord’s presence, until they’re saturated with a message that’s been burned into their souls. And when they emerge from God’s presence, they are able to speak straight to the people’s hearts. Their message gets down to where the sheep live, because it has come directly from God’s throne.
The Lord says of the Zadok priesthood, “These ministers will enter my sanctuary and stand before me. They shall come near to my table and minister to me. And they shall keep my charge. I’ll be faithful to lead and direct them and I’ll give them my word for my people.”
In the new, last-days sanctuary, the Zadok priesthood knows their central work is to minister to the Lord. This ministry includes every lover of Jesus who desires to walk in righteousness. Indeed, we see the “priesthood of believers” echoed throughout the books of the New Testament. John tells us, “[He] hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father” (Revelation 1:6). Peter writes, “Ye also, as lively stones, are…an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).
You may not have ministerial credentials from any church body. You may never have been to seminary. You may never have preached a sermon. But you are just as called and ordained to serve in the Zadok priesthood as even the most well-known preacher or evangelist. Both Testaments make it abundantly clear: Each of us is to hold the office of priest and perform a priest’s duties.
So, you’re wondering, how are you to do this? You do it by ministering primarily unto the Lord. You offer up sacrifices to him—sacrifices of praise, of service, of turning over to him all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He’s called you to be part of his royal priesthood. Therefore, you are to minister to others only after you’ve ministered to him. This means you are not to show up at God’s house each week empty and dry, hoping some message from the preacher will fire you up. No, you’re to come prepared to minister to the Lord with a heart of praise.
TEEN CHALLENGE WOMEN IN COLUMBUS, GA HAS DECLARED 3-DAYS OF FASTING & PRAYER THE FIRST MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH IN 2009. ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATE. WE ARE FOLLOWING THE PATTERN RECORDED IN JONAH 3 AND ESTHER 4. GOD IS ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS.