Originally written by Betty Byrd
Before commitment was made to a PACE project, a core group received training, via a weekend seminar, on the task yet remaining and the role prayer plays in finishing that task. Upon commitment to a project, a prayer coordinator was appointed and prayer within the core group was initiated to determine which of the 6900 unreached people groups God would have the church at Okolona embrace.
After weeks of prayer, God gave the core group a vision of which group that should be. Following whole church participation in 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World, the elders confirmed God’s leading and the congregation embraced the need, sending a selected group, including two ministers, an elder, the missions team leader, and other members of the missions team on a vision and prayer journey to confirm/deny this choice. During that journey, God confirmed a specific group, although not the group which was previously selected.
As the congregation embraced the Sylheti people, a number of church members signed up to receive a weekly prayer email, Gatekeepers. Those who receive the weekly update are the gatekeepers who pass on requests for the Sylheti people and the project to others in their small groups and ABFs.
From this email group grew a small group that meets weekly to pray for the Sylheti people, the project, and for spiritual awakening around the block and around the world. This month, a prayerwalking group was launched from within the congregation with the same purpose of praying for the body, the community, and the world.
During last month’s missions strategy meeting, a decision was made to emphasize prayer by offering a class on Sunday mornings which would result in helping more members of the congregation know how to pray. thus increasing the numbers of those who are praying.
May the emphasis on the “Pray” in PACE cause the congretion at Okolona to more and more obey the exhortation of Paul: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
