Our Philosophy.........
Praying Parents is an inclusive Christian organization. Ecumenical in nature, we believe our need to see God's presence, provision and protection realized in our families is something we all share.
With 38,000 Christian denominations globally, believers clearly have differences of opinion. Yet one thing all agree on is the importance of prayer. A felt need for millennia, given the growing specter of crises on a local and global scale, there's no time like the present to gather together to seek God and ask His blessing.
The question arises how best to do so. At this point so few attend regularly scheduled prayer meetings that anything would be an improvement. Yet if we hope to break through to God in extraordinary ways perhaps more than an ordinary effort is required.
Thankfully we have good reason to hope that the Lord cares deeply for us and in ready to hear and answer our prayers, particularly those for our loved ones. Both Old and New Testament place a high priority on the physical and spiritual health and well being of families. Scriptures abound addressing God's promises of guidance and encouragement as well as explaining His directives and deliverance.
Praying Parents wants to make asking for and receiving God's blessing as easy and enjoyable as possible. With this in mind the following basic considerations may be helpful:
- Accommodating schedules: When and how often to meet may be a deal breaker these days. Friday and Saturday nights are popular given many have the following day off. After dinner meetings that start around seven-ish can be accommodating and still leave plenty of time for fellowship and lengthy prayer.
- Homogeneity: Sharing common goals and interest is helpful in developing groups. As a niche ministry, Praying Parents fits the bill nicely. Inviting friends to attend and encouraging them to continue to do so adds an important aspect of relationship building into the prayer group.
- Common beliefs: Most Christians share core beliefs including the centrality of prayer. While styles of prayer vary scripture explains that "the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet." It's both Biblical and common for believers to set aside slight differences they may have for the sake of unity. Should doctrine and practice prove challenging, we recommend smaller groups were members feel comfortable with one another's style of prayer.
- Welcoming atmosphere: Hospitality's an important aspect of both human nature and our faith. A little effort to make participants feel at home paves the way for relaxing in the Lord's presence and forming lasting relationships.
- Format: Casual leadership from the organizer or host helps facilitate the flow of smooth transitions during the meeting from fellowship and support to reading scripture and prayer.
- Logistics: Selecting a central location's a plus particularly when traffic's an issue. Home meetings can also provide a friendly comfortable atmosphere and encourage relationship building.
More On Prayer
For an in depth study of prayer and information on various ways to pray as individuals and groups please click here to view our page on prayer on our companion site GodBlog.net where you'll find hundreds of articles and hours of audios on this and other vital subjects.