In 1727, there was a small community of German Christians known as Moravians huddled together in the Saxony village of Herrnhut. By this time, there were roughly 300 of these Moravians living in close proximity on the property of one Count Niklaus von Zinzendorf. As often happens when that many people live in such close proximity, there was constant bickering, badgering, nagging, and in-fighting. So, in an effort to save their small community, 24 men and women covenanted that they would each take one-hour shifts and pray around the clock.
That prayer vigil, originally planned to last for a brief period of time, lasted for over 100 years! From this prayer meeting, the Moravians sent missionaries to the corners of the globe, including Savannah, Georgia and London, England. It was in these two locations that a young Rev. John Wesley first met the Moravians, learning their practices of prayer and small, disciplined fellowship (aka small groups).
It was at a Moravian Bible Study and prayer meeting on May 24, 1738 that Wesley wrote, “I felt my heart strangely warmed…” and he recognized that his sin had been truly forgiven and he was indeed set free from its penalty and power.
At 3am on January 1, 1739, after a night of devoted prayer, Wesley and some of his friends experienced a supernatural manifestation of God’s Holy Spirit in their midst – their lives were never the same and the Methodist revival in England and America took off.
Almost 300 years later, over 90 million people can trace their spiritual lineage back to the Wesleyan movement. Many more can thank the Moravian missionaries for their faith.
So, what’s the point?
Great movements of God are preceded by devoted prayer, but not because it is a great or fun activity. It is only when prayer is recognized as the means of communicating with the Father and recognizing that God is the only means of renewal and restoration our world needs that the proverbial fire falls.
To that end, we at Kendricks Creek believe God is calling our community to such a time. We are seeking to engage ONE (1) week of 24-7, round the clock prayer in our prayer room. But, our purpose is not to pray simply for the activity of it. We desire, above all else, to seek God’s face in humility and pursue his presence recognizing that he is the only one who can heal our land.
Prayer Week at Kendricks Creek will take place from Sunday, February 24-Sunday, March 3. You can sign up whether you are a member of our church or not. For you Methodist folks out there, you will also note that this is the week of the Special Called General Conference that seeks to bring a unified way forward for the UMC regarding human sexuality, marriage, and our church structure. Regardless of your position, you can sit around and worry or you can come to God in prayer with like-minded believers.
If you’re interested in joining us, you can sign up here: 24-7 Prayer Sign-Up.
If you would like to find out more about the modern day 24-7 Prayer movement, look over here: www.24-7prayer.com
If you’re not sure how you feel about this, that’s cool, but do us a favor: Would you pray about it?
We’re looking forward to seeing what God will do in our midst and we’re praying for you!
P.S. Starting Friday, we’ll be offering a 30-day devotional series on prayer! Give us a follow on social media or check back here daily!