Welcome to the second installment in my ongoing series on connecting with the kids in your ministry. Last time we looked at the importance of learning names. In this post I will examine the power of prayer.
A quick glance at the Bible reveals that prayer is a very important part of our spiritual journey. Philippians 4:6 tells us:
…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Colossians 4:2 reminds us to,
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 sums it all up in a very short verse:
…pray without ceasing…
We talk about our daily quiet time with God and praying for others. We take our requests to God throughout the days and weeks.
Many times though, we neglect this important area when it comes to things fundamental to our ministry like connecting with kids. There are a number of important things you can do in prayer when it comes to connecting with kids.
1. Pray for the Children in Children’s Ministry.
Many of us make time in our prayers to seek God about our ministry in general. We ask Him to guide our ministry and bless it. But, how often do you pray for the children in your ministry by name? Keep a list of the kids in your ministry and pray for them individually. As your relationships with them grow and they share about struggles in their lives, keep a list of specific prayer requests for each child. Get to know the names of their parents and siblings and pray for them as well. Spend time on your knees before your Creator pleading for the salvation of the children in your ministry.
2. Pray for Opportunities to Connect.
If our goal is to connect with kids, and it should be, prayer is the place to start. Ask God to give you deep and lasting connections with the kids in your ministry. Ask him to open their hearts to allow you to speak His Word into it. Ask for opportunities to invest in kids and disciple them. Pray that He would keep making connections with these kids at the forefront of your heart and mind. Ask Him daily to give you heart for His kids and the wisdom to teach them about Him.
3. Pray with the Children in Your Ministry.
Yes, we should spend time in prayer about the children in our ministry and asking God to open doors to connect with them, but it is critically important that we also spend time praying with them. Spend time each week talking to them about prayer and praying with them. Some kids take a little time to open up to the idea of praying out loud in a group, but don’t let that discourage you. Be a model of prayer for the kids. Let them see that prayer is a conversation with our heavenly father. Let them listen in as you pray for and about them and pour your heart out to God. Above all, be genuine in your prayer.