written by Pastor Randy Boltinghouse

I love to preach.  For over twenty-two years I have had the privilege of standing before the saints who gather at the Windsor Road Christian Church and proclaiming the Gospel on Sunday mornings.  Preaching takes a considerable portion of the weekly worship experience and this is no accident.  It is intentional.

I believe that the Sunday morning preaching event is in direct obedience to God’s will.  Preaching is a God-ordained task to reveal what otherwise would be hidden about Him.  The majesty of Everest and the roar of Niagara reveal God as the Almighty Ruler of creation.  But the created wonders of this universe cannot speak of the Father’s love which sent His only Son as a substitute for us on the cross.

I believe that preaching is a person of God proclaiming the Word of God to people who matter to God.  It is the living, penetrating, eternal Word spoken in order to touch one’s unseen soul.  It identifies Jesus Christ as God in the flesh who invaded this universe to provide salvation through his death on the cross.  This is why there is no such thing as proper preaching apart from the Bible. Without the Bible, there are lectures, lessons, motivational talks, and speeches.  But they are not preaching.

I believe that preaching is “truth through personality,” but it is not effectual because of the preacher’s personality.  It is not about style; nor is it about the clever turning of phrases or the ability to speak in one’s vernacular. It is not about outlines that alliterate, poems that mist the eyes, or stories that inspire.  It is about God’s relentless pursuit of a relationship with people.  It is about the extremes God takes to restoreEden.  Preaching is about God.

I believe that preaching is more dependent on the power provided by the Holy Spirit than the effort of the preacher. This is no excuse for lack of preparation. The preacher must wrestle with the text as Jacob wrestled at the Jabbok. Prayer, asking questions, more prayer, outlining passages, still more prayer, commentary work, writing, re-writing, practicing the message and then pleading with God, “I will not let you go until you bless me!” expect such a preacher to be blessed and–like Jacob–expect such a preacher to limp. The fact is: God gets the credit for the effects of His energy poured into the life of an available and prepared voice box.

I believe that preaching not only matures the hearers but the preachers. The effect of God in preaching is how the Holy Spirit himself forges and matures those who wrestle with Holy Words that constantly expose their lives.  The more I preach the more I desperately need that which I preach.

Preaching:  God the Father has ordained it.  God the Son is the center of it.  God the Spirit is the power behind it.  I confess that I am partial to one of our Adult Bible Fellowship classes at the church I serve.  Whenever I greet them, they flatter me with these words, “Well, look who’s here!  It’s the Preacher!”

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Dr. Boltinghouse is an Instructor in Pastoral Ministry, with an emphasis on preaching, at Urbana Seminary, an invaluable member of our faculty, and minister at Windsor Road Christian Church of Champaign.

written by Taylor Byrum

Have you ever exchanged your money for a different currency?  You give a person your money, only to receive less in a different currency.  Seems inefficient, right?  To me, it seems that what you give, you ought to receive with no loss.  A similar scenario happens to you every day.  It happens every time you plug in your power cord for your hair dryer or electric razor.  You pay for the energy supplied to the wire, but not all of that energy goes to your machine.  Some of it goes to heating up the conducting wires that carry the energy, but you aren’t using that heat.  It’s just energy lost.  But, there is hope.  One hundred years ago, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered that at extremely low temperatures, some materials don’t lose energy to this heating.  In fact, every bit of the energy you put in is converted into current.  This new state of matter is called superconductivity.  There is a catch, though.  These temperatures are extremely cold.  The highest temperature to date that a material becomes superconducting at normal pressure is -216 degree Fahrenheit.  Yes, you read that correctly.  It’s negative and crazy cold.

Let me take you through an experiment to describe what really happens with this type of material.   Take a certain metal you know that is superconducting.  In your lab, you have a fancy refrigerator that can get to these cold temperatures and a device that measures this heat that is simply lost.  You turn on the refrigerator and you tell it to start cooling down to its lowest temperature.  Meanwhile, you constantly measure this heat.  The heat is continuously dropping as the temperature is dropping, but it is still not zero.  All of a sudden, at a certain critical temperature, the heat discontinuously dropped from a number, say 25, to 0.  It didn’t hit 24 or 13 or 9.  It went from 25 to 0.  Now, we say it’s a superconductor.

You can imagine the potential applications for superconductors.  If we could find materials that become superconducting at normal temperatures, things would radically change.  The energy crisis we currently face may cease to exist.  Transformers along the road that solely boost the energy in the cables would be unnecessary.  Your electricity bills would be less.

This is what I study in the Physics Department at the University of Illinois.  I am trying to understand why some materials become superconducting at these “higher” temperatures.  If we can understand why, then our hope is that the answer would lead us to discover or make materials that are superconducting at normal temperatures.

However, my ultimate motivation for studying this phenomenon is not so that we can get more bang for our buck.  At the risk of sounding cheesy, I study this phenomenon because I believe it’s my calling at this stage of life.  In fact, I realized my calling as a scientist when I was working on a paper for a religion class.  For that paper, I spent many hours of research gathering evidence to support my belief that science and theology are not in contradiction regarding creation.  My calling didn’t come from an audible voice or a billboard sign.  No, it was from hours of intense and honest reading of God’s word.

In Matthew 22, Jesus says that one of the two greatest commandments is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  In order to love God, we must know God.  I believe we come to know God when He reveals Himself through His Word, the Holy Spirit, visions, dreams, fellow Christians, prayer, and even His creation.  By studying God’s creation, which includes materials that become superconducting, I can learn of God’s attributes.  I know you may think this is a bit of a stretch, but let me explain this a little more.  The way these materials behave is governed by laws, laws that God has set in place.  When I look under a microscope or study light scattered from these materials, I may not see God, but what I do see is God’s hand at work.  He controls every electron.  I believe He cares and is involved in these small events that happen on the microscopic scale. How much more, then, does He care about what happens on the macroscopic scale, the things that we experience and see?

This provides a Godly calling for my work as a scientist.  The more I learn about the universe and its workings, the more I realize how majestic and awesome He has made it.  Paul says in Romans 1:20 that humans cannot help but see “God’s invisible qualities” in his creation.  Science, then, enables me to understand more about God and love Him with all of my heart, soul, and mind.

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Taylor Byrum is a 2nd year graduate student in the UIUC Physics PhD program. Taylor describes his parents as wonderful, Godly people, who raised Taylor and is brother in a Christian home in Bentonville, AR.  He studied Physics and Mathematics at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he met his wife, Jamie Byrum.  They are happily married, attend Windsor Road Christian Church, love the Arkansas Razorbacks, and dread the cold winter.

written by Dr. Barbara A. Kammer

When asked to contribute to the Urbana Theological Seminary blog, I readily agreed.  Then reality struck! Whatever would I be able to contribute since the request was very open ended? What did I know that would be of interest to anyone else? Many ideas were considered and then rejected. As I was doing homework for my class at UTS, a sudden thought came.  Why not discuss what UTS can offer those of us who do not plan a career in church ministry, but rather feel a need to grow in our relationship with God. (And “no,” this is not an advertisement for UTS, but an acknowledgement of a resource in our community which is available to all, if one knows about it.)

But first some background. I had the privilege to practice medicine for thirty five years plus eight years of post college training as a diagnostic radiologist with a special interest in interventional radiology.  It was in this radiology subspecialty that one had patient contact, not just the managing and interpretation of human images.  The direct patient interaction, to me, was the best part of the practice of medicine, and this particular area of practice was just developing.  I had found my niche, and I loved it! How else to feel that one could make a difference in someone’s life in such a positive way and improve that patient’s health by the techniques and   technology that replaced more invasive procedures? Little did I realize, as a young professional, what my patients would teach me while I was trying to treat them.

The patient’s primary physician would decide that a particular procedure might benefit their patient.  A consultation would be requested for discussion with the patient of the benefits and risks of that procedure so that the patient could decide what he/she would prefer to do. Most of the time the interventional radiologist saw that particular patient only two or three times, the procedure was completed and the patient returned to his/her prior activities. However, there was a group of patients with more chronic diseases, usually vascular/blood vessel disease or cancer, who returned for repeated interventions.  It was the cancer patients and their families who taught me one of, if not, the most important lesson of my life. It was not what was said, but what could be readily discerned if one only were observant.  Each time the patient came in for this particular cancer treatment, a catheter was placed into an artery for purposes of delivery of high dose chemotherapy to a specific organ. Each treatment lasted five days, and each day the catheter position needed to be verified for stability. Some of these patients underwent multiple such procedures, providing the opportunity to know them better.

It was during these interactions that it became apparent that there were distinct differences in a subset of these patients. All were dealing with extremely serious disease, but one small group was different. They were “special” and seemed more at peace with themselves and the ability to cope with whatever came.  It became abundantly clear that this peace and contentment was a manifestation of their faith. Their trust in God was supporting them through this valley in life. These patients and their families had something special! I wondered if I were the patient and not the caregiver if I would have that faith and ability to cope.

Fast forward thirty years to the summer of 2010. On a warm and humid Sunday morning, my family and I attended a church service in which the guest minister was Dr. Cuffey. It was evident that he possessed extensive knowledge of the Bible and its interpretation.  While we had lived in the CU area for more than thirty five years, we had no knowledge of Urbana Theological Seminary (UTS). In fact, we had never even heard of it. Thus began the journey to learn more about UTS and what might be available under its auspices. Would this be one way to learn more about what we, as Christians, believe and the background for it? Could this institution and its classes augment what might be available through one’s own church and independent study? Could this be a vehicle to grow and enrich one’s faith? Survey of the available classes one might consider brought a resounding “yes.” One did not need to become an enrolled student with plans for full time ministry as a vocation, but could just take classes for a fee, simply for the fun of gaining knowledge and enhancing one’s own Bible reading and understanding.

Since I had retired from my demanding profession and our children were now adults, it was time to become more serious about answering the question I had wondered about so many years previously.  Could I handle life’s very deep valleys with the grace of some of my patients? So began my venture at UTS as one way to grow my personal faith. Dr. Thomas’s class on the History of Christianity was the place I decided to begin. Back in the classroom was a trip back in time. Sure, I had studied all of my life to remain current in my profession, but the structure of formal classes, papers and tests sent my memory bank back about fifty years.  Could I still do that and compete with those younger than I? Having lived in a professional “man’s” world for so many years was a lot different than this. I did not have the computer skills of those younger than I.  Would I be able to finish the exams in the allotted time? Well, along came Dr. Thomas, who was very forgiving of my challenges and was SO accommodating.

I learned quickly that I was on a much lower plain theologically than some of my classmates, but I was there to learn and grow. Ultimately, I realized that was OK. I was a student, similar to when I had been a medical student.  I did not yet have all the knowledge needed, and that was part of the journey. After all, I had to remember why I was personally doing this, and my needs would never be those of others. Each of us in the class was there for a different purpose, but with an overarching common desire for knowledge.

The story continues, and this year’s class is the wonderful Survey of the Old and New Testament with Dr. Cuffey. Whatever he is discussing in the Bible is an enhancement of my prior knowledge. I will never read the Bible again in the same way I read it before this class. For those who are students of the Bible, this class is a treasure chest for your future.

It is exciting to learn.  Each of us will find something unique that will aid in growing one’s faith. That is an individual path, but so important. The people and classes at Urbana Theological Seminary have been such a resource for me personally. Perhaps they might be for others as well. Only time will tell whether I will have some of the grace I saw in my patients, but the pathway to growing one’s faith has been stimulating and rewarding.

From all of us here at Urbana Seminary…Merry Christmas! And Happy New Year! I hope that your Advent season has been excellent—with friends and family, safe travel, and most of all with remembering God’s gift of Himself in the person of Jesus.

I encourage you to prayerfully include Urbana Seminary in your Year End giving for 2011. Each year we rely on a significant proportion of donations coming in during December. Many of you have given generously this year, others yet plan to, and we are so thankful for each and every one of you. We know we couldn’t do it without you. God is always at work and it’s exciting to trace what He’s been doing and anticipate what lies ahead in the New Year. Reflecting back on 2011 brings to mind several signal moments. . .

• Outstanding accomplishments of alumni: planting a church that launched very successfully this year, coming home from a furlough in India after a fruitful first term abroad, daring work planting the church in a land closed to the Gospel, and many others working for the Kingdom of God.
• The first seminar on Bioethics jointly sponsored with Carle Hospital. This year’s focus was Anti-Aging Science.
• Significant progress in the process of accreditation for the school, with a deeply encouraging annual visit from a representative of the organization.
• The ongoing life of a school that prepares God’s people for serving Him.

Praise God! For all of this we are so thankful! As President, I’m so grateful to all those who serve Christ here at Urbana Seminary . . . to faculty—Dr. Joe Thomas, Dr. Todd Daly, our Lecturers, and Adjuncts—as well as to those who have tended the administrative side of the work—Ann, Carrie, Katie, Brent, Gee. And on behalf of all of us, we’re most grateful to you for your support and prayer and encouragement through 2011. Thank you!

Merry Christmas!
Ken Cuffey
President, Professor of Biblical Studies

written by Rick D. Williams

Anyone whose life work centers on education or ministry experiences the familiar rhythm of the annual cycle. Our years are marked in quarters and semesters, by “ordinary” time contrasted with the “strong” seasons of Lent, Easter, Advent, and Christmas. We are come once again to the major transition point in both our academic and liturgical calendars. Reflection often accompanies transition, and this particular turn has brought me to a fresh consideration of Advent through an exchange of images from Isaiah chapter 9 and John chapter 1.

Let’s begin with Isaiah 9:2: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of darkness, a light has dawned.” The starting point of all humanity—even the people of God to whom this is addressed–is darkness. We are born “blind” into a broken world over which a dark deception has been drawn. We are unable to “see” who we really are or even to understand why we are really here. As 1 Corinthians 13:12 recognizes, our perceptions of reality are but a dim reflection of how things really are. At its most basic level, our dark deception is this—that “we are on our own”; in fact, that “we are our own.”

But by God’s loving mercy glimmers of grace peek through the cracks. In this land of darkness, a light shines on dawn’s horizon. The nature of this light is poetically set forth in John 1: “Life was in Him,” we are told, and contrary to our lot, “that life was the light of men.” This one born in light “shines in the darkness,” with power even “the darkness did not overcome.” What is so brilliantly illuminated by this Life that is “the light of men?”

In this “child [who] will be born for us,” this “son [who] will be given to us,” Isaiah sees the full reason for His coming: “The government will be on His shoulders.” With his coming, the oppressive darkness of our self-deception—that we are in control—is lifted for those who desire to see. The awful consequences of humanity’s hubris is set right when we rightly acknowledge the Lordship of He who is named “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Perhaps this is why lights play such an important role in this annual journey through Advent and Christmas. Our neighborhoods come alive with light (and, alas, so much more!). Our sanctuaries are illumined with brilliant candlelight. Our hearts are strangely lit by hope, whether we believe or not. All because, one day long ago, the Light “became flesh and took up residence” in our hearts, our sanctuaries, and even our neighborhoods.

Because He is Light, we are able to see through the darkness that blinds us. Because He is Lord, we are set free from the deception that we are. Because He was “born in the flesh,” we are “born of God.” No wonder these days we mark are so filled with wonder. Whether we count ourselves among “those who receive Him” or amidst those still “walking in darkness,” the Truth is that the Light has come. Let us rejoice and be glad.

*Scripture passages quoted are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

by Michael Himik

Last week, I wrote there’s an elephant in the room when it comes to putting Jesus’s teaching into action in the West. Specifically, the elephant is this: God says that to love Him, we must love our neighbors. But loving our neighbors requires real community, and our culture has virtually obliterated real community. All too often, we have few, if any, deep and loving relationships outside of our own “nuclear family.”

So what, as Christians, should we do? It is highly unlikely, and not at all biblical, that God will exempt us from His word simply because our culture has made it difficult to follow His command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” It is more likely, and entirely biblical, that He expects us to change our culture, and to build real community in His name. But how?

Friends, there is a biblical tool that can be used to build real community – a biblical tool that can build deep and loving relationships among God’s family and welcome others into that family. It is the agape feast practiced by the early church. You can call it a community feast if you like, because that is what these feasts build in God.

What is an agape feast?

Agape (pronounced “ah-gah-pey” or “ah-guh-pey”) is the New Testament Greek word for God’s love. An agape feast is how the early church celebrated God’s love. In fact, it is how the early church celebrated communion. When Jesus said to break bread and to drink “in remembrance of me,” early believers took Him at His word and came together over a shared meal where He was host.

During this shared meal, those following the Way “communed” not only with the Lord, but also with each other in the Lord. The Lord’s Supper was supper – an actual meal that knit the community of believers together in Christ’s love. The early church in Jerusalem even met and ate together daily:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

For the early church, communion meant community. Moreover, all were welcome at Christ’s table. Agape feasts were an opportunity to live out Jesus’s command that

“when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (Luke 14:13)

Those with food shared with those without. Those with wealth shared with those who had need. Those in possession of the gospel invited others to hear this good news. The fellowship of believers was real and deep in those days, and earthly distinctions were erased by the Cross.

Just as Jesus promised, when the church did this, it was blessed, “and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” When the church failed to do this, or did it in a way that promoted division rather than community, it was condemned (1 Corinthians 11:17-34).

Friends, let’s restore this practice of the early church and reap its blessings. There’s never been a better time for these community feasts – because today, everyone who comes to a community feast shows up in need. Some who come need the food. But all who come need the community.

Despite our material wealth, we are poor in community, poor in relationships, poor in true Christian fellowship. Let’s drop our idolatrous individualism and prideful privacy — and embrace this poverty. Let’s become “poor in spirit” and be blessed. Let’s recognize that others need us and that we need them. Let’s give a feast in Jesus’s name and invite all the poor, including ourselves, to come.

Jesus asks us to love our neighbor. We try, but in our honest moments, we raise our hands in frustration and cry out, “Lord, I don’t know even know my neighbor.” We have let our culture define the way we follow Jesus, rather than letting our walk with Jesus define our culture.  But it doesn’t have to be this way. Jesus gave us a way to build real community in Him.

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Michael Himick is one of the people working to make Sunday Action happen. He is a publisher, writer, and internet consultant.  You can register to attend a community feast right here in Champaign-Urbana at http://www.sundayaction.com. The next Sunday Action feast is December 18.

written by Michael Himick

Friends, last week, my good brother Dr. Jeff Hallett introduced a new ministry based in Champaign-Urbana called Sunday Action. This week, I’ve been given the opportunity to tell you about the goal of this new ministry. Next week, I hope to tell you more – specifically about Sunday Action agape feasts.

But let’s start at the beginning.

At base, the mission of Sunday Action is to help Christ-followers put the gospel commands of Jesus Christ into action. I think all of us realize, at one time or another, that we have a tendency, as Soren Kierkegaard said, to “believe that the Christian commandments (e.g., to love one’s neighbor as oneself) are intentionally a little too severe, like putting the clock half an hour ahead to make sure of not being late in the morning.”

But we also know, with the solidity of the Word itself, that Jesus really does expect us to put His teaching into practice. We know, absolutely know, that doing what pleases Jesus is an essential expression of our love for Him. Jesus says this throughout the gospels.

He said:  “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)

He said:  “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14:21)

He said:  “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)

He said:  “He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” (John 14:24)

He said:  “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31)

He said:  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

He said: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)

So, here’s what we at Sunday Action propose.

Let’s resolve to go on the greatest adventure of our lives. Let’s resolve to follow Jesus’s teaching more actively every week. He has done everything for us — forgiven every failure, given every grace. He has even promised us that when we step in faith toward Him, God the Father will direct and empower our steps through the Holy Spirit. God himself will enable and aid our obedience to God.

We’re resolved. Starting this Sunday at SundayAction.com, we’re going to examine the gospel commands of Jesus Christ one at a time, one week at a time. We’re going to tackle just one teaching a week, but with a firm and prayerful commitment to put that teaching into greater practice over the course of that week.

Some weeks may be easy. Others will be painful and require us to die to self. Regardless, each week, let’s commit to surrender more and more of ourselves to God’s will. Why wouldn’t we? Jesus, in perfect love, gave himself for us. He gave us life. If we love Him, why wouldn’t we truly give our lives to Him?

Join us this Sunday at SundayAction.com. Following Jesus’s teaching more actively every week is our first goal. I hope to tell you about our second goal next week.

written by Dr. Jeffrey Hallett

Recently I have been convicted by the fact that I am a rich Christian, and generous, but I typically pay others to help the poor. Giving out of our abundance is something Jesus calls us to do, but how many of us actually know and love the needy, as Jesus did? When we speak to Him on Judgment Day, and He asks us what we have done is His name, what if He asks us to name one homeless person, or prisoner, or hungry person? What if we can’t? I have realized I am poor in community. I lack deep relationships with my Christian brothers and sisters.

Also I have been meditating a lot about communion. Certainly in the first century it was a real meal, not thimbles of juice and breadcrumbs. If you don’t think God honors real communion meals in a mighty way, read Acts 2:44-47. It describes rich and poor, believer and pre-believer, sharing in the name of Jesus. When the body of Christ held regular Agape Feasts, God added to their numbers daily.

Have you noticed how modern American Christians use the word “fellowship”? We use it as a verb, don’t we? Something we do with our friends from work or church, with little more commitment than sharing some chips and dip.

In the Bible the Greek word for fellowship, koinonia, is more often used as a noun. It means “close mutual relationship” and it is a gift of our salvation. It is this common sharing in the abundant Spirit-filled life that makes us the complete body of Christ. In this commonality described in Acts, the Christian family was sharing assets to alleviate needs out of love, not legalism. The congregation existed outside church walls and beyond Sunday mornings. Koinonia was, and is, the gift of our salvation that transforms us from individual consumers of the Gospel into corporate producers of the Gospel.

Have you noticed revival lately? I know if you care about what God cares about, you are sensitive to that sort of thing. If you are like me, you have prayed to be in a place where you can see conversions, and baptisms, and miracles, and changed lives, and you are seeing those prayers answered.

I’m really excited about a local ministry that already has its roots in our town ofChampaign-Urbana. This ministry is called Sunday Action. It is spearheaded by a gifted brother in Christ by the name of Michael Himick, who will contribute to the UTS blog next week. The concept of Sunday Action is simple and biblical: sit down with other Christians, and have a meal together, and invite those who need a meal to join the Christian Family. We are witnessing a local revival like that described in Acts. Just like in the early church, relationships formed over these meals are leading to love and generosity among Christ followers, and multiplying Christ followers. The materially poor are developing their assets alongside the wealthy. Many rich Christians, like myself, are realizing their relational poverty, and seeking to grasp this koinonia as a gift of their salvation! Please continue to pray for God’s work in your town!

After approximately 12 years of attempting to build a great church, Pastor Wilson (pseudonym – name available upon request) decided to turn in his resignation, due to his failed attempts concerning his pastorate.  Just prior to resigning, Wilson accepted a complementary invitation to a three and a half day Pastors’ Prayer Summit on the beautiful coast of the Pacific Northwest.  Wilson loved the coast and thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for him to walk the rugged beaches and write his letter of resignation.

During the first day of the prayer summit, while Pastor Wilson walked along the shore, and contemplated his resignation, a pang of guilt came over his conscience.  He had accepted this complementary scholarship for the summit, and over $100 worth of free books, and consequently felt he should at least attend one or two sessions before writing his resignation.  As Pastor Wilson sought the Lord during one of the sessions, he came to the startling realization that in his effort to develop his church, he had tried ‘everything except prayer.”

In light of this startling yet intriguing revelation, Wilson chose not to resign his pastorate. Instead, he would return to his people, and make prayer the “highest” priority in his own life, and in the lives of his congregation.  And yes, you have guessed the conclusion… This new paradigm led to more than a decade and a half of incredible growth and ministry, and it was the total commitment to prayer, not church growth strategies, that Pastor Wilson is convinced made the difference.

If you ask those in fulltime Christian ministry, if they are for prayer, you will almost always hear a resounding yes.  If you ask congregants, who have at least a touch of maturity under their belts, if they believe prayer is powerful, you will hear very few, if any, naysayers.  If the vast majority of layman and pastors (holding to a high view of Scripture) are for prayer, why does it appear that the preponderance of our people are only scratching the surface, when it comes to tapping into this awesome resource?

The work of the Strategic Prayer Initiative^TM has been acutely focused on aiding average American Christians to become seriously more effective in prayer and spiritual warfare.  Part of that effort has been to gather diagnostic survey information from over 3,000 believers on how well they say they are doing in various aspects, or practices, pertinent to the spiritual battle, prayer being the most prominent of these factors.  This analysis, typically done on Sunday mornings, has given us some strong indications of where these people feel they are.

Before we take a brief look at some of the survey results, let me pose what I believe to be a salient question.   If we believe that the fervent prayers of a righteous person can accomplish much, if we believe the prayer of faith can move a mountain, then why do such large numbers of American Christians tap this great resource so casually?

In looking at some of the data, our research shows that 16.6% spend about 30 minutes or more in fully focused prayer on a typical day (somewhat like Mark 1:35, i.e. not multi-tasking).  Eighty-three percent spend 10 or less minutes daily in fully focused prayer, 56.7% spend five minutes a day or less, and 30.6% spend two minutes a day or less.

When you ask these people to tell you if they are satisfied or not with their current prayer lives, 80.2% will say no, yet 95.7% believe “that God wants all of His true followers to have a good prayer life.”

When we asked people to self-rate their current prayer lives, 25.7% said their prayer lives were good or mature, while 46% said fair, and 28% said their prayer lives were poor.

However, one of the most helpful pieces of data shows both the serious need, as well as the incredible untapped potential.  When asked how much of their entire life as a Christian they have actually had a good prayer life, 52.3% said only a small portion of their Christian life, or never.  In other words, half of our warriors are firing blanks from one of their most important weapons!

In conclusion, the Scriptures are replete with admonitions about the power and importance of prayer, and our nation (& world) are abounding in problems and moral crisis.  If Jesus was right that the prayer of faith could cause a mountain to be cast into the sea, it makes one wonder what might be possible, if the church could actually be mobilized in fervent, righteous, and strategic prayer…

by Mike Jebb