Crossroads Baptist Church, Tracy, California, kicked off its Season of Prayer January 11, when church members signed up to pray for 30 minutes each Saturday for the next six weeks.
Marty Basinger of Baptist Church Planters preached that Sunday “on the necessity and power of prayer,” says Tim Heinrich, pastor of Crossroads Baptist. “In response, our church committed to six consecutive Saturdays dedicated to focused, intentional prayer.”
In the 30-minute prayer slots, each participant can pray alone or in a small group. The 30 minutes are structured to guide and deepen participants’ time with God:
- First 10 minutes—Prayer focuses on adoration and praise, thanksgiving, and confession.
- Second 10 minutes—Prayer centers on what is critical to God in the lives of the participants, their families, and other believers.
- Final 10 minutes—Prayer is directed toward the needs of Crossroads Baptist Church.
Each person also prays for the individual or family who prayed before them and for the one who will follow them, “creating an unbroken chain of prayer throughout the day,” Tim says.
Marty Basinger of Baptist Church Planters speaks on prayer at Fairway Park Baptist, Hayward, Calif.
Participants can read provided Scriptures to prompt and guide their prayers, and they are encouraged to keep a prayer journal to record what God is doing during this season.
“The church has been challenged to expect spiritual opposition, since we are actively engaging in spiritual warfare,” Tim says. “At the same time, we are reminded of the great blessings that flow from this commitment: God will use this season to soften hearts, increase spiritual responsiveness, and draw people to His truth.”
On the following Sunday, Marty Basinger spoke at Fairway Park Baptist Church, Hayward, California, introducing the six-week Season of Prayer that the church will also be undertaking.
Charles Eldred, pastor of Fairway Park Baptist Church, says, “We are praying specifically for God to build His church through adding new families, training new leaders, and developing future pastors for churches here in California.”
