Category: PASSION Resources

Successful Ministry

On By BrianIn PASSION Resources1 Comment

Here is the third video I watched this afternoon from the Desiring God 2013 Pastor’s Conference.  This one is from Kent Hughes on redefining the successful ministry.  I had the opportunity to hear him speak on this topic at a RHMA conference a few years back, and the content is still very important for pastors to wrestle with.  You might also consider his book on the same topic.

Eternal Father of My Soul

On By BrianIn Prayers

Eternal Father of my soul,
let my first thought today be of You,
let my first impulse be to worship You,
let my first speech be Your name,
let my first action be to kneel before You in prayer.

For Your perfect wisdom and perfect goodness:
For the love with which You love mankind:
For the love with which You love me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life:
For the indwelling of Your Spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of Your Spirit:
I praise and worship You, O Lord.

Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is said,
think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of You.
Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth,
and joy, and power, that will remain with me
through all the hours of the day;

Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself:
Keeping me honorable and generous in my dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Yours.
Through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

– John Baillie, 1886-1960

Prayer Warrior-February

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

Starting this month, I am creating a prayer insert for my church with suggested requests for our church, prayer quotes, a prayer from the Bible, and a prayer from history.  I thought I’d share them here on my blog too.  Quotes and prayers will come later, but here are some suggested prayers for you to pray for your church in February.  May we grow to be prayer warriors!

Praying for your Church

  • Revival in your church, a passion/hunger for God
  • Worship – Heart worship, Joyful singing, Cheerful giving, Passionate prayer, Powerful preaching, Appropriate response
  • Grow in your fear of God – leading to obedience
  • Grow in your integrity and honesty
  • Prayer – Growing priority and passion for prayer, Prayer Services
  • Word – Sunday School, Children ministries, Youth ministries
  • Fellowship – Growing care/love/unity, Growing generosity toward one another, Fellowship activities
  • Growing passion for evangelism and missions
  • Opportunities and boldness to share the gospel
  • Grow in your witness > share gospel, pray for gospel to go forth, be filled with the Spirit, lives of generosity and integrity (that attract people to the gospel)
  • Growing willingness to take risks for gospel
  • People to be saved in your spheres of influence
  • Guests to come to your Worship Service and the Spirit to work in their lives
  • Missionaries: walk with God, evangelism opportunities, growing maturity

Prayer Week – Saturday

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

Saturday – Sanctity of Life
Read Proverb 24:11
Pray for an end to legal abortion.
Pray for women considering an abortion.
Pray for our local Pregnancy Care Centers.
Pray for the overturning of the current policy requiring many businesses and non-profits to provide abortion-inducing contraceptives to their employees.

Prayer Week – Thursday

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

Thursday – Global Life
Read Colossians 1:9-11
Pray for solid teaching, growth, fruit, and revival in the global church.
Pray for the persecuted church to be strengthened with power to persevere with joy.
Pray for missions to people groups having no gospel witness.
Pray for a great spiritual awakening around the world.