For a lot of us who work in ministry, we are constantly trying to find the best way to reach the most amount of people and make the biggest impact. We work very hard at growing our events and programs so that people can encounter Christ. We understand that prayer is an essential element to this great mission, but we need to ask ourselves; do we spend the same amount of time trying to grow our prayer ministry as we do growing our events?
Setting a time where your team is intentionally praying for the future of the group is perhaps the best thing you can do for your ministry. At Cat.Chat, we do this by dedicating an adoration night every other Monday towards the ministry. We use this time to pray about the future of Cat.Chat and all the kids and leaders who will be attending VBS this year. The time we have in adoration has brought us closer together as a team and to Christ. We also have two communities of religious sisters that we've asked to be our prayer warriors. They are holding all of you in prayer as well.
As we all know, obstacles always seem to pop up when preparing for a big event like VBS. Know that these challenges and hurdles do happen, and we should never let our guards down. Continue persevering in prayer. We are in a battle for these little souls who are so precious, not only to us but to our heavenly Father.
Here are 5 practical ways prayer can grow your VBS or your ministry.
1. Download and print off these two prayer cards to give to your friends and family. Ask them to pray it every day for a fruitful 2019 VBS.
2. Give these prayer cards to the families involved with VBS. Ask them to pray it during supper time so that their kids can also pray for their peers.
3. Enlist nursing home and shut-in members of your community as prayer warriors. Give them regular updates on the preparations of VBS, and families that need their prayers.
4. Go on a rosary walk every other Sunday and offer it up for the kids attending your VBS this year. Ask Mother Mary to open the hearts of these kids to grow closer to her son, Jesus.
5. Invite friends and parishioners to join a prayer group on Facebook. You can post specific intentions and prayer requests every week, as well as grow closer together as a faith community.
"Our Christian communities must become genuine schools of prayer... by opening our heart to the love of God it also opens it to the love of our brothers and sisters, and makes us capable of shaping history according to God's plan."
St. John Paul II
Choose one or two of these ideas and try to implement with your VBS team. Growing our team of prayer warriors is just as important as growing our events.
Let us continue to strive towards holiness together and hold each other in prayer as we work to build the kingdom of God.
