Prayer in Evangelism
There should be a designated prayer team with an appointed leader, assistant leader, and secretary. Before the
campaign begins, the prayer team will meet every Sabbath morning and at other times according to convenience
in order to present the names of the prospects to the Lord. Their prayer should be, “Lord give us these souls and
supply their needs according to Your good will and purpose.” Members who are having difficulties getting
through to their prospects or whose prospects are having challenges may share these issues with the prayer team
in order to petition the Lord for solutions. The team should present the campaign to the Lord in prayer
continuously. They should pray about all the aspects of the organization and execution of the precampaign,
campaign, and post-campaign.
The role of the prayer team is very important to the effectiveness and success of the campaign. Team members
should be chosen early and trained for their tasks so that they can begin to function far in advance of the
beginning of the campaign. This team may be selected from the churches, departments, small groups, or
Sabbath School Action units that are involved in the campaign. Team members should be baptized, fully
committed individuals who love the Lord, love to pray, believe in prayer, love people, and desire to see souls
come to the Lord. They should be people who know their duties and are willing volunteers. They should have
their own experiences of answered prayers, as well as the assurance that there is nothing more powerful and
important than prayer in gaining decisions for the Lord, re- solving issues and disputes, and facing life’s
challenges.
The Prayer Team
As previously indicated, the prayer team should consist of an adequate number of baptized, committed church
members. These individuals should be willing, spiritual, and responsible and must have the success of the
campaign at heart. The team should meet before each nightly meeting to petition the Lord for His guidance in
every aspect of the program. If the leader of the prayer team has to be absent one night, the assistant leader
should lead out. As often as possible, the pastor, evangelist, and other members of the evangelistic team should
join the team for this special time of prayer.
During each meeting, the team should pray for the evangelist, church members, visitors, persons requesting
special prayer, all team members, and any other relevant matter. When people submit their names at the altar or
in the prayer box, these names should be presented to the prayer team to petition the Lord on their behalf. Those
with special needs who so desire may be brought to the team for special prayer. During the appeal each night,
the team is to plead with the Lord to move upon the hearts of individuals to yield to the promptings of the Holy
Spirit and make their decision for baptism.
Arrange the place in which the prayer team meets so as to be free from distractions. The atmosphere of the
room should give a sense of “holy ground.” Visuals related to answered prayer and materials that focus on
prayer or communication with the Lord are conducive to this end. There is no set way to create such an
atmosphere. Rather, those in charge should use their creativity, allowing the Spirit of the Lord to guide them in
arranging the room.
Make sure that each team member has the opportunity to participate. Specific nightly duties may be assigned to
different team members with sufficient anticipation to adequately prepare. These duties could include selecting
and reading a Scripture passage on a relevant topic, presenting a short excerpt from the Spirit of Prophecy,
praying for the evangelist, praying for the guests, praying for those making decisions, organizing the room, etc.
The team could also include other members of the church by assigning them various times throughout the day to
pray for the success of the campaign.
Small Groups and Prayer
Evangelistic small groups should serve as nurturing environments where members are discipled and deployed
for service. Prayer is a major ingredient in the effectiveness of small group activities. The effectiveness of small
group members in their personal life and service to others depends on their persistence in prayer. In Colossians
4:2 Paul says to “continue steadfastly in prayer.” This persistence in prayer should become a way of life for
Christians. In Acts 12 we see the power of group prayer, which led to Peter’s release from prison.
Some members may be concerned that they will not be able to converse with others on a level that will be
acceptable or that will impress. It is important for them to remember that witnessing is not about impressing
others. If they endure in prayer, the Holy Spirit will take full control of their lives and elevate their conversation
to the point that they will make sense to those with whom they are interacting (Col. 4:6).
Prayer Breakfast for Ex-Adventists
The Challenge:
In many communities there are as many former members of the church as there are current members. Some
desire to return to the faith but they do not feel that they will find acceptance.
Our Mandate:
To restore to the fellowship of the Seventh-day Adventist Church all former members and to nurture them to
live in readiness for Christ’s second advent (Rev. 2:4–5).
Initiative: A prayer breakfast for ex-Adventists
Objectives:
• To demonstrate the love of Christ to former members of the church and introduce them to a caring,
compassionate church that is praying for them.
• To assure ex-Adventists that prayer works and that the Lord is ready to work miracles for them.
• To provide a forum for the development of personal relationships be- tween current and former
members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Executing the Initiative:
1. Choose a team to be responsible for organizing and promoting the program.
2. Determine the method for obtaining resources to execute the initiative.
3. Select prayer counselors to lead the group discussions.
4. Every member is to invite at least one former member of the church and bring or accompany that individual
to the breakfast.
Suggested Format for Prayer Breakfast
Introduction—10 minutes
1. Call to order 2. Welcome
3. Song
4. Prayer
Food and fellowship—40 Minutes
1. Serve breakfast
2. Eat
3. Meet and greet attendees
Spiritual equipping—10 Minutes
1. Prayer tips
2. Biblical nugget
3. Experiences of answered prayer
4. Prayer challenge for the day (a prayer topic or issue to discuss)
Interactive session—15 Minutes
1. Divide into groups with prayer counselors
2. Discuss the prayer challenge within the group 3. Share personal prayer requests within the group
Prayer—8 Minutes
1. Pray in groups
2. Pray specifically for the requests that were shared
Closing—5 Minutes
1. Reassemble
2. Closing announcements and invitations 3. Closing song
4. Closing prayer
5. Prayer hug
6. Dismissal
Prayer and New Believers
Nurturing Your Personal Spiritual Life
Prayer
Endeavor to develop and intensify your personal prayer life. Talk to the Lord as frequently as possible every
day, and cultivate both a spirit and a habit of prayer. When you wake up each morning, make prayer your first
concern. You can pray wherever you are. You do not have to stand, kneel, or sit; you can pray to the Lord while
walking or lying down. You may assume different postures according to circumstances; however, kneeling is
one of the best ways to approach the Lord in prayer. It is good to demonstrate this attitude of humility as often
as possible while talking to God.
The community of the church provides opportunities for corporate prayer, and you should make these
opportunities a fundamental part of your prayer life. Your church may have special prayer groups that you may
join. You should also attend the weekly prayer meeting. In addition, the worship service on Sabbath is an
opportunity that you should anticipate for uniting with the entire church family in prayer.
Form for the Evangelistic Prayer Team
No. Name of Intercessors Duties of Intercessors Contact Information
1 Team Coordinator
2 Recording Secretary
3 Bible Reading Coordinator
4 Spirit of Prophecy Coordinator
5 Intercessor