The flow of  the prayer meeting tells a story. It’s liturgy is simple and unencumbered and leaves room for the movement of the Holy Spirit. The outline leaves room for something unexpected. I have been so grateful that we didn’t fill the agenda of the evening so much that a newcomer couldn’t receive needed attention to pray for a sick child or sudden crisis. The agenda is prayer and it wins out over an extra song or remarks that you may have prepared to share that day.

As a leader, ask yourself

“what story of God or His work in our life do I want people to leave with today?”

Our former senior pastor and my prayer ministry mentor Dr. Derek Morris was in the habit of advising pastors to think of a “bullet” as we constructed our sermon. I guess there is a temptation to throw everything at once into one’s message-perhaps in the hopes that something in it will stick? There is wisdom in pondering on what the main idea or the “bullet” for a message. Truth is, people are most likely to remember that one thing.

If the prayer gathering is a message-what will be its bullet? Here is one suggestion of movements I’ve used often with my team.

If it’s about finding hope in the reality that God is at work in our lives. We then focus our prayers:

On What God has done

• Songs or Words of Praise
• Testimony
• Prayer of Praise

On What God is Doing

• Teaching Moment
• Prayer of Response

On What God will Do

• Intercessory Prayer
• Rejoicing or Celebration

Here is another outline in which one can also insert the basic elements of our worship time:

We practice God’s presence as a praying community. It is possible to practice the presence of God everyday when:

We welcome the Presence of God

• Praise,Thanksgiving and Worship
• Testimony
• Prayer of Praise (thanking God for the person who came)

We abide in the Presence of God

• Personal Prayer or Prayer of Response
• Teaching Moment

We share the Presence of God with others

• Intercessory Prayer
• Rejoicing,Celebration and Benediction

Your outline may follow one of from a story of Scripture. Check in next time and we’ll post an example. For now, here is a sample of  handouts  shared at a prayer leader seminar a couple of weeks ago:

Building a House of Prayer Experience