Part 3: THE HOW TO'S OF PRAYER MINISTRY

 It is important, in understanding a description of key prayer leadership, there is the need for cohesive elements to accomplish a growing successful prayer presence in the local body of believers. 

Bringing individuals together in any given location for any reason is no small task. Further committing them to two to three hours or more a month for regular meetings can be a daunting project. Given schedules of working individuals and other family obligations, the obstacles of unifying individuals for prayer can seem overwhelming. Together with a lack of a motivated decisive individual to lead a vision of prayer, giving preliminary direction and oversight to recruit and give oversight to the development of prayer ministry can also slow the process even bringing it to a halt when a leader is lacking, or slack when carry out ministry obligations.  Often, those having a vision for prayer in the local church go unrecognized.

This gives credence to the fact that most that are motivated to prayer do not carry formal credentials or have been ordained into ministry so that a prayer category seldom appears as a matter of concern on the year end financial statement of the church expenditures. 

How to recognize a prayer visionary is the question we will now address.

These leaders often arise out of networking or prayer presence surrounding the prayer life in the church or community. These individuals often frequent any event that has to do with prayer or gathering to pray such as early morning prayer meetings, regular prayer on campus activities, special prayer workshops, or an invitation to be part of an active prayer task force. 

Such events involve cooperation between pastoral leadership who can observe the maturity and stability of a possible gifted candidate over a period of time.

Often, this individual is struck by an intensity to pray or to mobilize a vision of prayer or further gather others to pray when special needs and concerns arise.

The perceptual need to further empower this vision by the recognition of church leadership and need from the pulpit begins the overture toward the creation of a permanent prayer leadership position. 

This individual's leadership and vision are affirmed by other leaders in the local church that recognize the call, maturity and need for active prayer, which can lead to formal recognition of the candidate before the entire local church body. 

The early church qualified their servant leaders in 3 specific areas. And in choosing any candidate for a leadership position should follow suit.

Acts 6:3
Be those of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.

It is our earnest that this essay will serve as a model that can be added to your local church needs and job description for the emergence of a servant prayer leader to serve in your local church.

Also, regional prayer or renewal networks can also source local churches "with guide lines to formalizing a job description when choosing a worthy candidate."

We suggest PrayCalifornia.org and their archive library.

With Love
David and Kathy Andrade