Today we took about an hour and discussed Power Through Pray by E.M. Bounds with our staff. It really was a sobering conversation. Here are a few of the bullet points I wrote down during our free form discussion.

  • Prayer matters
  • Pray is not preparation for the ministry it is the ministry
  • Holy dudes of days long ago woke up crazy early to pray and prayed a long time.
  • The gospel moves through hearts not heads.
  • Avoid being a hermit or being with people all the time p 18.
  • People won’t pray more than their pastor.
  • Calmness and strength are not the companions of hurry
  • Prayer is the preachers mightiest weapon.
  • “The real sermon is made in the (prayer) closet. The man – God’s man – is made in the (prayer) closet”
  • “It takes 20 years to make a sermon, because it takes 20 years to make a man…”
  • It takes a tremendous amount of energy, focus, and discipline to have a solid prayer life.
  • “Ages of millennial glory have been lost by a prayerless Church. The coming of our Lord has been postponed indefinitely by a prayerless church.”
  • Importance of praying with your kids. Keep a prayer journal to show your kids the way God answers prayer – this is one of the best motivators.
  • Henrietta Mears example of prayer that brought about Bill Bright and Billy Graham.
  • Easier to talk to God in the car than listen to him.
  • One of the gals on our staff recounted how she saw her dad wake up at 4:00 am every day to pray and often left them notes about what he was praying for them. Very powerful.
  • Let your kids in on what you are struggling with and praying for, and ask for prayer from them.
  • Pray scripture whenever possible.
  • I wonder how Bounds would fit on our staff.
  • What would happen at Watermark if everyone believed the most important activity we could engage in is prayer?
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