Agenda (God-willing)
Schedule and Instructions
Schedule:
8:30 a.m. Symposium Registration and Group Assignment begins.
8:45 a.m. Opening Hymns and Responsive Reading (on Title Page)
9:00 a.m. Plenary Session One "God's Heart for Us"
9:30 a.m. Plenary Session Two "The Amazing Power of Prayer"
10:00 a.m. Plenary Session Three "Obedience in Prayer"
10:30 a.m. Plenary Session Four "The Word of God and Prayer"
11:00 a.m. Plenary Session Five "Why Prayer Matters"
11:30 a.m. Plenary Session Six "Creating a Prayer Ministry in Your Church"
NOON Lunch with a "House of Prayer" Presentation (Preparatory Prayer)
12:55 p.m. Six Separate Group Dialogue Sessions (use the session worksheets)
1:15 p.m. Group One Presentation "What's next for us based on Session 1?"
1:25 p.m. Group Two Presentation "What's next for us based on Session 2?"
1:35 p.m. Group Three Presentation "What's next for us based on Session 3?"
1:45 p.m. Group Four Presentation "What's next for us based on Session 4?"
1:55 p.m. Group Five Presentation "What's next for us based on Session 5?"
2:05 p.m. Group Six Presentation "What's next for us based on Session 6?"
2:15 p.m. Break with "Girl in the Song" Presentation (Intercessory Prayer)
2:40 p.m. Closing Respnsive Reading and Hymns (Benediction)
3:00 p.m. Symposium Ends and Your Prayer Ministry Continues!
Instructions:
At the time of registration, each attendee will be assigned to one of six groups that will hang out together throughout the day. These groups will be gathered together for the six morning plenary sessions; during this time, each group will be asked to focus on the content of one of the six sessions; each group member will be asked to write down insights (on the related worksheet in their folder) to dialogue about and present in the afternoon.
Throughout lunch-time and during the dialogue session, each group will meet separately from the other groups and address the question,
"For the sake of God, our congregation, and our community,
what's the next step(s) for our Local Church
to become the House of Prayer God wants us to be?"
The members of each group will be asked to share with each other their insights (they wrote down on their worksheets) about the particular session's content they were asked to focus on during the morning plenary sessions. Then, the groups will come back together to listen to a spokesperson, elected by each group, present a 10-minute (or less) summary (with Q&A if time permits) of their earlier group dialogue experience.
Throughout The Day
During the symposium, as His children, let us humble ourselves before God in prayer:
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Praising God for God’s unchanging holy character;
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Asking God (if you have not already done so) to sanctify you wholly: baptizing you with the Holy Spirit and purging you of the sin;
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Thanking God for His commitment to keep His promises and to hear and answer our prayers;
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Asking God to give you wisdom in applying at home and in your church what you learn today through the symposium;
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Calling on God to use you in a special way to strengthen the prayer life of your church;
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Asking God to help you persevere when discouraging times come into your life or into the life of your church.
Questions
It is our prayer that this symposium will inspire you to seek God in new ways and give you some answers to the following questions:
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What do you want to see God accomplish in your own life through prayer?
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What do you want to see God accomplish in the life of your church?
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What are you willing to do to help your church discover the blessing of becoming a House of Prayer?
Let us close our time together with the certainty that God has wonderful things ahead for you and your church.