Connection Central

Here's a little guideline for your prayer times in a small group environment.

1. Put the person for which you are praying at ease. A warm and sincere greeting will go a long way in accomplishing this. Whether a man or a woman, taking another’s hands in yours is a good way to put that person at ease and encourages him to come into agreement as you pray. We should avoid touching the bare arm or shoulder of another as it may cause one to feel a bit uncomfortable. Be sure to respect a person’s personal space by not crowding too close when you begin to pray, especially with those of the opposite sex. Once the person is at ease and ready for prayer…

2. Ask the area of need for which pray can be made. Give a person time to share what concerns and needs they have for prayer. However, try not to let the problems grow bigger with more talk about them. There are time restraints in a small group and others for which to pray. Once you have the gist of the needs…

3. Move to prayer as soon as it is reasonably appropriate. As you pray, remember that you are not the solution. It is alright to say, “I don’t have the answer, but God does.” There is no need to counsel at this point. Point the person to God and as you pray, use the Scriptures. Integrating the scriptures into your prayers builds faith for all the parties. Trust the Holy Spirit to bring applicable scriptures to your mind that will bring hope and faith as you pray them. After you have prayed…

4. Conclude by giving a Scripture verse to embrace. There will likely be a Scripture verse that the Spirit will affirm to you as especially relevant and alive for this person. Be sure share this “word” with him and encourage him to speak the promise of God to the circumstances over which you have prayed. At the conclusion of your time of personal prayer ministry, a simple hug and confident smile will be a comforting and affirming gesture.