"Pray Now, Pray Later"
Sunday school classes can sometimes be long on prayer requests and short on faithfully praying. Largo (Florida) Church of the Nazarene makes sure the requests are prayed for right away, and also has a unique way of reminding people to continue praying. During the pastoral prayer each Sunday, worshipers are invited to come to the altar to pray for special requests. Pastor Earle Hollett also specifically invites people who've promised to pray for someone else's request. "I remind them that they may forget their promise," says Hollett. "Here's an opportunity to make sure they remember the person who's asked them to pray." Each Sunday 12 to 30 people will kneel at the altar. But the concern for prayer doesn't stop on Sunday morning. Members also use a "carry out" service for requests. In each Sunday school class, FBI cards (Faith's Bureau of Intercession) are distributed. These three-by-five cards have printed spaces where "The 10 Most Wanted" prayer requests can be written down. Members can jot down requests and tuck them into a billfold or purse as a constant reminder. "Once a month in the midweek service, we have a sharing time when we go over the answered requests from the cards," says Hollett. "In die past nine months, our attendance has grown 31 percent, and we've experienced the best revival in the church's history," the pastor says. "All the credit goes to the new prayer emphasis."
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