Thoughts for Life: #36 Intercession Improves Ministry

C. Peter Wagner, from his book, PRAYER SHIELD, tells us "It is not a simple matter to conduct the type of research that proves or disproves the power of prayer.

However, Nancy Pfaff, an intercessor, church growth consultant and founder of Nevada Church growth has attempted it. (Google image, Pastors pray)
She designed a research instrument as a project in graduate school and surveyed 130 pastors, evangelists and missionaries.

Intercessors trained through Iverna Tompkins Ministries of Scottsdale, Arizona, agreed to pray 15 minutes a day for one of the 130 leaders over an entire year.

About 89 percent of those surveyed indicated that the prayer had caused a positive change in their ministry effectiveness.

They reported more effectiveness in the use of their particular spiritual gifts, a higher level of positive response to their ministry, more discernment and wisdom from God, increased wholeness and completeness in Christ, improved attitudes, more evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, better personal prayer lives and heightened leadership skills.

Pfaff's research also uncovered some important variables.

She found that daily prayer for leaders was more effective than weekly or monthly prayer.

Also, persistent prayer was shown to be important.

She reports, 'Where intercessors stopped praying for their assigned leader after a few weeks, the leaders indicated no significant positive change in their lives and ministries during that year.'

Intercession also seems to help church growth.

Nancy Pfaff found that of 109 pastors covered by intercessory prayer, 60 percent indicate concomitant growth of their churches.

A pastor from Pennsylvania testifies, for example, that in the 12-month prayer experiment period his church grew from 15 to more than 600.

No wonder Pfaff says, 'There exists a tremendous reservoir of untapped prayer power in every church which can be affirmed, trained, and deployed to see the lost won, the apathetic revived, the 'backslider' restored, and the committed made more effective.

Pastors and other Christian leaders are needy people. But they are God's chosen ones to move His Kingdom forward. Faithful and intelligent intercession can release them to be all God wants them to be."

#36 Intercession Improves Ministry ,the original posting, August 5, 2018

Let's pray-

Father, we know that it is not a simple matter to conduct research that proves or disproves the power of prayer. But when pastors are inventoried, as to the effect of their ministries who have intercessors, there are increased spiritual gifts, a higher level of positive response to their ministry, more discernment and wisdom from God, increased wholeness and completeness in Christ, improved attitudes, more evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, better personal prayer lives and heightened leadership skills.

It is reported that daily prayers for leaders were more effective than weekly or monthly prayer. When intercessors stop prayinig for their leaders after a few weeks, the leaders indicated no significant positive changes in their lives and ministries during that year. Intercession also seems to help church growth.

There exists a tremendous reservoir of untapped prayer power in every church which can be affirmed, trained, and deployed to see the lost won, the apathetic revived, the 'backslider' restored, and the committed made more effective.

Pastors and other Christian leaders are needy people. They are God's chosen ones to move His Kingdom forward. Faithful and intelligent intercession can release them to be all God wants them to be.

May we acknowledge our responsibility to support our church leaders with intercession! We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen

666-670 one-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

666- Ps. 16:5 "The LORD is the portion of mine inheritence and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."

667- Job 33:4 "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almlighty hath given me life."

668- Ps. 20:4 "Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel."

669- Is. 65:24 "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

670- Is. 45:2 "I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron."

Quote and prayer for today-

- Sharon Jaynes- "Every redemptive story, like a raw seed, cannot realize its potential until it is planted in the heart of another human being. And a plant born of a seed will become a plant that bears more seeds. Make no mistake about it. Your story matters. . .

So, don’t hide your story. Own it! Tell it! Rejoice in it! Realize that no matter what has happened in your life, your lows, your disappointments, and your struggles can be the most compelling parts of your story. People will rally around you, and you will find love and connection in the process. If you are willing, your wounds can become the source of your greatest strengths.

Father, thank You for giving me a new ending to my story. I pray You will give me opportunities to tell others what You’ve done for me, and that I won’t hold anything back. In Jesus’ Name, Amen." [Taken from Sharon's post, Why Your Story Matters.]

Words of wisdom from Samuel Chadwick- (1860-1932):

"There is no doubt that the one thing needful for the church is the blessing of Pentecostal fullness (Isa. 44:3). The flood would sweep away all the rubbish, fill all the dikes, and fertilize all the desert. The work of God cannot be accomplished without the fullness of the Spirit, and everywhere God waits to give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him (John 7:37-39; Luke 11:1-13).

Today's chosen post-

Still In God's Hands

Randy Kilgore shares the words of a friend..."My boy is still in God’s hands.’"

“During my first year of seminary, I listened as a new friend described her life.

Abandoned by her husband, she was raising two small children alone. . . "

5 Things About Palm Sunday that Remind Us Christ Is King

* If you're looking for help to receive the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, my link to Billy Graham's information is: Prayer for Salvation

Upcoming posts:

16th- Pray With All Kinds Of Prayer

Alvin Vandergriend

23rd- #54 You Will Be Accountable for Your Prayer Life

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

30th- Prayers of Thanksgiving from A to Z

Alven Vandergriend

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

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