SBC PRAYER TARGETS

 Greetings,

"The harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not yet saved." Jeremiah 8:20

A Call to Prayer for SBC

Our time for "A Call to Prayer for SBC" this week. This is a simple reminder to all of SBC life: "It is time to pray." Neither the church nor an individual Christian can obtain the Lord’s blessings, Spirit, or the help needed in this world or in the work of God without prayer.

Crisis, trials, and afflictions cause people to pray and cry out to God for divine help and deliverance. On the other hand, times of ease often lead the church and many Christians to grow lax and negligent in their prayer lives. Thus, we must "stir up the gift that is within us" and pray before our Lord for His kingdom, His church, and all believers.

We have set February 22 as a day of prayer, with a live stream featuring SBC leaders and pastors. They will remind us of the great privilege, priority, and purpose of prayer, share their own experiences, and provide specific prayer targets so that we may unite in prayer for the advancement of the Lord’s plan and purpose in us.

Following this live stream on Saturday, we encourage pastors, church leaders, and members to set aside time on February 23 (Sunday services) for specific prayer for SBC life. There are numerous prayer points to bring before the Lord, and this letter offers a few suggestions to guide those looking for direction. These are merely recommendations, but we simply ask that time be dedicated to prayer for SBC, fostering a more intentional and committed prayer life in both individuals and churches.

A Season of Blessing

We are in a season of blessing upon our nation. Since the revival at Asbury College in February through March 2023, there has been a continued outpouring of the Spirit on college and Bible school campuses. These occurrences are regularly reported on social media as spiritual awakenings.

But what about the churches? A few churches have shared divine moments where God has manifested His presence. Revival is for the church body; spiritual awakening is for the lost masses. This is a season of blessing from the Lord. In the Old Testament, when such moments occurred, God’s people recognized them and declared: "Let us draw near to the Lord."

This is a time of harvest and sowing. For decades, SBC life has witnessed the reality of the verse:
"The summer is ended, the harvest is past, and we are not saved."
We remember the 1990s and the first two decades of the new century, when baptisms declined, and missions and the advancement of God’s kingdom stagnated.

Just as one would not expect a harvest in winter, nor is it a time of sowing and reaping in winter, every season has its purpose. We must recognize the season we are in—for our nation, our future, and the state of the church in SBC. Let us do all that we can to promote and persist in prayer during this harvest time of revival and spiritual awakening. Let us give ourselves to prayer with greater fervency and urgency.

Suggested Guide for Corporate Prayer

SBC Life

  • SBC Entities: Executive Committee, NAMB, IMB, ERLC, WMU, and their leaders and teams.
  • SBC Seminaries: SEBTS, SWBTS, SBTS, NOBTS, Midwestern, and Gateway Seminary—presidents, staff, and student bodies.
  • SBC State Conventions: (Pray for your own state’s) executive directors, staff, and ministries.
  • SBC Associations: (Pray for your own) AMS, ministries, churches, and pastors within your association.
  • SBC Churches: Pastors, deacons, leaders, and members—praying for Holy Ghost fire to fall upon us for revival and for a renewed unction in the pulpits of our convention.

Suggested Format for 15 Minutes of Prayer

  1. WORSHIP (5 Minutes)

    • Adore, praise, and worship the Names of God.
    • Reflect on His attributes as revealed in Scripture.
    • Give thanksgiving for His works and deeds among us.

  2. CONFESSION (5 Minutes)

    • Repent of specific sins in SBC life, including:
      • Neglect, disobedience, rebellion, lukewarmness, and prayerlessness.
      • Refusing to share the Gospel with neighbors, cities, and the world.
      • Stealing from the Lord in tithes, time, and talents.
      • Prioritizing self and entertainment while neglecting spiritual disciplines.
    • Confess personal sins of the heart, mind, tongue, and hands.

  3. PETITION / SUPPLICATION / INTERCESSION (5 Minutes)

    • Pray specifically for the above-mentioned entities, leaders, and churches.
    • Cry out for a real revival—for God’s manifest presence to fall upon us.
    • Intercede for the lost masses and their eternal fate.

This is only a suggested guide—follow as the Lord leads you in prayer. However, a determined and intentional time of prayer must be set aside for the Lord to move and work among us. Oh, how we need the Lord! The Spirit is moving in this season—may we not miss this moment.

Invitation to Join in Prayer

Brethren, I invite you to join us on Saturday, February 22, for the live stream. Please share and promote this call to prayer among SBC life, and encourage participation in prayer on February 23 in your church services.

Let us unite in prayer for revival and spiritual awakening in our churches, our convention, and our nation.

Until,
Dan Biser
rdbiser@live.com

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