Keep up with the latest news from the BAGBR prayer ministry
and connect in prayer with other BAGBR church members.
Become a fan of "Pray BAGBR" on Facebook.
 

Thirty three percent of clergy and thirty six percent of laymen report having visited a sexually explicit web site. Christianity Today survey, August 2000

The divorce rate of born-again Christians (32%) is higher than that of atheists and agnostics (30%).
Barna Research Group 2008

We rarely find substantial differences between the moral behavior of Christians and non-Christians.
George Barna, Founder, Barna Research Group

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
Jesus, Matthew 5:13

Aren’t you tired of seeing statistics like the ones at the top of this page?  Tired of the church having so little impact on a lost and dying world?

We, the body of Christ, are supposed to be salt.  Look around.  How are we doing?  By and large, instead of the church making the world thirsty for the Living Water, we have become so worldly ourselves that we are in danger of losing our savor altogether.  The Western church, the American church, Louisiana’s churches, BAGBR churches, maybe even your church—is in desperate need of revival.  Not a revival meeting.  Revival.

Revival is not a special event to win the lost.  It is a time when God’s people, both individually and corporately, humble themselves, cry out to God in repentance and return to a fresh, empowered, obedient love relationship with Him.

The main focus of the BAGBR prayer ministry is praying for revival in our individual churches.  And, we need you to labor in prayer alongside us. 

Starting in mid to late January 2010, we will be kicking off two new prayer initiatives that your church will want to get in on:

Bride Awake Prayer Meetings

Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. Matt. 25:5

The Bride of Christ in America is falling asleep.  (Sometimes, literally.  Ask any pastor.)  We’ve become numb to, or even defend, our own worldliness.  Some estimate that over 80% of churches are in decline or plateau.  Our impact on society is rapidly deteriorating.  We, the church, are ripe for another Great Awakening.

To that end, and with an eye to the fact that most great moves of God begin with corporate prayer, we are beginning the process of scheduling weekly prayer meetings for the purpose of praying for revival in our city, association, state, and nation.  Each week, a different BAGBR church will host the prayer meeting, which will be open to every member of every church in the association.  This will not be a worship service or Bible study, but simply one hour a week for God’s people to come together and spend time in prayer.

House of Prayer Conferences

...I will... make them joyful in My house of prayer...For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. Is. 56:7

In poll after poll, pastors and church members alike say that the number one need of the church is more prayer.  Is your church a “house of prayer”?  Would you like it to be?  Need a little help getting started, or maybe a refresher course?  Do we have a deal for you!

The BAGBR prayer ministry wants to bring a House of Prayer conference to you.  Would you like to have a one hour seminar on prayer during your Wednesday night prayer meeting?  A half-day workshop one Saturday morning?  A guest speaker at a small group meeting?  A breakout session during a retreat?  Let us know your needs, and a 1-3 person team of prayer coordinators from the BAGBR prayer ministry will come to your church and share with you about becoming a House of Prayer.  (No speaking fee or honorarium.)

If your church would like to host a Bride Awake prayer meeting (our facility needs are minimal) or a House of Prayer conference, please contact Michelle Lesley, Associational Prayer Coordinator, through the BAGBR office for further details.  As always, information on all prayer initiatives, as well as other helpful information on prayer can be found at www.bagbrprayer.blogspot.com. 
 

PRAYER MINISTRY
2008-2009 ANNUAL REPORT
Michelle Lesley, Prayer Coordinator

The 2008-2009 year has been a rather abbreviated one for the prayer ministry, as new Associational Prayer Coordinator, Michelle Lesley, came on board in May 2009.

BAGBR Prayer Ministry Primary Objective:

The objective of the prayer ministry is for prayer coordinators, representing their various churches within the Association, to pray for God to send revival to the churches in BAGBR.  A revived church will have a greater impact on its community in the areas of evangelism, service, and moral leadership, and will be better able to disciple its members and engage them in true worship.

It has been observed that most revivals and other great moves of God have taken place in response to the “effectual, fervent prayer” of righteous men and women.  While at times, this may involve more “visible” events and activities, we believe our most important work is done on our knees in our individual prayer closets, and, corporately: with fellow prayer coordinators, with our families, and with our church families.

Secondary Objectives:

Prayer Networking:  We have initiated a networking system in which we hope, eventually, to make every church in the Association immediately aware of urgent prayer needs from other churches in the Association.  Currently, approximately two-thirds of the 100+ churches in BAGBR are integrated into the network.

Special Prayer Emphases:  As special local and national prayer emphases (such as National Day of Prayer, Week of Prayer for State Missions, See You at the Pole, etc.) occur, church prayer coordinators seek God’s leading and work with their pastors to determine how their churches might participate in these events.

Progress to Date:

In the few months we have been up and running we have managed to get off to a very good start:

May:

• Established structure of prayer ministry, and qualifications/duties for regional and church prayer coordinators
• Mass mailing to BAGBR pastors to raise awareness for National Day of Prayer
• Initiated recruitment of prayer coordinators from BAGBR area churches
• Initiated information gathering on upcoming special prayer emphases
• Attended prayer meeting for Rock the River

June:

• Planned July recruitment meeting for prospective prayer coordinators
• Continued major prayer coordinator recruitment efforts
• Mass mailing to BAGBR pastors publicizing prayer coordinator meeting and including information on special prayer emphasis—Call2Fall.
• Secured regional prayer coordinators for the North and Central regions.

July:

• Registered the BAGBR prayer ministry with the SBC Prayer Coordinators’ Network.
• Held first regional prayer coordinators’ meeting
• Contacted (or attempted to contact) every pastor in BAGBR by phone to encourage them to send a representative to the meeting for prospective prayer coordinators
• Held informational meeting for prospective prayer coordinators

August:

• Set up databases for prayer networking
• Initiated the “Pump Up Your Pastor Prayer Program” (a focused time of  prayer and encouragement for BAGBR pastors)
• Gave presentations on the prayer ministry at the five regional pastors’ meetings held during the month
• Held first prayer coordinator meeting
• Created the “BAGBR Prayer Coordinators’ Information Hub” (www.bagbrprayer.blogspot.com)

September (to date):

• Held prayer coordinator meeting
• Continued recruitment efforts for more prayer coordinators
• Initiated “Pray Strongly, Weekly!” (in which each day of the week is covered by a prayer coordinator, in prayer for revival)

Future Plans:

Recruitment:  A total of eleven BAGBR churches (about 10%) are currently fielding BAGBR prayer coordinators.  Our goal is for every church in the association to be represented in the prayer ministry.  Pastors are urged to peruse our web site and prayerfully consider recommending someone from their churches to serve as a BAGBR prayer coordinator.

Prayer for Revival:  We plan to continue tenaciously beseeching the Lord to send revival to the churches in our Association.  While we would be thrilled for God to answer that prayer today, we realize that we may be in this for the long haul, and will act and pray as God directs until revival arrives.

For more information on the BAGBR prayer ministry, please see our web site:
www.bagbrprayer.blogspot.com
or contact Michelle Lesley at
thelesleys@cox.net
or through the BAGBR office.