What is a gospel movement?

A church planting movement (CPM) or disciple making movement (DMM) can be defined as “the multiplication of disciples making disciples and leaders developing leaders, resulting in indigenous churches planting churches which begin to spread rapidly through a people group or population segment.” Click here to read more about gospel movements.

Declare a Promise

Psalm 47:8 “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.”

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Lord, you alone reign. We remember today: as the earth shakes, as kingdoms divide, as nations rage: You reign. In the Middle East/North Africa: as economies fail, as injustice prevails, as corruption destroys: You reign. In our own lives: as struggles persist, as sins entrap, as losses compound: You reign. Truly, You alone–Christ the King–sit on your holy throne, Sovereign over my circumstances, Sovereign over the nations.

Today’s Movement Theme: PRAYER

Every single church planting movement across the globe–without exception!–has taken root and spread in a context of extraordinary, sacrificial prayer and fasting. Every. Single. One.

Today, as strange as it sounds, we are going to pray for prayer.

In the largest gospel movement recorded to date, currently still ongoing in India among the Bhojpouri people, the movement didn’t begin until thousands of intercessors were mobilized and pouring out their hearts in prayer, asking for a breakthrough. In fact, one of the early apostolic catalysts of this movement spent 20% of his work-week raising up a prayer network.

It is commonly reported that leaders of disciple making movements spend a few hours each day in prayer. No matter how refined our strategies and tactics, nothing will come of it if we do not have the presence of God before us and behind us, on our left and on our right, above us and beneath us. Truly, it is His presence and power in our midst (Ex 33:15-16) that sets our work apart.

Pray the Scriptures

Luke 11:9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

1. Ask: for the grace of persevering prayer among new disciples
2. Ask: for leaders of the emerging ‘streams’ of churches and groups, that they would never become so busy with activity that they cease praying extravagantly
3. Ask: for believers in the emerging ‘streams’ and movements to have the unabashed persistence of the widow in asking, seeking, and knocking.

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Mark 9:29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.”

1. Ask: for the grace of fasting among movement leaders
2. Ask: for new spiritual authority and power to be released as movement practitioners fast and pray
3. Ask: that Muslim background followers would be directed by God to know if and how to redeem Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

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Joel 2 (selections) “The Lord says: ‘Turn to me now while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in grief; tear your hearts instead’. Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? He might turn and leave behind a blessing instead of a curse. Therefore, announce a solemn assembly; call the people together to fast and pray.”

1. Pray: for a spirit of prayer, fasting, and repentance to fall on the believers in this region
2. Pray: for a seriousness and urgency among believers
3. Pray: that God would respond to these prayers and that he would leave a blessing instead of a curse

No Place Left

Each day, we pray for one of the countries the Grove represents, believing in faith that a disciple making movement will touch each and every community throughout these nations.

Today, we pray for tiny Island nation of Bahrain

• For the Sunni Arab minority that control the government
• For the Shiite Arab majority
• For the Expat houses of prayer and budding prayer movement

Prayer

O Father! We come to you poor in spirit, asking…imploring…begging you for intervention in this nation and at this time. We pray, Lord, that you would raise up intercessors, people willing to stand in the gap in Bahrain. Raise up your prayer-warriors, and mobilize the believers to pray. May we pray instead of staying busy. May we pray instead of scheduling more activities. May we pray instead of filling up our time. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Capture our hearts again. And make Bahrain a nation of sacrificial, extraordinary prayer and fasting.

Amen.

More Information About the Grove and Ongoing Prayer Needs

What is the Grove?

The Grove is a learning and implementation community of 23 intentional kingdom workers from 7 different nationalities serving in 8 strategic nations within the Middle East and North Africa. We have intentionally banded together for 2023-2024 to learn, grow, experiment, pray, and serve together.

What does a learning and implementation community do?

• Learning:
  • 3 face to face trainings over the 2 years
  • 1-2 ongoing learning meetings monthly
• Implementation:
  • We put into practice our learning right away in our individual contexts
  • We band together in cohorts to support each other in implementation
  • We are intentionally experimenting together and sharing our experiences and learning

How can I be praying for the Grove aside from the daily Prayer Fuel?

• For the participants to grow together in unity and fruitfulness
• That participants would continue to develop their authentic personal witness
• For new and creative ideas to share within natural social groupings rather than just individuals