'Prayer' Part II

As we continue in this series on prayer, bear in mind that your LifeGroup may be the only environment where your people are being challenged to consider praying seriously. That's a big responsibility, and so we should be sure as leaders to maintain a challenging and encouraging atmosphere that allows for growth. In addition to that fact, it may be a better time than ever to begin emailing a thought or two throughout the week to your people to check in and encourage them through this 35 day journey of prayer our community is on. Bottom line- LifeGroups are about transformation. And transformation rarely "just happens". Let's grab a hold of this season for our group members and do everything we can to help them grow a few spiritual inches in their communion with God.

Thaw

• How's the prayer guide working out?
  
• What's been the biggest challenge so far?
  
• What do you feel like you have learned since you started?
  
• Who in the group would say they have grown? Tell us about that.
  

Read

• Matthew 6:5-13
• Thoughts?
  
• Who in the group has memorized prayer from their childhood?
  

Leader note: You may want to point out that the prayer starts with the word "our", and uses the word "us" and "our" throughout. It never speaks as an individual. Upon pointing that out, explore with the group what we might be missing in thinking that prayer is only personal and private. What value would there be to askign and requesting of God in a group setting. Confessing?

• How would you describe the progression in the prayer, when you take it line by line? You may need to go through, a line at a time as a group to discover this.
  
• Why would God want us to start with Him? Is it for His egotistical needs to be met first, or something else? Explain.
  
• What do we miss out on when we think that this is about the words?

Discuss

• What's the biggest hindrances for taking longer periods of dedicated prayer?
  
• When we pray "on the go" primarily, is that mostly a strategic decision, or is it something we've settled for?
  
• Is there anyone in the group that doesn't pray as often as they think they should because the "conversation" with God seems one sided.
• Are there any members of this group that can share what God has done in response to more prayer, and periods of dedicated prayer?

Leaders note: It may be appropriate, depending on how the discussion is going at this point and how much "success" your members have had in their prayer life, to point out that as Jesus teaches His followers to pray, He says nothing of the measurable response the Father will provide. He speaks of met needs, but He doesn't imply that it will be a like a phone call. Apparently, there are deep mysteries in speaking to God that go beyond a verbal give and take like you can have with a co-worker. We will speak about "hearing God" next week.

• How can this group serve as a source of accountability for prayer?
  
• How can the group prayer for you?

Leader note: Spend some time at the end of your meeting time praying through the structure and progression of Jesus' prayer. Remember, its not about the words, but in understanding things in their proper order and attitude.

You may want to also look at where the prayer journals are taking us on the day of your meeting and use it as a group.