PRAYER EXPERIENCE
PRAYER EXPERIENCE - COMMUNICATION CHECKLIST
- Date - Consider how this effects the flow of their daily devotions and your weekly discussion.
- Time - Clarify how the three hours is broken up. 30 minutes together. 45 minutes to 1 hour on your own. An hour debriefing & breaking your fast together.
- Location (see below) - Make sure there’s room to spread out. Consider outdoor space if the weather holds up. Consider finding a way to set the tone with music or lighting.
- Fasting specifics (see below).
- Childcare - You already handle this regularly, but it’ll be different for this experience.
- What to bring: Printed Bibles, notebooks, Rooted books, pen, other devotional materials, location-specific clothing.
- Technology: You might want to collect phones during prayer. Try to help people put themselves in a situation where they can disconnect. If your space is crowded, suggest bringing headphones and instrumental music, but encourage them to disengage from their phones.
- Remind people to prepare: rest, excitement, having read through their Rooted Prayer Experience Page.
LEADER PREPARATION NOTES
The Prayer Experience is typically the most dramatic turning point in your group. Do your best to prioritize this experience and do whatever you can to get everyone there. Plan out the way you’re going to begin the experience: logistics on the front end (where can they go to be alone?), choosing passages to read, and praying together as a group.
I’d highly encourage you to consider fasting as a group. Agree on the duration and what's still on the table. I typically choose to go from dinner to dinner and allow all liquids. However, for obvious reasons, probably stay away from any alcohol. Fasting is all about controlling our desires. When we choose to willfully overpower a desire for something we need (like food), we’re more capable of controlling our willpower over something we only want. Especially in those moments of fasting too that we can realize just how much our hunger is Spiritual. When we satisfy our spiritual needs in focused connection with God through prayer, we can better tell the difference between our physical hunger and spiritual hunger. There are more notes in the Facilitator’s Guide appendix.
I’d highly encourage you to consider fasting as a group. Agree on the duration and what's still on the table. I typically choose to go from dinner to dinner and allow all liquids. However, for obvious reasons, probably stay away from any alcohol. Fasting is all about controlling our desires. When we choose to willfully overpower a desire for something we need (like food), we’re more capable of controlling our willpower over something we only want. Especially in those moments of fasting too that we can realize just how much our hunger is Spiritual. When we satisfy our spiritual needs in focused connection with God through prayer, we can better tell the difference between our physical hunger and spiritual hunger. There are more notes in the Facilitator’s Guide appendix.
POSSIBLE LOCATIONS
The location of your group will be crucial to think through. If, by God’s grace, the weather is warm enough, consider doing this outdoors, but be sensitive to your group’s feelings about this. Open this up to your group and see if they have any suggestions. A house is just fine. a chapel, or a church.
GUIDED PRAYER
The book offers some great suggestions. Encourage your group to come with a plan. However, I wanted to offer up a more detailed guided prayer experience for anyone that thinks they might really struggle with this. Print a few of these off, front and back, and offer them to your group.