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SBC Life Articles

One in a Million


Empowering Kingdom Growth (EKG) is an initiative that inspires Southern Baptists to renew their passion for the Lord Jesus. It invites individuals to recognize the authority of His Kingdom in their hearts, families, and churches, and to join God's work through holy living, sacrificial service, and global witness.

EKG is not a denominational program. Rather, it is an appeal to individuals and churches to engage in spiritual renewal and Kingdom consciousness. Just as a medical EKG measures the health of the human heart, we hope EKG will help Southern Baptists measure the health of their spiritual hearts.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matt. 6:33, KJV).

Empowering Kingdom Growth and A Great Commission Prayer Ministry

In Matthew 6:9-10, Jesus commands His followers to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Prayer is central to His teaching on how the Kingdom of God advances through the ages.

Thus, this passage demonstrates that if congregations are to be instruments of the Kingdom to a lost and dying world, prayer must be foundational to the body and all of its activity.

A Great Commission Prayer Ministry is a Bible-based prayer strategy that assists churches as they seek to empower Kingdom growth in their world.

Empowering Kingdom Growth through One in a Million Prayer

Because prayer is the foundation upon which all things spiritual are accomplished, the One in a Million prayer initiative is a vital part of moving the Empowering Kingdom Growth emphasis from something hoped for — to something real and vibrant in the lives of God's people.

In 2003, the One in a Million emphasis is upon the personal prayer life of the individual. In 2004, the emphasis on personal repentance and revival will continue, but it will also include encouraging churches to pray for other churches — specifically for corporate revival, spiritual health, and total body growth. Hopefully, this practice of inter-church intercession will encourage lasting prayer-centered relationships. This individual and church revival praying is crucial to the worldwide evangelistic emphasis of 2005 and beyond. As believers and whole congregations experience personal renewal, they will truly experience empowered Kingdom growth.

As a part of the One In A Million prayer effort, a Web site supporting inter-church intercession will soon be accessible via EKG, NAMB, SBC, and other related Web sites. In this church prayer phase, prayer coordinators, individual intercessors, prayer group members, and volunteers will be enlisted to pray for one specific church per week. Those committed to pray will access prayer requests from those churches either via the Internet, or by phone with assistance from prayer coordinators with Internet access.

Intercessors will also contact the churches they are partnering with in advance, encouraging them to submit specific prayer requests to ChurchSearch — a new administrative tool at www.sbc.net. Using these and other tools, volunteers can then pray specifically for revival, spiritual health, and total body growth for every church in the SBC (over 43,000).

Hopefully, this initiative will lead intercessors and churches toward lasting prayer, partnerships, and shared ministry opportunities. Specific details concerning the Churches Praying for Churches phase will be communicated through SBC LIFE, Baptist Press, NAMB publications, and through partner networks.

Great Commission and On Our Knees Prayer Conferences and Training

Great Commission Prayer Conferences are scheduled by your state convention evangelism leadership in partnership with the Prayer Evangelism Unit of the North American Mission Board. IMB, LifeWay, and WMU also partner in each conference. The conferences are designed to assist churches with the training and resources needed to develop a comprehensive prayer ministry for applying the Great Commission. Contact your state convention for more information.

The two national On Our Knees: Drawing Closer to God conferences are scheduled under the leadership of the Pastoral Ministries Specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources. They are designed to strengthen and deepen your congregation's prayer life individually and corporately while helping your leaders understand how to lead God's people effectively in prayer. Half of the conference tracks offered address areas for your personal prayer life. The other half of the tracks is designed for leaders to know how to lead God's people in prayer. Whether you come for your personal benefit or for practical help in your church's prayer ministry, there is something for you.

Keynote speakers give encouragement, teaching, and challenges. Breakout conferences allow you to choose from options for your special interest. Conference speakers include specialists in prayer from IMB, NAMB, and WMU.

The IMB International Prayer Strategy Office also conducts various training events. Contact them for details or to arrange a training event.

The Christian Growth Study Plan offers training for prayer coordinators and prayer leaders. For more information, course options, and forms, visit www.lifeway.com/cgsp or call 1-800-968-5519. Contact your state evangelism leader or prayer coordinator to request other local prayer training options. Visit www.namb.net/prayer for information and a list of Great Commission Prayer Conferences and www.lifeway.com for On Our Knees conferences.

Excerpted from Great Commission Prayer Ministry: Empowering Kingdom Growth Through Prayer by the North American Mission Board.

 


 

For more information about the One in a Million prayer strategy through the North American Mission Board, go to www.namb.net/evangelism/dev/Prayer/

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