Continuing the Spirit of the School of Prayer Through Prayer Groups

By the time of the fifth and sixth ses­sions of the school several are express­ing their desire that the study of prayer might continue for many more weeks. How thrilling it is to tell the good news that the blessings received can increase through the formation of prayer groups.

Jesus said, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gath­ered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:19, 20). Group praying is one of the privileges of Christian fellowship, and how important it is for believers to gather together for prayer and study!

The Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the result of the disciples' meet­ing "with one accord in one place" (Acts 2:1). If the church in our day were to take this teaching of our Lord about group praying as seriously as did the first Chris­tians, it would mean a new era of power and transformation.

The Spirit of Prophecy writings speak about fervent and agonizing prayer during the time of shaking. Read carefully Early Writings, pages 269, 270. In Testimonies, volume 7, page 195, we read: "Let small companies assemble in the evening, at noon, or in the early morning to study the Bible. Let them have a season of prayer, that they may be strengthened, enlight­ened, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This work Christ wants to have done in the heart of every worker. If you your­selves will open the door to receive it, a great blessing will come to you. . . . Let each tell his experience in simple words.

This will bring more comfort and joy to the soul than all the pleasant instruments of music that could be brought into the churches. Christ will come into your hearts."

How do these prayer groups get started? They are not the result of some careful organization or because of a deliberate program of the church. Rather, they are born because of the hunger, faith, and de­termination of concerned people, prompted by the leading of the Holy Spirit. They are spontaneous. It is surprising how much can be done through the concern of just one person. One woman felt a burning burden for the other Seventh-day Adventists in her neighborhood, so several women meet in a home at 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday after the children are sent to school. They are study­ing The Adventist Home. A dedicated doc­tor invited several other professional men to meet in the minister's study at the church each Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 A.M. An enthusiastic senior Missionary Volunteer asked a dozen other young people to meet in one of the rooms of the church on Tues­day evenings. The minister or church coun­cil did not organize these groups; they came into existence because of the concern of dedicated people.

What is the basic purpose and nature of the prayer and study groups? It might be summed up in the New Testament admoni­tion to "grow in grace, and in the knowl­edge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). This growth takes place by: (1) Self-understanding and self-accept­ance, (2) an understanding and accepting of other people, (3) a knowledge and un­derstanding of the Christian faith as given in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy writings, (4) knowing how to pray and com­municate with God, and (5) dedicating ourselves in love to the service of God and to our fellow men.

What is the make-up of the groups, and what do they do when they meet? Experi­ence has demonstrated that from twelve to fourteen persons should be the maxi­mum number for each group. As a mini­mum, four individuals could make a pro­ductive group. A certain amount of com­mon interest, background, experience, and need will be necessary if the group is to find bonds to unite in fellowship and prayer.

The length of meeting varies with time available—forty-five minutes at a break­fast hour to an hour and a half in the eve­ning is suggested. Regularity and punc­tuality are of great importance. Faithful­ness in attendance is the first commitment each member is asked to make.

It is important to keep the agenda sim­ple. The three areas of concern are: study, sharing, and prayer.

1. STUDY. Usually some portion of the Bible or a book of the Spirit of Prophecy, or some book of a practical devotional nature, is selected by the group. One of the finest books to use first is Steps to Christ. By taking one chapter a week, spir­itual nourishment and inspiration may be experienced for three months. It is impera­tive that all members of the group read and meditate upon the assigned chapter previous to each meeting. It is suggested that the materials be read slowly and care­fully, and that statements having particu­lar significance be underscored. It must be remembered that the learning and prepa­ration are done between the meetings.
2. SHARING. At the regular meetings of the prayer group the inspiration and in­sights received by the member during the daily quiet time of each day are shared by all. The vitality of the group's life to­gether depends upon the freedom, hon­esty, and depth with which members come to share their questions, problems, insights, and faith with one another. If the sharing is to be genuinely vital and creative, it must necessitate the members' speaking together of their own personal concerns, needs, and experiences. Everyone should participate but no one should dominate the group. It is important that all stay on the subject and that no one argue.
3. PRAYER. Prayer is an important part of each group. The meeting begins and ends with prayer. The more often the group meets together, the freer will be the prayer seasons. After the group has had its sharing session, then it ends with a season of prayer. The real source of spiritual growth is to be found in the daily habit of prayer on the part of each member. A prayer list is kept of specific requests. It is also a rule that every member remember each member of the group by name every day in his private devotions.

The function of the leader. Proper lead­ership is vital to the life of the group. The leader is to act as an overseer and handle the mechanical features of the meeting place. He is not to dominate the group by lecturing and preaching. He must not teach. This is the temptation of many who are accustomed to teachinc^, a Sabbath school class. The successful leader asks questions to stimulate the thinking and to encourage participation in the group.

The leader will guide the group's par­ticipation so it is really a shared leadership. He should encourage each member to be a participant. He must avoid answering questions. He will direct all questions to the group and let them answer or give opinions. It is better to have some poor opinions from ten, with discussion, than answers handed down with finality by a leader. However, at the end of the group meeting the leader will give a statement of summation and conclusion.

The leader should keep the discussion on the track. It should not stray too far afield. If the leader does not draw them back from tangent remarks, the group will often end up discussing peripheral mat­ters, abstract ideas, and personal differ­ences. Beware of those who wish to propa­gate theological hobbies!

The discipline of members. The life of the group meetings is dependent upon the personal discipline of each member. There must be some ground rules. Those we have used in our groups are:

1. Give priority to the daily devotions and to the weekly meetings of the group—give it priority, or give it up!
2. Spend not less than twenty minutes each day in reading, meditation, and prayer. This is best done alone and not with someone else.
3. Read the material assigned for the group so you and the group may have common ground for discussion.
4. Read slowly. Reread as often as nec­essary. Stop when you find a thought-pro­voking idea. Think it through and then pray about it.
5. Instead of applying to others what you read, apply it only to yourself. During the period, surrender your will and resent­ments to Christ.
6. Do not be discouraged by mood swings, periods when you seem to lose in­terest or have "dry spells." Even some of the finest Christians are faced with such periods.