The Fellowship--Prayer

This is an edited excerpt from an email I sent out to a specific group of people, essentially kicking off our youth/college-aged ministry. We'll see where God is taking us!

As you may or may not know, I have a great passion to serve the College age and youth. I have been in this area (both in the secular and in ministry for the past 10 years, which does not include my own studies at CEGEP and university).

Also for the last two months, Cindy and I have started a cell with this age category in mind (about 18-25)... And I think it has been going very well. However, I know that this is not the final "product" (if I may use that term) of the college/youth ministry.

I don't know what is... It may revolve around some business ideas I have... Or it may revolve around some more traditional idea of a youth ministry. However, I do believe that worship will be involved greatly, as well as some form of 24/7 prayer.

Having said all this, why the email? Well, for any work of God, prayer must be its driving force. And in fact, often before any work of God is birth, it is through prayer that it is born. So I am calling a weekly morning prayer meeting.

I feel strongly that the prayer meeting needs to be a morning prayer meeting. This is going to require sacrifice. If for some of you this cuts too close to work, we can move it earlier (say 6:00 or 6:30am). But for the time being, I feel we need to stay away from the evening/night prayer meeting... That's "too easy" for this age group... Though I am not saying we may not have some all night prayer before the summer is over. :)

Ultimately, I am asking each one of you to go to God prayerfully, and find out if this is something He wants you to be a part of. And if it is, then be quick to obey. These morning prayers will help set the foundation for this ministry... A foundation of prayer, self-sacrifice, servanthood, faithfulness, love, and obedience.

I would just ask everyone to reply back to me... Let me know if you are interested, if this ministry is something that burns on your heart, if you feel called to this age group, or if none of this appeals to you.

I really want the next two months or so of prayer to help us establish a strong vision for this ministry, which will overflow onto the campuses, into the new neighbourhood our church is moving to and into our own congregation.

God bless you all.

Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat--I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. - Luke 9:23-24 (the Message)

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. - Luke 9:23-24 (NKJV)