I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:6
As disciples, disciple-makers, goers, and team leaders, abiding is central to who we are and what we do. Often as team leaders and movement practitioners, we feel such urgency to train and coach teammates or national partners in areas of ministry. There are so many paradigms, principles, and tools to learn! But I find myself falling into the pitfall that I so often coach others to be wary of – focusing my time, thoughts, and energy on helping my team do the ministry effectively much more than helping them to abide deeply.
For each time we gather as a team or with our national partners, how many hours are spent on ministry reports, training, and discussion versus talking about what we’re learning from Jesus, praying together, or looking to experience him together?
It’s a reminder I need frequently: I’m called to shepherd the flock, not just make them effective cogs in the ministry machine.
Jenn and I tried, perhaps not always very well, to balance our team meetings between ministry coordination, movement training, and prayer / abiding. We would set aside times just to focus on corporate prayer and worship, or set an hour aside to have listening prayer. Those times were rich and valuable as individuals and as a team.
But at times, just straight up praying together can be repetitive. We wanted to think of fresh ways to help our team, and ourselves, interact with God and experience him. Especially when we had team retreats and could get away from our normal rhythms for a few days, we wanted to create space to be with God in new and creative ways.
Red Moon Rising and 24 Hour Prayer
When I was a teenager in the youth group, our youth pastor Josh and his wife Char who had brought us to Thailand for the first time, gave me a book called Red Moon Rising. It was a book about the Moravians, who started a 24/7 prayer movement that lasted over a hundred years. From that, there was significant spiritual revival and passion for global missions; this small community of 300 people sent hundreds of missionaries around the world during that era of 24/7 prayer.
Compelled by the book, I coordinated a 24 hour prayer retreat with our youth group. Somehow, we got a bunch of teenagers to pray individually and corporately for 24 hours straight. We also thought of various activities that people could interact with in prayer apart from just sitting silently alone or praying corporately. We set up a prayer room with different interactive stations and scheduled prayer times for 24 hours. Stepping into that room, you could feel the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit residing there from all the earnest prayers of the people in our youth group.
It was one of the richest spiritual experiences I’d had in my early life, and the influence from our mentors, Josh and Char, on the importance of prayer has stuck with us to this day.
Prayer Stations
Fast forward a decade and we are now leading our team in Thailand. With our experience as teenagers in that 24 hour prayer retreat, we wanted to set up a space for our team to pray and abide in a fresh way at our team retreat.
So Jenn and I cobbled together a few materials, lit a few candles, and created a prayer room with interactive stations. 10 years later, I barely remember what we talked about in the ministry planning parts. But I remember these prayer stations. It was a rich time for us to corporately and individually meet with God and be refreshed.
This past year, we facilitated an Abide Retreat for our national church-planting partners. Our leadership team realized that we have been on the edge of multiplication breakthrough for a while now, and we needed to focus on prayer and abiding and desperately pleading to the Lord for Him to move, not just more training.
One part of our abide retreat was creating space for the church planting leaders to spend time with God individually. We translated the packet we use for our monthly Day of Prayer and Evaluation (DOPE) which simply is a guide for spending time with God for a whole day – worship, Word, prayer, intercession, listening, repentance, evaluation, and planning.
The next part involved setting up a prayer room with interactive stations – the same ones we did with our team at our team retreat 10 years before. We weren’t sure how some of it would convey across another culture, but tried our best to simplify the stations and prayed like crazy for the Holy Spirit to move.
Talking With Her Father
One of the church planters brought a new disciple named Eve to the retreat. It was her first time praying for an extended amount of time. Eve comes from a broken family – her dad left her family when she was very young.
After the retreat, Jenn asked her how her experience was. Eve said, “I felt like I was safe, and that I could talk with God as my Father.” At that time, she said she had been feeling guilty about not spending enough time with God. But as she spent time with God in the prayer room, she felt loved and accepted. She realized that God our Father is not the same as her earthly father, and she wants to get to know Him more.
Prayer Stations Guide
Below is a guide for how you can facilitate these prayer stations for your team, your national partners, or really any groups of believers. We tried to have the participants engage several different senses – sight, touch, taste, sound – throughout the stations.
It includes some suggestions for how you can prepare the room to invite the presence of the Holy Spirit, as well as each station’s instructions to print out. There is a PDF version of the guide at the bottom of the post that includes some example pictures of the stations.
We hope these prayer stations will allow you as a leader to help shepherd your team further into the presence of our Savior Jesus, and be refreshed by experiencing him more deeply!
Prayer Stations Tool
The goal of these prayer stations is for people to interact with God in different methods of reflection and prayer, using different senses including touch, taste, and sound.
Instructions
- The prayer stations should be done individually, although multiple people can be in the room at the same time. Stagger the start time by 30 minutes so that each station is not too crowded.
- Inform the people going through the stations that the total time should take anywhere from 1-2 hours, but they are allowed to take it at their own pace and should spend time thoughtfully at each station.
Preparation
- Print 2 copies of each station’s instructions below.
- Prepare a medium-sized room with 5 distinct areas. You can set it up on the ground or with tables and chairs.
- Make sure the room can be mostly dark with some dim lighting. (A few strings of twinkle lights can help.)
- Set up a portable speaker with instrumental worship music in the background that can be going on throughout the time that the room is being used.
- Prepare for each station along with the print-out of instructions:
- Station 1: a small box that people can put their phone in for the duration
- Station 2: blank sheets of paper and pens
- Station 3: a bowl of salt and a bowl of water big enough to put your hands into. Also a towel or paper towels to dry your hands after.
- Station 4: a music player with headphones and the song you’ve prepared about the gospel; communion elements (bread or crackers + juice)
- Station 5: small pieces of paper, pens, and (if possible) golden bowls/plates to place the prayers in
- Set up the room with the 5 stations
- Pray for God’s presence to enter the room and that people would meet with Him and hear from Him!
STATION 1: PREPARING YOUR HEARTS
Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
-Exodus 33:7, 9, 11
Like Moses, you are about to enter into a tent of meeting. Expect to meet with God and talk to him like a friend.
Before you move on, take 5-10 minutes to prepare your heart for this time. Ask God to remove any distractions, stressful feelings, or burdens so that you can focus on hearing from God. Ask him to speak specifically to you.
Take off your shoes, put your phone on silent, and drop your phone into the basket.
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
– Exodus 3:5
STATION 2: BELIEVING GOD’S PROMISES
God has called us to a great mission to make disciples of all nations. But at times it can be very difficult. Disciple makers face many challenges and trials.
But God does not leave us to do this task by ourselves. He is with us. And He has given us many promises to remind us of His presence and help.
Here are 10 promises of God’s presence. Read the verses and reflect on the promises:
Genesis 28:13-17 – Promises for God’s presence and faithfulness
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Joshua 1:1-9 – Promises for victory and courage
[3] Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. [9]Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Isaiah 41:10-13 – Promises for strength and protection
[10] fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. [11] Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. [12] You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. [13] For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Jeremiah 29:10-14 – Promises for a good future and restoration
[11] For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. [13] You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. [14] I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes.
Psalm 23:4 – Promises for protection and comfort
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Promises for forgiveness and healing
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Deuteronomy 28:1-6 – Promises for blessing and provision
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
John 15:5 – Promises for abiding and fruitfulness
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
1 Peter 1:3-7 – Promises for hope, salvation, sanctification
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, [7] so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 11:28-30 – Promises for rest and light burden
[28] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Acts 18:9–10 – Promises for protection and new believers
[9] “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, [10] for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” (ESV)
John 14:2-3 – Promises for salvation and future hope in heaven
In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
- Which promises impacted you? Write these down. Consider how God has been faithful to these promises to you this year. Give Him thanks for this!
- Which promises seem difficult to believe? Write these down. Ask God to clearly do as He has promised and for the faith to believe that He will do these things.
- Pray that He would use you to fulfill these promises in other people’s lives, to make disciples and multiply.
STATION 3: SURRENDERING FEARS – TRUSTING IN THE LORD
Jeremiah 17 compares two very different environments, the parched salt land and the tree planted by water.
Thus says the Lord:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord.
He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
These two environments illustrate two kinds of people – those that trust in themselves, and those that trust in the Lord.
Where in your life have you been trusting in yourself? Ask the Lord to reveal any self-reliance, any fears, any anxiety, any sin that your heart is clutching to instead of Him. With every part that your heart is “turned away from the LORD,” confess that to him and place a pinch of salt in your hand.
As you hold the salt, feel the weight, the coarseness, the parched nature of the grains.
Read the second part again:
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Take the salt, and drop it into the water basin. Wash your hands of the salt, and feel the coolness of the water clean your hands.
Thank Him for the stream of living water that is given to us in Jesus. Pray and ask the Lord for perseverance and endurance in times of heat and drought. Praise Him for the promise to never ceasing to bear fruit!
STATION 4: THE NAME OF JESUS
Put on the headphones and listen to the song, What A Beautiful Name [link to the song in the local language].
As you listen to the lyrics, worship Jesus for what he has done on the Cross to purchase you and deliver you from the power of death!
Take the next few minutes to remind yourself of the gospel and to fix your eyes on Jesus. Remember your story and how he saved you.
What has Jesus done for you? What was the cost of purchasing your sin?
How has your life changed? What kind of power has Jesus given you?
What is your hope now placed in?
Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Tear the bread, and dip it in the cup. As you take communion, revisit the last verse of the hymn. Remember the power of the new life that Christ has purchased for you! This is the God who is with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast, of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring, the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again
You have no rival, You have no equal
Now and forever, Our God reigns
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name, above all names
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ, my King
STATION 5: HOPE IN AN ASSURED VICTORY
All of our work, perseverance, sanctification, and suffering is leading to a final moment in history where we will experience the fullness of freedom and victory – when Jesus returns. No more sin, no more sorrow; we will see him face to face.
Revelation 5 and Revelation 8 tell us that the prayers of the saints play a part in bringing about the return of Jesus, and that it’s connected to all nations being around the throne.
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Matthew 24 says that when the gospel is preached to the whole world, then the end will come – Jesus will return and make all things new. This is our ultimate hope – that what we do and what we pray for in our country would hasten the return of Jesus!
Matthew 24:14:
[14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Write down big prayers for every tribe, tongue, and nation – whether it be for your region, for your country, or the rest of the world. Fill the bowls with your prayers to see God worshipped and Jesus return! Plead to God that Jesus would come quickly!