INTRODUCTION //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

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3 Prayer INTRODUCTION ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// We invite you to join us on a journey of prayer this fall. Prayer is natural, almost instinctual. Most religious people pray: Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists. Even many non-religious people pray- surveys show about 41% of non-religious Americans pray at least monthly (atheists, agnostics, and nones ). As Christians, we see the practice of prayer throughout the pages of the Bible. Jesus expected his followers to pray- when you pray (Mat. 6:5-7). Most of us believe we should be people of prayer. But what is prayer exactly? What does prayer do? What is the right way to pray (or the wrong way for that matter)? This fall, we will be focusing together on what the bible teaches about prayer so that we all might grow and experience all that God intends for us through this great gift of prayer. Our goal for Free Christian Church is that everyone would be able to experience the joy of a vibrant, rich prayer life. We desire that we would have a right understanding and practice of prayer. We want to live out God s desire that we pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), that we would become a house of prayer (Matt. 21:13) where Christ is at the center of all things, and devoted to prayer (Acts 2:42) where prayer is at the heart of our way of life together. Most of us would admit that we re not there yet. But don t be discouraged- God is patient with us and is full of grace as we seek Him. We hope these resources will help you overcome any barriers and take a next step to grow in your prayer life. 3 Prayer Fall 2015

4 SERMONS ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// What is Prayer? Week 1 Oct. 4 (NA) / Oct. 11(A) What does prayer actually do? Why should we pray? How can we overcome the barriers to prayer? Hearing the Voice of God Week 2 Oct. 11 (NA) / Oct. 18 (A) I hear people talk about hearing from God but I m not sure I really understand how they can know for sure. Is it possible to hear God speaking through prayer? How can we tell if it is actually God speaking? Hallowed Be Thy Name Week 3 Oct. 18 (NA) / Oct. 25 (A) I feel like I m supposed to pray more. I feel a little guilty about that but prayer isn t always my first response to things in my life. In fact, I m even reluctant to pray some times. What am I getting wrong here? Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done Week 4 Oct. 25 (NA) / Nov. 1 (A) This is the ultimate prayer. If we can learn to truly pray this prayer of relinquishment we can face all of life as people of faith in our good, loving, sovereign God no matter what trials come our way. Give us this Day our Daily Bread Week 5 Nov. 1 (NA) / Nov. 8 (A) Is it okay to ask God for things? Is there a right and wrong way to go about it? Do my prayers sway God s actions in this world? What do I do with the problem of unanswered prayer? Forgive us our Debts Week 6 Nov. 8 (NA) Nov. 15 (A) Our mistakes- small things or big things- can lead to real guilt in life. How can I make it up to God and to people I ve wronged? Can God really forgive me? What about the wrongs that have been done to me? God can t possibly expect me to forgive everything, can He? Lead us Not into Temptation Week 7 Nov. 15 (NA) Nov. 22 (A) What is the truth about spiritual warfare, healing and deliverance? Should I be worried about these things? Prayer Fall

5 SMALL GROUPS ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// We are encouraging all small groups to use the Prayer Course to companion with the sermons and other prayer events during this time. If you don t have a regular small group, we would love for you to join a group for this seven week series. To find a group contact: John Givens, Small Groups Director, jgivens@freechristian.org. The Prayer Course materials are produced by the same folks that developed Alpha as well as some original material we have created. Each session consists of a 15 minute video conversation and is followed by discussion topics and practical exercises in prayer. You can preview the series at prayercourse.org/forgiveness. You can watch the videos online or pick up a DVD from John Givens, who will also provide the leaders guides and discussion questions. The prayer room ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Check out the Prayer Room downstairs in the Parish House. This room has been set up to encourage prayer, with materials and prompts to help you set aside time to pray and seek God. Roselle at rheckendorn@freechristian.org to book a time slot or sign up at the book table at church on Sundays. You can reserve the space to pray on your own but we encourage people to find at least one other person to pray with. Jesus promised For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Frequently those who pray together sense Jesus presence with them in a deeper way than when they pray alone. Praying with others is where we really experience what it means to be a member of the body of Christ. You hear another person s heart. Their concerns become your concerns. Prayer is like the blood in our physical bodies. It s what connects the disparate parts, nourishes them and protects them. 5 Prayer Fall 2015

6 PRAYER EVENTS ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// DATE TIME LOCATION EVENT Saturday Oct. 17 9:30am- 12:00pm FCC Andover Rotunda Praying for Others Workshop For anyone interested in learning how to pray with and for others or who is interested in becoming a Sunday morning prayer partner or wants to explore healing prayer. Sunday Oct. 18 6:00-7:30pm FCC Andover Rotunda Healing Prayer After some teaching on healing and worship, we will offer prayer for healing, the laying on of hands and anointing with oil to any who seek healing of any kind. Childcare available. Saturday Nov. 14 9:00am- 12:00pm FCC Andover Rotunda Women s Morning Retreat Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Psalm 100:4 A time for women to praise God together and have some time alone in His presence, led by Susan Hanson, Director of Women s Ministries. Sunday Nov. 22 6:00-7:30pm FCC Andover Rotunda Thanksgiving Prayer and Worship Come and worship and thank God for all his blessings and answers to prayer. Share stories of how you have experienced God at work in your life. Childcare available. OTHER prayer Related resources //////////////////////////////// Prayer for Andover is a group of believers from churches across Andover churches who coordinate prayer gatherings in our community. Prayer for Andover organizes the annual Good Friday prayer walk and recently held Prayer in the Park to pray for the children, youth and schools of Andover and for the town s response to the opioid epidemic. For more information about their upcoming activities, contact David or Roselle Heckendorn, teamheck@verizon.net or rheckendorn@freechristian.org FCC Library has a number of great books on prayer. Samples of some of the books will be available in the Rotunda at FCC Andover during this Prayer series. Visit the library online at freechristian.org under the resources tab. Contact Kathleen Harwood, kathleen.m.harwood@gmail.com. Prayer Fall

7 Pastor Jon Paul recommends Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa. Even as a pastor, I have the same ups and downs in my prayer life as many people do. I keep going back to this resource again and again when my prayer life begins to stagnate and I find a new intimacy with God and vibrancy of prayer when I pray the words of Scripture. Pastor Bryan Page recommends The Soul of Prayer by P.T. Forsyth. A classic work on prayer. Kim Black, Executive Minister recommends A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants compiled by Ruben Job. This resource offers both structure and freedom to times of prayer. The staff has used this again and again. John Givens, Small Group Director recommends My Upmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. You can t rush through Oswald. I think he has helped me better appreciate the holiness of God and challenged me to be a better listener- to the voice of God and to those He s put in my life. I still have a very long way to go. Roselle Heckendorn, Prayer and Outreach Minister recommends Prayer: Finding the Heart s True Home by Richard Foster. This is one of my favorite books that I go back to repeatedly: my copy is full of under-linings and is falling to bits. Foster says prayer is like a diamond with many facets and through this book he invites us to recognize the many ways we actually do pray and encourages us to explore new ways. It is also beautifully written, I love the opening words: Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence. And he is inviting you and me to come home, to come home to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created. 7 Prayer Fall 2015

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