Disciple Fall 2012

PraYEr

How to Pray for a DiscipleNations in Exchange for Your LifeThe Power of Intercessory Prayer

fall 2012

An invitation to a more intimate relationship with Jesus

a publication of

2 | d isciple! | fall 2012

Prayer: Part of a

disciple’s dNAust how important is prayer to the

life of a disciple of Jesus?

As followers of Jesus, we talk a lot about

prayer. As a matter of fact, if you search ama-

zon.com for books on prayer, you’ll find more

than 80,000 options—an indication that a lot of

people consider prayer important.

Of course the Bible has a thing or two to say

about prayer. Prayer—in one form or another—

is mentioned more than 500 times throughout

Scripture. Jesus modeled prayer—both privately

and publicly. It was something He practiced

before making major decisions (such as before

selecting His disciples) and when He faced the

most monumental challenge of his ministry (His

death by crucifixion).

Jesus also repeatedly taught His disciples how

to pray. He used parables, and personal example,

in addition to giving them the model of what

we’ve come to call “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Both the Old Testament and the New Testa-

ment feature the prayers of people we consider

heroes of the faith: David, Moses, Abraham, Pe-

ter, and Paul. We have recorded examples—not

just that they prayed, but what they prayed.

And yet, prayer is perhaps the one spiritual

discipline that many of us seem to struggle with

the most. And perhaps some of that struggle

comes from the fact that we have relegated prayer

to the status of a “spiritual discipline.” But we

could easily argue that prayer is not simply some-

thing that a disciple of Christ does—it is part of

his or her life. Prayer is part of a disciple’s spiri-

tual “DNA.”

Prayer is part of The Navigators DNA as well.

It’s always been one of the basic elements Navi-

gators emphasize in discipleship training. It’s no

accident that prayer is one of the spokes in the

well-known (and well-used) Wheel illustration

that Navigators have used for decades to commu-

nicate the essentials of a disciple’s life.

What Navigators do—where and how we min-

ister—is the result of countless hours spent in

prayer, seeking God and listening to His leading.

The Navigators founder, Dawson Trotman, was

legendary for his prayer discipline—retreating to

the hills with his Bible and a map of the world to

pray that God would use Navigator-trained dis-

ciples to reach the world.

As you read through this issue of Disciple! we

hope you sense that prayer is not merely a disci-

pline to master or an activity to do, but that it’s

an essential part of a disciple’s life—a part of his

or her spiritual DNA! D!

JDig Deeper at my.navigators.org/disciple

my. navigators .org/disciple | 3

his issue of Disciple! focuses on prayer. It’s our hope to encourage you in your prayer life, and serve as an evi-dence of how God has answered your prayers in support of The Navigators ministry. Be sure to check out the field

Notes, which provide new stories from our staff on how God used prayer to impact their local community.

as Navigators, the vision we have for the future shapes the things we do today. Would you join us in prayer that God will bring to real-ity this compelling vision of the future impact of our effort? Here are some thoughts inspired by our Navigator Vision Statement:

We see a vital movement of the Gospel, fueled by prayer, flowing freely through relational networks into the nations. We see workers for the Kingdom living next door to everywhere!

We envision laborers characterized by a deep engagement with and obedience to the Scriptures. They believe the promises of God and they seek to know and pursue God’s purposes both personally and in committed communities.

We pray for ordinary people from many walks of life, joyfully living fruitful lives among the lost even in the face of hardship and suffering. We see many around the world coming to faith and becoming established in discipleship. Some will be foundations for further generations as the Gospel spreads naturally and pow-erfully through believers sharing Christ life upon life.

We see teams of men and women crossing cultures into new cities and nations proclaiming and embodying the Good News of Jesus Christ, in such a way that transformed communities multi-ply—bringing joy and hope to their environments.

I pray this resource will encourage and equip you with the bib-lical inspiration, practical tips and tools to grow in your prayer life. as you do so, please continue to pray with us, as we trust God for this vision of the future.

I also encourage you to pray for those in your everyday life, whether family, friends, neighbors, or colleagues—you can make a difference through prayer because of the mighty God we know and serve.

In His Grip,Doug NuenkeU.S. President, The Navigators

The Navigators

Vision: What

We See in

the Future

FIELD NOTESFIELD NOTESFOLLOWING JESUS IN TODAY’S WORLD

TThe Power of Intercessory Prayer

During early spring 2011, a prayer request came to us from our Discipling for Development (D4D) leaders in north-ern Malawi: Could people pray for their outreach to a local village chief?

Recently, we heard how a dramatic change in the chief’s life had begun after some of our D4D team held an all night prayer meeting on his behalf.

Prior to this meeting the chief’s wife had requested prayer for her husband. He lacked respect in the community and with his fellow chiefs. He spent most of the family income on alcohol, and he was abusive.

In addition to asking for prayer, the chief’s wife requested that one of our staff members, named andy, talk to her husband about his drinking and resultant behavior. Through careful dialogue, he helped her understand that she was the most suitable person to do that. Buoyed by the team’s prayers, she courageously talked to her husband.

Much to her amazement, the chief didn’t beat her for her audacity. after seeing the reality of answered prayer, the wisdom of the counsel she’d received and the amazing outcome of the conver-sation with her husband, the chief’s wife gave her life to Christ, began to attend church regularly, and asked andy to meet with her husband. Our team prayed for the right time and circumstances for this to take place.

One day andy “happened” to meet the chief during one of his lucid moments. During their conversation, andy men-tioned reports from the community about the chief’s behavior. The chief admitted that the reports about his drunkenness and unruly behavior were true.

as they talked, andy asked the chief to consider not only his present lifestyle, but to also think about an alternative lifestyle free from the influence of alco-hol—and to consider which lifestyle he desired. The chief told him he would think about the question for three days.

Three days later the chief shared his decision: He would drink no more! However, as he considered the enormity of his choice, the chief admitted that he couldn’t do this in his own strength. andy agreed, and asked if he could introduce him to someone who could help. With permission, andy explained the Gos-pel of Jesus Christ as the only way for achieving such a radical life change.

In May, the chief embraced Jesus as his Savior and lord. He has not returned to drinking and he attends the team Bible studies well dressed and gives valuable input. He is providing for his family and is no longer abusing his wife. Such is the power of intercessory prayer! D!

Adapted from a report from Andy Atkins, a mentor with The Navigators Discipling for Development Ministry.

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Join the conversation with Doug at blogs.navigators.org/DougNuenke/blog

4 | d isciple! | sum mer 2012

Three Simple Thingsby Keith Pepsny

Sometimes we think that making disciples i s a c o m p l i c a t e d endeavor. In reality, it can be fairly sim-ple. Keith and Kate Pepsny p ioneered a Navigator ministry at Oregon State Uni-versity in Corvallis, Oregon, and are now directing a new minis-try at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Keith recently shared a bit about how simple it can be to make disciples.

When I was in the eighth grade, a fellow named Doug began investing in my life. It was simple. He’d invite me to his house and we’d have dinner with his family, and once a week we’d do a simple Bible study together.

Years later I have the privilege of doing the same thing with college students in the Pacific Northwest. At Oregon State University I met a stu-dent named Justin—a very ambitious guy and although he wasn’t a follower of Jesus, he wanted to invest in the life of someone else, so he volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club.

One day over coffee I told him that what he was doing was really great. Then I told him about an old proverb that said, “He who walks with wise men will be wise . . .” (Proverbs 13:20, NaSB). I confided that I was always looking for someone in whom I can invest my life—as well as for someone who will invest in me. In fact, I had been specifically pray-ing that God would “give me people out of the world” (John 17:6).

The next morning he told me, “You

know that Proverbs thing? I want someone to help me and invest in me!” So I did three simple things with Jus-tin, and they are things that anybody can do.

I spent time with Justin. We’d play bas-ketball and I’d invite him to the house, and we’d have meals together. I s imply spent time with him

building a relationship.Then—even though he wasn’t fol-

lowing Jesus, yet—I’d occasionally share a nugget from God’s Word—knowing that it would not return to Him empty (Isaiah 55:10).

But I was most passionate about praying for Justin. I didn’t want him to just love or trust me—I knew it was important that he trust in Jesus. So I’d ask him what I could pray about for him and then do it—even though he had little concept of what prayer was all about.

When Justin came to faith in Christ he immediately began to focus on those same three things with his fra-ternity brothers. He’d hang out with them, expose them to God’s Word, and ask them what he could pray about for them. It was that simple.

I finally asked him, “How do you know how to do this?” He responded, “Keith, you’ve been doing this with me for the last couple of years!” Now that he’s living and working in New York, Keith is still passionate about helping others. When he sees the guys he used to minister with at Oregon State, he still asks them, “Who are you influencing?”

It’s so simple. D!

t’s been estimated that a typical Christian

layman spends about three-and-a-half minutes

each day in prayer. Full-time Christian workers

average about seven minutes per day. Why do

we fail to take full advantage of the privilege

of prayer? Is it a lack of discipline? Are we too

busy? Are we unmotivated?

By Rusty Rustenbach

iPerhaps the basic cause relates to how we view God. We

may have no genuine awe for the one “who stretched out the

heavens and laid the foundations of the earth” (Isaiah 51:13).

And if we aren’t captivated by God, prayer is a tedious task—a

discipline that only those with wills of steel can master.

I once regarded prayer as “gutting it out” before God—

bringing reams of petitions before Him. The more requests I

could bring, the more spiritual I was.

I also misinterpreted statements from godly men about the

importance of prayer. Martin Luther’s statement that “I have so

much business I cannot get on without spending three hours

daily in prayer” implied to me that prayer was a guaranteed

formula for success.

Rather than being dynamic communion with the sovereign

Lord of the universe, prayer was an exercise meant to wrestle

effects into the lives of people and to manipulate God’s hand.

Prayer became lifeless and tedious. It was like castor oil: tasting

terrible, but good for me.

FIELD NOTESFIELD NOTESFOLLOWING JESUS IN TODAY’S WORLD

Keith Pepsny (right) with Justin

Photograph by Micah & Megan Photographers


Yet God reminded me of the truth I was

neglecting: He wanted to commune with me.

Communion is the intimate sharing of thoughts

and emotions. It’s intimate fellowship, rapport

or communication. This is the kind of relation-

ship God wants.

I realized afresh that God desires com-

munion with me and has little interest in the

petition gymnastics I was trying to perfect. He

wants me to be preoccupied with Himself.

Seeing God this way enables us to stand in

awe of him. It stimulates our heart to vital com-

munion and conversation with Him. Seeing God

as He is requires faith on our part, but whoever is

enamored and thrilled with God is then rightly

motivated to pray. I believe that’s what John 4:24

is hinting at: “God is spirit and His worshipers

must worship in spirit and in truth.”

What can we do? God has graciously given

us two major resources to enable us to see Him

as He is: His works and His Word.

Most of us think of the works of God as His

spiritual work in people’s lives. But another

work of God, neglected by many of us, is His

creation. The universe declares God’s glory, but

many of us have lost our sense of wonder at the

ordinary miracles God performs all around us

each day.

God wants us to experience awe and wonder

when we see the return of spring, or the variety

in the animal world, or the impressive powers

of wind, rain, and sea. Isaiah wrote, “Lift your

eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all

these?” (Isaiah 40:26). We, too, should consider

the one who made it all, and we can ask God to

help us see Him in His creation.

The second resource available to us is God’s

Word—a vast reservoir of riches designed to

remind us of the greatness of the God we serve.

Many passages focus on what God is like. When

you read them, think of the implications these

attributes have for our lives, and talk with God

about them.

The life of Jesus Christ as told in the Gos-

pels also draws our attention to God’s charac-

ter. As we read about Jesus talking with and

living among people, we see vivid examples of

God’s character in action.

Communion also means sharing the same

thoughts as we communicate. We need to

respond to God about the specific things He

has spoken to us about. We often fail to do this

when we read the Bible. In a particular passage,

God may speak to us about His holiness. But

our mind is preoccupied with how we can come

up with enough money to pay next month’s

rent. So when we put down our Bible and pray,

what do we talk to God about? Not His holi-

ness, but the rent money!

It is not wrong to pray about our needs, but

God wants us to listen to Him and give Him

a proper response. Imagine telling someone, “I

love you very much,” only to hear him respond,

“I sure hope I get a raise soon at work.” Such

conversations don’t do much to build intimacy

in a relationship.

Another way to appreciate God and com-

mune with Him is to read and meditate on

the great prayers of the Bible. When the early

Christians prayed for boldness (Acts 4:24–30)

most of their words recounted what God had

already done. No wonder their prayer for bold-

ness was clearly answered. Many of the psalms

of David and the prayers of Paul also focus on

who God is and what he has done, rather than

on their requests.

Growing in reverent communion with God

isn’t another burden to add to your already busy

schedule. It is not an activity, but an attitude

of heart that should influence your Bible study,

Scripture memory, quiet times, and prayer.

William Carey said that “secret, fervent,

believing prayer lies at the root of all personal

godliness.” We could add that an exciting sense

of reverence and worship—an increasing appre-

ciation of God’s presence—lies at the root of all

secret, fervent, believing prayer. D!

Adapted from Focus on the Father, in Discipleship

Journal, November/December 1981. Used by permis-

sion of NavPress.

f oCUSeD oN t He

How to Make Prayer aN aDveNtUre ratHer tHaN a bUrDeNFATHeR

WANT To ExPAND YouR sTuDY oN THIs ToPIC?

Download a FREE CHAPTER from http://www.nav-press.com/product/9781576839775/25-Ways-to-Experience-God-Marlene-LeFever


aul Miller is director

of seeJesus.net, an

organization that

develops interactive

Bible studies for small

groups. He has authored

several books, including

Love Walked Among Us. He

travels widely, teaching

A Praying Life seminars

and other topics. Recently,

Paul shared a bit about the

importance of the right

mindset in prayer.

liFea P r a y i N g

a C o N v e r S a t i o N w i t H P a U l e . M i l l e r

Disciple!: As believers many of us would list prayer as an extremely important spiritual disci-pline—yet so many of us struggle with it. Why do you think that is?

Paul E. Miller: There are probably a lot of layers to that question, but one would have to be that prayer has been presented to us as something almost “super spiritual.” We see it as a mountain to climb. In fact, it’s really more of a valley we fall into. Prayer comes naturally to those who realize how weak we are. That’s hard in an American culture that places such value on self-reliance and lifting yourself up by your bootstraps. We also live in a busy culture, and prayer requires taking some time out to do it. That’s really hard to do in a performance-oriented culture.

D!: The subtitle for your book A Praying Life is Con-necting with God in a Distracting World. Why is that concept of connecting so important?

Paul: People tend to put praying in a “prayer box.” They sometimes talk about prayer as if it were an activity that has nothing to do with God. But prayer is all about God and our relationship with Him. It’s a bit like sitting down with my family to talk. We don’t think about how we’re going to communicate. We think about each other and what’s important to us. Prayer isn’t some abstract concept. It’s a means by which we build our relationship with God.

D!: What about the distractions? What are the main culprits?

Paul: When we do our prayer seminars, the biggest complaint participants voice is the diffi-culty they have concentrating. We often start off

announcing that we’re going to spend five minutes in prayer—and people hate it! Their minds wander, they can’t concentrate. Then we explain that God wants us to come to Him as we are—as children. Children aren’t disciplined. Children don’t concentrate. Chil-dren don’t try to manage their distractions. Adults try to “do prayer right.” We help them understand that it’s not about doing prayer right. It’s about coming to God with your distractions and your wandering mind. It’s about coming to God like a child.

D!: Throughout your book you place a strong empha-sis on the father/child relationship. Why is that so important?

Paul: This relationship is probably the major theme of the book—and it’s elusive to so many of us. It’s really the heart of the Gospel. God wants us to come to Him as children—as we are, without pretext. A good por-tion of our prayer seminar focuses on how Jesus Him-self demonstrates the characteristics of a child. Look at

pLearn to Pray Like a Child

Some of the struggles we experi-ence with prayer come from the fact that we try to act too much like adults when we pray. We try to get it right. We try to use the right methods and tools. But Paul Miller dares to suggest that one of the keys

to a meaningful prayer life is to learn to pray like a child. This is a book for any Christian who wants to know the joy and power of a vibrant prayer life.

oRDER PAuL’s BooK, download a FREE CHAPTER, or find out more about A Praying Life seminars attended by thousands at my.navigators.org/paulmiller

the language He uses in John 5:19. Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” People begin to see that Jesus is different than they thought He was.

D!: You don’t focus on the “how-tos” of prayer until the last part of the book. Why did you highlight the prayer cards?

Paul: People in our seminars tell us they’ve been very helpful—and liberat-ing. They help people organize and focus their prayer times and take some of the pressure off. We don’t emphasize tools because we emphasize relationship. If you wanted to have a good conversation with your spouse, you probably wouldn’t use a lot of tools to do it!

D!: If people get one thing out of this book, what would you want it to be?

Paul: That’s easy! I’d want them to learn to ask like a child. Children are great “askers.” They’re uninhibited. They know who they’re asking and simply ask! At the same time, one of the keys to mean-ingful prayer is an awareness of God’s narrative in your life. Much of the book is simply stories about how God answers prayer—and about what He’s doing in the lives of the people whose prayers are being answered. I think that’s why we’re

told to watch and pray. D!

Currently I’m learning that spiritual generations start with much prayer. I can’t do it on my own.

—shukura Burrell, EDGE Corps, Howard university,

Washington, D.C.

What does it mean to love your neighbor? Walk together with people and encourage each other to keep going, to not give up, and to finish the race.

—Karl and Michelle Wang, young professionals, southern California

The cool thing about college ministry is that it’s

a sending ministry. You know that in four to five

years they are going to graduate and go off to

impact communities and businesses. Generation

after generation of people will continue to be

affected by the Word and Gospel.

—Derrik and Jamie DeWitt,

Navigator Staff at University of

Colorado, Colorado Springs

I was an Eagle Lake camper as a youth.

Christ was explained to me in a way I

hadn’t experienced even though I came

from a Christian home. I rededicated my

life to Christ and attended Eagle Lake for

the next six summers. Now I bring new

generations of kids to Eagle Lake Camps.

— Suz Greer, Denver schoolteacher

God used my relationship with Fox to plant the

seed of the Gospel. That seed grew a hundred

fold as Fox shared the Good News of Jesus

with the people in his village and then with

more than 350 students at two Christian

schools. God is transforming people’s lives

“to the outermost parts of the world!”—Mike Noel, platoon leader, Kingdom laborer

The Spirit works in different ways according to each individual’s needs and God’s purpose for them. And yet, in spite of the different areas in which He works there is a common thread of knowing Christ, becoming more like Him, passing that knowledge on to the next generation—and making sure that the next generation is equipped to pass on what they have learned. D!

ministry snapshotsHere are a few “snapshots” of the impact that The Navigator ministry has had on the people we serve across the world.


Every day, we are the unwitting recipients of countless mes-sages designed to foster discontentment. They’re very effective at making us believe we need something more. In fact, accord-ing to one study, more than 60 percent of us always have some-thing in mind that we look forward to buying.

That’s what makes the following words seem so out of sync with our daily experience:

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

What? Content with only food and clothing? Why, that’s downright un-American! Or so it seems. But do you know what else it is? It’s liberating.

For several years, I drove a car that looked like it had been through a demolition derby. It had been hit a couple of times while parked on the street. A tree branch even fell on it once, denting the roof. Because of its high mileage, I never bothered to fix the dents.

When I was working in corporate America, I would drive into the parking lot of my office building and pass lots of new

or nearly 80 years, The Navigators has led people around the world

to Jesus Christ. Through one-on-one discipling, dedicated Navigator staff has spread the Gospel on college campuses, military bases, business of f ices, homes—wherever there are people who need Christ.

None of these ministries would have been possible without generous gifts from committed partners like you.

Did you know there are a number of special ways you can support the work of The Navigators while meeting personal

Money Matters

cars. Driving that old car gave me frequent opportunities to practice contentment, and there were definitely days when I needed extra practice!

What helped the most was reminding myself that having a paid-off car provided the financial freedom to build savings targeted toward being able to leave my corporate job one day to write and speak full-time. The more I dwelled on that ben-efit, the more thankful I felt. In the process, I saw firsthand that gratitude drives contentment and serves as a powerful antidote to our culture’s constant encouragement to want something more.

Instead of always having something in mind that we look forward to buying, what if we always had something in mind that we were thankful for?

What are you thankful for? And if you really want to chal-lenge yourself, think of something you own that you’re eager to replace. Try to find something about that to be thankful for. What comes to mind?

Matt Bell is Associate Editor is the author of three personal finance books published by NavPress http://www.navpress.com/author/A12715/Matt-Bell#speakerInformation. D!

The Power of Gratitude by Matt Be l l

planning goals as well? Through what are known as “planned gifts,” you may be able to make gifts to The Navigators in ways you have never imagined.

WITH A PLANNED GIFT, You CAN :

• Make a gift now that will be received in the future, such as a bequest through your will or related plans.

• Give using time-tested tools that actually “give back” for a time, providing you with extra income in retirement years.

• Make maximum use of tax savings that

can make it possible to actually give more at the same cost.

• Memorialize someone special to you through a tribute gift.

Through such thoughtful gifts, you can leave a legacy that will perpetuate your spiritual values for the benefit of future generations. The Navigators Estate and financial Planning staff will be glad to answer your questions regarding planned gifts and how they can be used to further The Navigator ministry.

Please call 888-283-0157. D!

part of the plan Create a Lasting Legacy

F


Young people in their 20s

are flocking to the cit-

ies in the United States.

These young college grad-

uates are seeking jobs and

social interaction. Most of

these young people don’t

know Jesus. They may or

may not actively be seek-

ing Him—but will they find Him there?

Mike Jordahl, who heads up CityLife, a ministry

of The Navigators 20s Mission, believes they can.

And he believes young people trained by The Navi-

gators can help that happen.

“We’re asking God to raise up a generation of men

and women,” says Mike, “who will purposely move

to the cities to reach their peers for Christ. That’s

really at the heart of what CityLife is all about.”

The whole concept of CityLife is built around a

group of friends who make a commitment to each

other and to the Lord to move to a city and to:

• PuRsuE CHRIsT and walk with Him with all their heart

• PuRsuE ExCELLENCE in their workplace and profession

• LIvE AND DIsCIPLE among the lost— especially their peers

• Do ALL oF THE ABovE with a team com-prised of people of like mind and heart

So, how does The Navigators fit into this? “When

a team comes together,” says Mike, “we’ll provide a

seekeRsmentor—someone who has been around the block.

We’ll make sure there is someone there to help them

and mentor them so that they can do what God is

calling them to do.”

While the CityLife team originally had some spe-

cific cities in mind where they wanted to begin, they

soon realized that CityLife ministry can happen any-

where—in any city or town. To this point there are

about 100 individuals comprising 25 CityLife teams

in 22 different cities. Mike is encouraging young

people with Navigator training to pray about form-

ing more CityLife teams in additional cities.

As Mike encourages young people who are tran-

sitioning out of campus life into the workplace to

consider CityLife, he asks them to do four things:

1. Keep praying about this opportunity and ask God what He thinks of this idea.

2. Get counsel from people they trust.

3. Talk to other likeminded individuals and start dreaming together to see if they think this is something God wants them to do together.

4. Talk to a Navigator 20s leader to get some help processing how to move forward.

“Mostly,” says Mike, “what we want these young

people to do is to follow Jesus and love Him with

everything they have. That’s what we’re praying for

them today.” D!

ill the

multitude of

college grads

flocking to

the cities find

Jesus there?WMike Jordahl

For more information about CITYLIFE, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tvLzCRJEE4

in the

city


Resources for Today’s DiscipleWhen it comes to living out our faith, we all need a little extra help at times. Here are some resources to help you pursue a deeper walk with God.

CHECK ouT ANY oF

THEsE REsouRCEs AT

my.navigators.org/discipleresources

12 Prayers for Christmas by Sandra Higleyfor many people, the holidays can be filled with unrealistic expectations. Here are 12 suggestions for prayer that help us focus on what the season is really about—even in the midst of all the tinsel, lights, and shopping,

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids by Bob HostetlerOne of the greatest gifts we can give to our children—or grandchildren—is to pray for them. But what should you pray? Here are 31 biblical character traits you can ask God to develop in your child.

Becoming a Woman of Prayerby Cynthia HealdIntimacy with God is His idea. He has taken the initiative, and prayer is His gift to us. Prayer is our response to the One who has called out to us and desires to be in a relationship with us. This topical resource will help you respond to God’s invitation to deeper intimacy with Him.

The Prayer Hand: Getting a Grip on PrayerThe “Prayer Hand” is a tool Navigators have been using for years to help believers maintain a balanced prayer life—one that incorporates five distinct elements of prayer and results in a deeper relationship with the father.

How to Pray When You’re Not a “Prayer Warrior”Sometimes we know that shooting up a “prayer flare” just isn’t going to get the job done. But spending an extended time in prayer intimidates some of us. Here’s a tool for those of us aren’t natural “prayer warriors,” and need a little help.

online tools

audio

bible studies

My House Shall Be a House of Prayer by Jonathan Graf and Lani C. HinkleMy House Shall Be a House of Prayer explains in a powerful and practical way what a church saturated with prayer looks like. Through stories and step-by-step instruction, you’ll learn how to develop a prayer strategy, prioritize steps for shifting the focus to prayer, and more.

The Purpose of Prayerby Jerry BridgesWhat is the purpose of prayer? Veteran Navigator and best-selling author, Jerry Bridges suggests that the purpose of prayer is first of all to glorify God and secondly to enjoy Him—and that part of that enjoyment comes from seeing how He answers our prayers. In this classic audio message, Jerry provides a solid biblical basis for why we pray in the first place!

books

booklets


Copyright © 2012. Chief Development Officer: Jim Young; Donor Stewardship Director: Stephanie Rich; Editor: Mike Smith; Art Director: anne Meskey Elhajoui; Memberships: Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and Evangelical Fellowship of Missions Agencies. The Navigators • P.O. Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934. www.navigators.org Feedback or Story Ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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DIsCIPLE! FALL 2012

MINIsTRY MATERIALs

To usE oN YouR oWN oR

IN YouR sMALL GRouP

Take IT and USe IT

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SFeel free to copy this prayer guide for your own use or share with your small group. The page is set up to fit on letter-sized paper. Just place it face down with the at the edge of your copier. or download a FREE PDF of this tool at my.navigators.org/d2go.

½ MINuTE : Preparing Your HeartInvest the first 30 seconds preparing your heart. You might pray, “Lord, cleanse my heart so You can speak to me through the Scriptures. Make my mind alert, my soul active, and my heart responsive. Surround me with Your presence during this time.”

4 MINuTEs : Listening to God (scripture Reading)Take the next four minutes to read the Bible. Your greatest need is to hear a word from God. Allow the Word to strike fire in your heart. Meet the author!

2½ MINuTEs : Talking to God (Prayer)after God has spoken through His Book, then speak to Him in prayer. One method is to incorporate four areas of prayer that you can remem-ber with the word aCTS.

ADoRATIoN. This is the purest kind of prayer because it’s all for God. Tell the lord that you love Him. Reflect on His greatness.

CoNFEssIoN. Having seen Him, you now want to be sure every sin is cleansed and forsaken. “Confession” comes from a root word meaning “to agree together with.” When we apply this to prayer, it means we agree with God’s estimation of what we’ve done.

THANKsGIvING. Think of several specific things to thank Him for: your family, your business, your church—even thank Him for hardships.

suPPLICATIoN. This means to “ask for, earnestly and humbly.” ask for others, then ask for yourself. Include people around the world, missionaries, friends, and those who have yet to hear about Jesus.

Most Christians will tell you that they firmly believe in the importance of spending regular time in God’s Word and in prayer

each day. Yet, so many of us struggle to do this consistently. Perhaps that’s because we think this time with God has to be a monumental, mystical experience. In fact, you can begin developing this spiritual discipline in as little as seven minutes a day.

longtime Navigator Bob foster developed a simple outline, called Seven Minutes with God, to help deepen your daily relationship with the father.

Got 7 Minutes for God?

his is simply a guide,” Bob empha-sized. “Very soon you will dis-cover that it is impossible to spend only seven minutes with

the Lord. An amazing thing happens—seven minutes become 20, and it’s not long before you’re spending 30 precious minutes with Him.”

Do IT FoR THE RIGHT REAsoNBob also offered additional words of wisdom: “Do not become devoted to the habit, but to the Savior. Do it not because other [people] are doing it—not as a spiritless duty every morning, not merely as an end in itself, but because God has granted the priceless privilege of fellowship with Himself.”

Want a deeper walk with God? Give Him just seven minutes and see what happens!

To order copies of the booklet Seven Min-utes with God, visit www.navpress.com or call 1-800-366-7788.

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Disciple Fall 2012

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Transcript of Disciple Fall 2012