Seminar Topics

The term “corporate prayer” is a common way of referring to praying with a group of other believers. If the Church is A House of Prayer for the Nations then the corporate prayer meeting is the engine room of the Church. However, many people stay away from corporate prayer because they have experienced it as lifeless or boring or because they feel awkward in such a setting. – In his book Fresh Encounters, Daniel Henderson says that private prayer and corporate prayer are like the right and left leg of prayer ministry. We need both of them. – Participants in this seminar will be presented with a pattern for corporate prayer that will serve to open the meeting to the life giving presence of the Spirit. Counsel will also be given on how to help the awkward or shy church member to be gladly present at the prayer meeting.

This is about Spiritual revival that is resulting in the transformation of cities, regions and even nations on a grand scale. Some of the content of this will always be changing because it truly is about what God is doing presently in the world. – Biblical examples of transformational revival will be cited. Some historic examples will also be cited. As a teaching tool, the Hemet segment of the Sentinel Group Transformations video/DVD (13 minutes) will be shown. Discussion will focus on what prevented city-wide revival and then what enabled that revival.

The reason the Son of Man came was to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8). We, who believe Christ Jesus, have been adopted to be God’s “Hweeoi” (sons). Jesus demonstrated what a son of God should be doing in this fallen world and then he commissioned us to do it. – In this session, we look in the Scripture to see the power and authority we have in Christ and, then, how to use that grace to do the same things Jesus did (John 14:12).

When we hear the voice of God, faith and confidence in prayer is aroused. Then we can pray with great effect; knowing we are at the bulls-eye of God’s will. Therefore, it is a good thing to be diligent to make certain our spiritual ears are hearing well.

Just about every person prays but few think of prayer as a ministry. In fact, prayer is one ministry that all believers are called to. – By examining scriptures on the topic and seeing some practical ways they have been applied and can be applied; participants in this seminar will be both challenged and encouraged.

Four separate presentations that may be done as a series or each topic may stand alone)

1. CALL TO HUMILITY

The call to humility is a call to unity in the Body of Christ. – This is a call to learn to live in harmony as instruments in God’s orchestra where God is the only director. The glory belongs to God, not to individuals, not to local congregations and not to any denomination or apostolic network. – This is about forgiving and blessing.

 

2. CALL TO PRAYER (The ministry of intercession)

Six principles of effective intercession are developed during this seminar. The first thing an effective intercessor will do is seek God. An effective intercessor will know and use the scriptures in prayer, will know who he or she is in Christ, will be wise to the spiritual battle, will faithfully use the gift of tongues if he or she has that gift and will seek holiness.

 

3. CALL TO SEEK GOD

Finding and knowing God precedes asking of God in prayer. Knowing about God can promote religion; Knowing God results in transformation. To find and know God we must seek God. – The beginning of seeking is knocking. – To seek God we need Sabbath time.

4. CALL TO REPENT

Before we can get anywhere in prayer we must deal with this dilemma: Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor his ear too dull to hear but your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:1-2). – Judgment begins with the family of God (I Peter 4:17). – We can learn a lesson from Esther; find out what pleases the King and do that thing. Dress for Him and order your life for Him. – When we recognize our wickedness there is a Biblically prescribed process we can follow to be cleansed and set free. This all leads to a God empowered transformation.

At least four hours are required for this

Everywhere Jesus went proclaiming the Kingdom, he healed the sick. For three years he modeled this style of ministry to his disciples and for three years he trained them to go and continue what he began. As part of their training the twelve were sent out to practice what they were learning and Jesus’ commission to them was to preach the Kingdom and heal the sick (Lk. 9:2). Later Jesus sent out seventy disciples with the same commission (Lk. 10:9). As Jesus was preparing to “pass the baton” for his ministry he told his disciples that anyone who has faith in him will do the same things he did (Jn. 14:12). Then, after his resurrection, he commissioned his disciples to go and make disciples throughout the nations and to teach them all that Jesus had taught (Mt. 28:19-20). As we read about the life of the early Church in the Book of Acts we can see that the first believers did, in fact, continue to do just as Jesus had done. – When Jesus said, “be healed” the healing came instantly. Why is healing not always instant for us today?  Once, however, Jesus had to give a blind man a second touch for the man to be completely healed; why? What about the “thorn’ in Paul’s flesh? – Healing is integral to Jesus’ evangelistic method; the method he taught and modeled. It was extremely effective. How can we get back to doing what Jesus modeled and taught?

Jesus referenced Isaiah and declared, My house will be a house of prayer for the nations. We will build this house of prayer by first putting in place a solid foundation made of daily yielding our lives to the Spirit. The basement [also foundational] is a daily one-on-one sabbath time with God. The first floor holds the rooms of prayer partners and small group prayer. The second floor is the grand room of corporate worship and prayer. The attic and room is where the special regional gatherings of many sorts are found. Every part of the house is important if we are to have a complete house but a solid house will begin with the priority of a good foundation and build up from there.

Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing….” (John 14:12). As we pay attention to Jesus we will see the importance of fasting, praying and listening to and watching the Father.

Jesus told a parable (Luke 18) to teach that we should always pray and not give up. On another occasion when a disciple asked Jesus to teach his disciples to Pray (Luke 11) Jesus told another parable to teach the importance of bold, persevering persistence in prayer. This seminar explores seven good reasons to persist in prayer

Scripture is full of teaching, commands and stories about money and wealth; its’ blessing and its’ pitfalls, proper use and misuse. Jesus taught extensively on money and wealth and Jesus only said what he heard the Father saying so this is clearly a topic for prayer. Scripture is a good guide regarding how we should pray.

A definition of prayer, forms prayer can take, level of commitment to prayer, the root of truly praying by faith and the elements of effective prayer in spiritual warfare are all covered in this introduction to the topic of Prayer.

Participants discover how to pray “on site with insight” during this time of teaching and learning. This experience of very practical teaching includes spending some time walking and praying on the streets of the community and then “debriefing” and discussing what was experienced. People who have participated in this workshop have always given it extraordinarily positive reviews on their evaluations forms.

Prayer comes alive when we enter into a two way conversation with God using His word to us in the scriptures. There are many prayers in scripture that we can make our own. Scripture is also filled with promises, prophetic teaching, facts and commands that can turn into prayers. This seminar explores some to the “nuts and bolts” of turning God’s word into prayer.

Scripture is very clear; incomparably great power is ours in Jesus Christ [Ephesians 1:19]. This seminar takes a look at what this power is for, some of the many avenues that we have for the utilization of this power and the key role of prayer in releasing the power.

This seminar expands on one of the elements in the “Jesus Our Model” seminar; fasting. – A spiritual fast is: To deny one or more desire(s) of the soul or body in order to strengthen the spirit over them. Based on this definition, methods of fasting and reasons for fasting are explored.

It is always important to wait on God’s time in all things. But sometimes God is more ready to move than we are to believe he will move in response to our requests. In the Psalms the word “Quickly” shows up frequently in Spirit-led prayers in urgent situations. “Quickly” prayers; urgent prayers, that God wants to hear and answer, tend to find power in times of desperation.

In the beginning, God made a “very good” creation. It is not very good anymore. Since the Fall, God has revealed His will and plan to transform all of creation. Scripture reveals this design of God in a number of places. As participants are led through God’s revelation regarding His vision for a transformed world, strategies and direction for prayer ministry emerge.

This is designed to help the participants do battle with doubt, unbelief and double-mindedness so they can pray with confidence and great positive effect.