Prayer For Youth Groups In Our Churches

Closer to Jesus Through Prayer

Supplies for this Youth Bible Study 

You’ll need copies of Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) on sheets of paper and a pen for each student. You’ll also need a video display and Internet connection. Preview the following clips:
• Pre-Blessed Food: //youtu.be/j9JUqS4Q2A0
• The Holy Hand Grenade”: //youtu.be/xOrgLj9lOwk
• The Campaign Movie: //youtu.be/jhl1cnmOZ0Y
• Bruce Almighty: //youtu.be/yOgdjlPRWMg

Say something : Let’s take a look at one of the most obvious (but perhaps one of the hardest and most misunderstood) practices that helps us grow closer to Jesus. You’ve probably heard of it—it’s called prayer.

Conversation with Jesus, just conversation with your best friends, is critical to making our relationship with him the center of our lives. But conversation, just in real life, doesn’t always have to feel amazing.

And it doesn’t always have to be perfect.

Play the Pre-Blessed Food clip, then say something :

Say something : Sometimes the only time people think about praying is before a meal.

Ask:
• When and why do you pray?
• Why do people sometimes feel inadequate to pray? Or why do some people feel they need someone else to do it for them?

Play the Monty Python and the Holy Grail clip, then ask:

• What are all the things that were odd about that prayer?
• Why do some people think prayer involves extravagant language?
• How would it impact your relationships if you had conversations this? What expectations would your flowery language communicate to your friends?

Ask someone to read aloud Matthew 6:9-13, then play The Campaign Movie clip. Ask:
• Why do we feel we need to say the right words when we pray?
• When Jesus said “Pray this,” what did he want us to learn about prayer?

Play the Bruce Almighty clip, then ask:

Give each student a pen and a copy of Philippians 4:6-7. Invite a volunteer to read the verses aloud, then have students jot down notes and mark up these verses as the group goes through the key words.

Key Word: Petition 

• Why would you petition something? Who is a petition ultimately given to?
• Give some examples of things that need to be petitioned in our society.
• What things in our lives could we petition Jesus to change? 
Have kids take a few minutes quietly to write down their petitions, then bring them before Jesus in prayer.

Key Word: Thanksgiving

• What’s the purpose of offering thanks?
• What creative way have you said “thank you” to someone?
• Why is an attitude of thanksgiving so important?
Again, have your students take a few minutes quietly to write down things they’re thankful for, then give thanks to God in prayer.

Key Word: Requests

Ask a volunteer to read aloud John 14:13-14, then ask:
• If you could meet Jesus face to face, and he told you to ask him for anything, what would you ask for? Explain.

• What does it mean to ask for something “in his name”?
Have your kids take a few minutes quietly write down some things they’d to ask Jesus for, then to lift those requests to God in prayer.

Key Word: Peace

• What does it mean to have peace that ‘transcends all understanding’?
• What sorts of things cause your heart and mind to worry? 
• How has prayer brought you peace?
Have your students take a few minutes quietly to write down their worries, then hand them over to Jesus in prayer.

Encourage your teenagers to practice this type of praying every day for the next month. Wrap up by praying a blessing over your teenagers, using Numbers 6:24-26 as the basis for your blessing.

Co-authored by Zach Castor. This is the second in a series of Youth Bible Studies that explains what it looks to get closer to Jesus. Click on the titles below for individual studies in the series.

One: Jesus Invites us to be close

Источник: //youthministry.com/youth-bible-study-closer-to-jesus-through-prayer/

What is the role of youth in church?

Religion is one of the most important aspects of many people’s lives. Churches serve as valuable hubs for people of all ages. However, one of the groups that is often left the conversation is the youth group. Therefore, today, we will be talking about youths in the church, their role and the importance of the church for the youth. Check it out!

Traditionally, youth is considered to be a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Most of the time, people use the word ‘teenagers’ when referring to the youth, even though there are no defined age boundaries. Anyone can be a youth if they want to 🙂

Youth in the church can actually be and do anything they desire. For instance, some young people choose to attend a youth ministry, where they can learn, communicate and grow in a safe and faithful environment. Others are actually in charge of said youth ministries and other similar religious organisations for young people, where they can give back to the youth in their communities.

Now, let’s talk about the role of youth in the church in a little bit more detail.

Role of youth in the church

As we have mentioned before, youths can take on any role they in the church. First and foremost, they can be the consumers. Young minds are perfect vessels for information.

There is no better time to teach them about God, religion and spirituality other than in their younger years.

If they are encouraged enough to participate in the life of the church when they are young, they will continue to do that in their adulthood.

Another important role of the youth in church is providing a fresh perspective on things. Some older people might be too stuck on outdated ideals. The goal of the youth is to offer their own view on the situation/topic, from which everyone can benefit.

Young people often have more energy than adults, which makes them the perfect choice for various organisational jobs. Lots of teenagers are great at organising and holding various celebrations and events, as they usually have lots of amazing ideas.

Here is the thing:

Apart from being in control of things planning, youths should also act as a helping hand. This could mean many things: young people can take on the cleaning duties; they can help the oldest members of the church; they can also help other youngsters in their search for God and spirituality.

Most importantly, the youth is the future of any church. They are the ones who decide whether to continue preaching what their predecessors have preached or to introduce something new and fresh. If the youth is not interested in going to church, then the whole institute of religion might fall apart. Therefore, it is important to encourage the youth to get involved with the church.

Role of the church for the Christian youth

READ ALSO: Prayer points for the church in Nigeria

Apart from considering the things the youths could do for the church, we should also think about the things that the church could do for the youth.

The most important thing any church can do for youth is provide guidance and knowledge. While many young people are blessed with wonderful parents/guardians/teachers, some do not have that luxury. In order to save them from themselves or from the situations they might be in, the church has to show them the righteous path that involves faith in Our Lord.

Church can be a great way for many young people to find some meaning for their lives. With help from other church members (pastors, priests, other believers), the youth can find a place for God in their hearts and lives. They can learn from other people’s experiences, share their own and hear feedback from others.

However, that is not all:

Church’s role in youth development should not end with just providing important knowledge and guidance. It should also provide the youth with all forms of support. The support can come from anyone within the church and take on any forms.

It can be spiritual, financial, moral, social, or any other form of help that the youth might need.

As young people are quite a vulnerable transitional group, they should have all the support they can get in their complicated journey towards adulthood.

After all, a church should serve as a safe space, a light at the end of the tunnel, an answer to the many questions that fill young minds. It should be a home and a main destination for those who are lost, confused, scared or hurt.

This is our view on the relationship between youth and the church. We tried to present it in the clearest way possible. If you have any questions, suggestions or remarks, let us know in the comments. We would love to hear from you. If you agree with what we have said, do not forget to share this article with your friends. God bless you.

READ ALSO: Benefits of thanksgiving to God

Источник: //www.legit.ng/1135163-who-a-youth-church-role.html

Youth With A Mission – Praying for Partner Churches

Join YWAM staff and students around the globe in praying and hearing from God. He is inviting you!

God has commissioned the local church to go into all the nations and preach the gospel. As YWAMers, we could not do what we do without our partner churches.

These partnering churches send us, pray for us, support us and alongside us for training, church planting, mercy ministry and other gospel-related activities.

The relationship between the church and those who are sent is a beautiful partnership, one that God has chosen to change the entire world!

So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Acts 16:5 (NKJV)

Please join with YWAM’s global prayer day, called The Invitation, this month to pray for our partner churches on November 9.

We ask you to celebrate this partnership on a local level by praying for your partner churches, and if you sense God’s leading, by taking action to strengthen those relationships.

YWAM Queenstown DTS team at a YWAM Bangkok partner church: Khlong Toey Church
Photo credit: YWAM – All Nations Bangkok

Prepare to Pray:

Take a moment to bring to mind the congregation of your partner church, whether at home or in your present location. And then consider the lead pastor of this congregation.

What are all the things the pastor of a congregation such as this would have to think about, take responsibility for, or take care of? As a group, use a whiteboard or large sheet of paper to brainstorm all the ideas that come to mind in response to this question. Make note of as many things as you can.

Next, take some time to reflect on how such a pastor might feel about all these responsibilities, concerns, and opportunities. Enter into those feelings as much as you can.

Finally, as you hold before God these possible feelings and needs, ask Him how He might to love, encourage, and strengthen this church leader through you. What comes to mind as a response, whether in prayer or in action? Share these ideas with one another and make a note, so that you can follow through on Holy Spirit’s prompting.

YWAM goals are realized while churches go forward. A true win-win situation.

Mark Nebauer

Pray for Our Partner Churches:

Serving Chai in Partnership with a Local Church Outreach
Photo Credit: YWAM Brisbane

• Praise God for successful partnerships that YWAM has had and is having around the world with local churches and sending churches.
• Praise God for your partner churches.
• Pray for the health of your partner churches and ask the Lord to bless them.
• Pray for unity and healthy and equitable partnerships between YWAM locations and partner churches.
• Pray for solid relationships between YWAMers and the people of the local church. Pray for YWAMers to make consistent commitments to the local church.

“The healthy cooperation of the local church and global mission is a major threat to the kingdom of darkness.”

Lynn Green, a YWAM leader

• YWAM provides opportunities for churches to engage in mission through outreaches for church youth groups, serving opportunities for adults through Mission Builders, mission awareness programs, seminars for families, and more. Pray for long-lasting results.
• Pray for the church to send more workers to the field where the needs are the greatest in less-saturated nations.
• Pray for YWAM locations to understand and minister to the needs of churches and the congregations they serve.

YWAM’s Dan Baumann teaching at partner church Oakland Baptist
Photo Credit: Oakland Baptist Church

• Pray for God to prepare churches in developed countries and in developing countries to send and support those called to Go.

Take Action:

• Identify all of the partner churches that are involved with your location. Display a map with each church marked. Pray regularly for these churches.
• Host a thank you event for your partner churches.

  Brainstorm on ways they can even partner with one another to build the church.

• Schedule meetings with local partner churches and their pastors/leaders to listen to their needs and dreams without focusing on the needs and dreams of YWAM.

The best way to maintain a relationship with local churches is to concentrate on how we can serve them.

Lynn Green

• Invite partner churches to send a DTS student to the next DTS at your location.
• Identify local churches where there might partnership opportunities in the future but where none exist today.
• Encourage staff and students at your location to regularly attend and participate at a local church.
• Communicate partnering opportunities via YWAM channels, including, but not limited to:
• Schedule an outreach event with one or more of your partner churches.
• Offer to help one or more of your partner churches with a Mission Sunday type event to raise awareness within the church.

A partner church, Living Stones Christian Fellowship, praying over long term YWAM Richmond missionaries
Photo Credit: YWAM Richmond

How We Prayed

October 2017 – Prayer for the Hindu World

• There was a lively discussion on about praying for Hindus. One person noted that they regularly pray that Hindus will know Jesus with not only their mind, but also with their heart.
• YWAM Surabaya, Indonesia prayed for the Hindu world and asked for prayer for pupils to join their DTS starting January 2018 and for staff preparation.
• YWAM Vanuatu, Oceania also prayed and asked for prayer for teachers that have a DTS background in education to come and teach children alongside locals.

Future Topics:

• December 14, 2017 Pyongyang
• 2018 Theme: YWAM Foundational Values (along with other topics)

Don’t Miss The Invitation:

• Sign up for prayer updates. Go to ywam.org, find the “Stay Connected” box on the home page, put in your email address and click “Sign Up.”
• Download prayer updates in a specific language. Go to ywam.org/theinvitation. (Currently available in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Indonesian, Korean or request other languages.)
• Join the conversation about how God is leading in these prayer times. Comment on the page on the second Thursday at .com/youthwithamission or on  @ywam, hashtag #praywithywam. You can also post a photo on Instagram and use the same hashtag, #praywithywam.
• You can now listen to The Invitation as a podcast. To sign up or listen to past episodes, go to: ywampodcast.net/prayer.
• If you sense God giving you a word or a direction for YWAM’s prayer, please contact us: prayer@ywam.org.

Источник: //www.ywam.org/blog/2017/11/03/praying-for-partner-churches/