A House of Prayer

We seek to encourage our church in reading, studying, and living out Scripture in our daily lives. This study guide is designed to correspond to Sunday’s sermon (January 28th) [Listen Here]. Read through this lesson on your own or with a small group.


A Spiritual House

Week Three: A House of Prayer

Pastor Mike Halstead – 1/28/17

This week, in our series on the spiritual nature of the church, we take a look at the role that prayer plays in the mission of the church, and how is it used when we look at the community we have been placed in as our target audience for the gospel.

Read

James 5:13-18

Go Deeper

  1. The first verse tells the audience to both pray and sing praise. How are the two activities connected?

 

  1. Why is it so important to remain prayerful in times of blessing?

 

  1. What can we learn from Elijah’s faithfulness and habit of prayer?

 

Read

James 5:19-20

Go Deeper

  1. Who is somebody you know that has “wandered away” and needs prayer to help bring them back?

 

  1. What else can we do, apart from prayer, to bring the lost sheep back into the fold?

 

  1. What does James mean by his assertion that the one who brings back a wanderer will “cover a multitude of sins?”

 

Apply

  1. What is a time in your life when you find a habit of prayer comes easiest? How about when it is more difficult?

 

  1. What is a way you can influence our community in our collective effort to spread the gospel?

 

  1. Why is a personal habit of prayer important in the global mission of the church?

 

Pray

This week, start a regular habit of prayer. Take some time each day at the same time to pray for our community. Harvest has the opportunity to affect our city for the gospel, but will only succeed if we are continually dedicating ourselves to God’s will for us. Ask God to show who and how you can personally influence as we seek to bring our home into the kingdom of God.