School of
Prayer
Meets Sunday mornings at 9 AM
in the Library
in the Library
School of
At WCC, we wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer. Knowing this and living it out, Pastor Tim started a prayer group at WCC called School of Prayer, our Mission Spotlight for this week! Part of Pastor Tim's mission in leading this prayer group is to teach others how to pray. He believes the best way to learn to pray is...well...PRAY!
How did the small group, School of Prayer, get started?
If I remember correctly, having a prayer meeting goes all the way back to my beginning days at the church; so roughly 25 years. Most of the time the group has met at its current time on Wednesday evening at 7 PM, although we did have a season of time where we met on Saturday morning. There have also been a few short seasons where we didn't meet for prayer. With our recent emphasis at the church on naming our small groups, the more generic "prayer meeting" was changed to School of Prayer to reflect the belief that we learn to pray by praying.
How would you describe the culture of the School of Prayer small group?
The School of Prayer is relaxed and welcoming to everyone, regardless of his or her experience (or lack thereof!) with prayer. We learn to pray by praying, especially when we pray with others, so each person that comes is a valuable asset to the group! There is no pressure whatsoever for anyone to pray aloud, and there have been many times when people have come and prayed silently in agreement with the prayers that are spoken.
What would you say to someone who does not really know how to pray?
My conviction is that we learn to pray by praying, and this is accelerated as we pray in the company of others. Remember the first time you rode a bike? It probably didn't go perfectly. There was a learning curve and perhaps moments of apprehension. This is also true of learning to pray with others, yet like riding a bike, the reward is well worth it!
What does your personal prayer routine look like?
There are two primary patterns that I engage in for prayer. The first is to use the Lord's Prayer as a model, where I pray for each petition of the prayer to be realized in my life, in the life of the church, and in our world. The second is to pray through the Bible. Just recently, I finished reading through the Bible and made the decision to pray through the Bible as I read this time around.
How has prayer changed your life and your relationship with Jesus Christ?
Prayer, along with the Bible, has been the foundation in my life for growing in a relationship with Christ. This growth has been accelerated by regular prayer with others. We tend to think of the spiritual disciplines such as prayer as "something I do alone" in my walk with Christ, but this is a very individualistic way of looking at the spiritual disciplines. A more Jewish (and biblical) view is to see the spiritual disciplines as habits practiced in community with other believers. In my life, this has made a world of difference!
How did the small group, School of Prayer, get started?
If I remember correctly, having a prayer meeting goes all the way back to my beginning days at the church; so roughly 25 years. Most of the time the group has met at its current time on Wednesday evening at 7 PM, although we did have a season of time where we met on Saturday morning. There have also been a few short seasons where we didn't meet for prayer. With our recent emphasis at the church on naming our small groups, the more generic "prayer meeting" was changed to School of Prayer to reflect the belief that we learn to pray by praying.
How would you describe the culture of the School of Prayer small group?
The School of Prayer is relaxed and welcoming to everyone, regardless of his or her experience (or lack thereof!) with prayer. We learn to pray by praying, especially when we pray with others, so each person that comes is a valuable asset to the group! There is no pressure whatsoever for anyone to pray aloud, and there have been many times when people have come and prayed silently in agreement with the prayers that are spoken.
What would you say to someone who does not really know how to pray?
My conviction is that we learn to pray by praying, and this is accelerated as we pray in the company of others. Remember the first time you rode a bike? It probably didn't go perfectly. There was a learning curve and perhaps moments of apprehension. This is also true of learning to pray with others, yet like riding a bike, the reward is well worth it!
What does your personal prayer routine look like?
There are two primary patterns that I engage in for prayer. The first is to use the Lord's Prayer as a model, where I pray for each petition of the prayer to be realized in my life, in the life of the church, and in our world. The second is to pray through the Bible. Just recently, I finished reading through the Bible and made the decision to pray through the Bible as I read this time around.
How has prayer changed your life and your relationship with Jesus Christ?
Prayer, along with the Bible, has been the foundation in my life for growing in a relationship with Christ. This growth has been accelerated by regular prayer with others. We tend to think of the spiritual disciplines such as prayer as "something I do alone" in my walk with Christ, but this is a very individualistic way of looking at the spiritual disciplines. A more Jewish (and biblical) view is to see the spiritual disciplines as habits practiced in community with other believers. In my life, this has made a world of difference!