Session Six

Family

In this session, we’re going to learn how corporate prayer can be like a family and how a major part of being in God’s family is time spent praying for and with one another.

  1. Read chapter 6 of the book The Prayers of Many

  2. Watch the following video before going through the interactive section below with your small group

Prepare ahead

  • For the Get Praying section: where possible, contact another church in your locality and ask how you can pray for them

 

Teaching Video 06: Prayer is like a family

 

Small Group Section

Discuss

  • What does it mean to have a lifestyle of prayer in your family and your church?

  • What could you do to cultivate corporate prayer (more than one person praying together) in marriages, families and with friends?

  • In the book Mike Betts talks about us being pregnant with the promises of God (p77). Do you know what promises God has made to His people? Has God made any personal promises to you that you are praying about? Spend some time discussing how you can pray into God’s promises.

  • We want to raise praying children. Discuss how, at home and at church, you can create space for children to learn to pray. Think also on how you can learn from children about prayer (read Jodi’s story on p83-85 of the book).

 

Review

  • Corporate prayer is any prayer between two or more people in families, couples and friendships.

  • Corporate prayer should be built around the truth that, as a local church community, we are a family. It should be part of our family conversation, and weaved into our lifestyle as God’s people.

  • Children teach us a lot about corporate prayer and should be given every opportunity to participate in their own unique way.

 

Pray

Identify promises from God from Scripture. Here are a few to get you started: Psalm 19:7, Psalm 34:8, Isaiah 40:29, Proverbs 3:5-6.

  1. Pray these promises over each other.

  2. Discuss ways that you as a group can continue praying for each other through the week.

 

Prayer Tip

Lloyd Van Vuuren shares how praying God’s promises back to Him is powerful. Watch the video to hear why and see a practical example.

 
 
 

Extra

In your home, church or school create a prayer space with one or more prayer activities. Encourage individuals of all ages to use the space, and activate prayer among your family, church or friends. 

For practical tips, visit prayerspacesinschools.com. Although this website is aimed at schools it works equally well in other contexts.