Do you have a special meeting where you are calling on God to bring revival or renewal to your church? If not – it might be time to start one. This may start with just you, or you and one or two friends who share your vision or concern.

Why does a church need a meeting dedicated to revival? What is wrong with just praying for revival at the normally mid-week prayer meeting? Well – nothing really – it is just that while Mrs Jones dose need her bunions brought before the Lord and while Mr Smith with is struggling with his back and will greatly appreciate the Lord’s blessing in him. I believe that it is good to give undivided concentrated prayer on this subject.

So how do you start a prayer meeting calling for revival?

1. If you are not the Pastor or leaders of your church – talk your ideas over with him.

2. If you are the Pastor or leader of your church – share your vision with your leadership team.

3. Now just do it – get it started.

   It is very unlikely that it will be any easier or more acceptable in three, six or even 12 month time. So now will do just fine. You just need to find:

   1. Time

      When will you meet? When ever it is – try not to have anything that happens next, i.e. try not to meet before another church meeting. You do not want to have the Spirit of God move on you for prayer and then have someone turn up and say, “we need this room in ten minuets”.

   2. Venue

      I suggest the church hall, at least some of the time, if this is convenient.

      I think it is important to at the church, may be even in the sanctuary, (if you call it that), the main church room, or for that matter the room at the school or wherever you normally meet. Seeking God to fill it, seeking God to bring people in, seeking God to be greatly glorified HERE.

      But people have meet in all manner of places. The Smith sisters who where in at the beginning of the Hebridean revival, knelt by their small peat fire, others meet in a small barn, Moses when out of the camp the the tent of meeting or up a hill. You home, a hill overlooking you town, anywhere can used to meet and pray and can become that hallowed place of meeting with God.

   3. Format

      I suggest mostly pray, but some short praise and teaching

      What should be fort against is the tenancy for a prayer meeting to become a service with a bit of prayer. If every hour of the meeting is not at least 50mins of prayer, you might be spending too much time on non-prayer things.

   4. Who is it open to?

      1. Everyone who wants to pray, and pray their butts off.

         All the church, Pastor , leadership, members and attendees.

      2. Friends from other churches who also want God to bless your town in a mighty way.

         Don’t stretch this too far – but anyone who is a genuine born again believer in Jesus Christ should be welcome to join you in prayer.

      3. Only those who really want to pray for revival.

         This is one of those meetings we give people permission not to come to. You can invite people to come – but do not persuade that to come. It is better to meet with a few people with a heart to pour themselves out to God for revival, than to have the grumblers and complainers who are going to pure cold water on the prayer, worrying about the time or how much prayer we are doing or… you get the picture.

      4. Those of faith.

         If Mr Brown says “God will never send revival to this church – but I have nothing better to do so I’ll be there”… Find him something better to do.

   Have you started it yet? Why not? What is the worst that can happen?

   Go on – pray a little!