I love summer! It's a great time to not only eat watermelon, but also to catch up on some great bucket list items.

Things like:

• Take an online course to strengthen my prayer life.
• Read fiction that will grow my faith.
• Listen to podcasts that equip me to share my faith.
• Grow my prayerlife with the classics

And if your bucket list looks like mine, you're going to love what I'm about to do. I'm going to give you links to some of my favorite books, podcasts and online courses in hopes that you might soak them in as you enjoy this season.

Take an online course: The Prayer Course 

We did this course together with our Prayer Clinic team during 2020 when we were separated from each other due to Covid. It was SO good! And, it's FREE!! Here's the link: 

The Prayer Course

Read Fiction that Will Grow Your Faith:

I love fiction but I'm picky about the books I read. I need characters that are unpredictable, and those that are both good and bad. I long for narratives that are set in...

I'm starting a mini-series of blog posts on the importance of prayer in the church. And I'm going to begin with the argument that the activity of prayer ought to take priority over all of other activities in the local church.

Wait, what? 

You mean prayer ought to take priority over Bible study? 

Yep.

It's more important than fellowship? 

Yep.

...preaching? 

Yep.

...evangelism?

Yes.

If I were to do a survey of how many churches make a priority of prayer, I would most likely be disappointed. When compared to the priority of children's and youth activities, nurturing relationships with each other, women's ministries, men's ministries, and weekend gatherings, the presence of corporate prayer experiences on the church's calendar would lag far behind.

Barna discovered that the culture we live in today has impacted the way we approach prayer in the church, this is what he has to report: 

"The forces of our individualistic culture...

Hello my friends! 

I want to take a minute to tell you about the trip I took this month to visit with Teresa and Toni at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida. 

About a year ago, Teresa called to learn more about the Prayer Clinic ministry. We became fast friends when we recognized the kindred spirit we share as prayer leaders in our churches. Teresa started teaching the 4-session course, Teach My Heart to Pray to those who expressed interest in learning more about prayer, and the Prayer Clinic ministry at IRBC. By December, she was teaching their deacons the prayer study, and in January she, and her solid Prayer Clinic team, launched the Prayer Clinic ministry in 3 locations during all 3 weekend services on their massive campus.

The Prayer Clinic team is in the greeting area where the pastor meets people after services; they are available at the altar where people can come for prayer in response to the message; and they staff their prayer room where they...

I don't usually use this blog page to promote events, but today I'm doing just that because I believe that the

ABSOLUTE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR CHURCH THIS YEAR IS TO OPEN A PRAYER CLINIC!

There are a few things we can do that make a really big difference in LOTS of things we can do. And one of those is this...

Come to a Prayer Clinic Open House 

In fact, come to our next one! We are hosting a special Open House for people who serve on Sundays. That would include pastors, prayer leaders, associational missions directors, pastors' wives, women's ministry leaders and any one else who believes that God responds in power when His people pray.

The next Open House for the Prayer Clinic will be held at Thompson Station Church in Thompson Station, TN on Wednesday, August 3 from 10:30-1PM. 

The day includes: Teach My Heart to Pray book, meeting with the highly trained and amazing Prayer Clinic team at Thompson Station Church, some extra surprises, lunch and time with me...

Now that you've got your prayer point persons in your small groups, mobilize them to pray for people who are lost.

Challenge your prayer point people to share this super easy method of praying for their lost friends and neighbors.

First, quote or read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12...

“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (CSB)

Even Solomon knew that a 3-cord relationship was stronger than one or two. I've found that the most practical benefit of prayer triplets is that when 1 can't come, 2 can still get together. And if/when 1 or even 2 might be discouraged there is still 1 (or 2) who aren't. We...