Before calling his disciples, Jesus spent a whole night in prayer. At the last supper, he set aside time to pray for his disciples – for their unity, their protection, and their joy. How many more prayers took place in between? Jesus consistently modelled foundational prayer for the leaders of his new movement, those who would carry his message to others. His view of the generations of leaders to follow led him to extend his prayers beyond the original twelve to include us as well.
Prayer is not an add-on, but an essential. It forms the foundation and the bedrock of any Church Multiplication Movement. Without prayer, human plans will come to nothing. Throughout history, every successful Church Multiplication Movement has been conceived and nurtured in prayer. The Moravian Movement, under the leadership of Count Zinzindorf, began as a prayer meeting in 1727. Known as the “Hourly Intercession”, it involved relays of men and women coming before the throne of God 24 hours a day. That prayer meeting lasted for 100 years. It also resulted in action, especially evangelism. More than 100 missionaries left that village in the next 25 years, all constantly supported in prayer…. Within 20 years, the Moravians had sent out more missionaries than all the other Protestant groups combined had in the preceding 200 years.
Spiritual dynamics is the first of the essential elements for a Multiplication Movement. Prayer and spirituality form the foundation on which the whole of our mission and vision rests. We can do nothing without God. With Him, amazing things can happen.
Although it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint, some indicators of a growing spiritual atmosphere include:
- Greater enthusiasm and passion for God
- Increase in faith and expectancy
- Greater interest in prayer and intercession
- Spiritual life of leaders deepening – more time spent in prayer and the Word
- Increased number of effective intercessors
- People showing an eagerness in sharing their faith
- Increased awareness of unreached groups in your ministry focus areas
- Increase in new converts
Do you see these qualities? A vibrant spirituality must be ingrained at the most grassroots level and at the highest levels of leadership. It must be built into the DNA of the complete movement.
Multiplying churches – churches that storm the gates of hell and set captives free – is a spiritual battle fought on a spiritual plane. As leaders, we are all working in a spiritual realm. The stakes are high, the enemy is determined, and we are not strong enough to overcome him alone. God must be with us if we are to succeed. Through prayer and the renewing of our minds, we can tap into the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and break down strongholds. Prayer is the essential foundation upon which multiplication movements are launched.
For further insights into these elements, check out the other articles in this section of the Blog.
Colin Noyes is the Director of ResourceZone International. He has thirty years of ministry experience as a pastor, college lecturer and consultant/coach to consultants, denominational leaders and local church pastors.
Related Resources
- Be Fruitful and Multiply
- Cultivating Multiplication Movements: Coaching Guide with Storyboard – Ministry Specific Resource (PDF)
- Cultivating Multiplication Movement Storyboard – Ministry Specific Resource (PDF)
- Obedient Discipleship: Coaching Guide with Storyboard – Ministry Specific Resource (PDF)
- Obedient Discipleship Storyboard – Ministry Specific Resource (PDF)
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