At the beginning of each year I compile a top ten prayer list for the church I pastor. Whether you attend First Baptist Church or not, this would be a great list to pray over the church you attend this year. Below is a description of each item on the list.

As you pray over the list remember what James 5:16 says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (NLT).

Spiritual Leadership

Ask the Lord to help us develop more spiritual leaders in the church: leaders who love God and love people, leaders who have a God-given vision for the area of ministry they oversee. Pray the leadership culture of the church would include identifying, training, and deploying leaders.

Audrain County

Jesus said the harvest is ripe. We believe there are many people in Audrain County who need the Lord and need to get connected to a healthy church. Ask the Lord to allow us to be a major part of reaching the lost and unchurched in our county. Ask for boldness, creativity, and wisdom in our ministries.

Life Groups

Our goal is to have 100 Life Groups throughout Audrain County. Pray for qualified Life Group leaders to join the team and ministry. Pray for host homes and locations to open up. Life Groups come in all shapes and sizes: studies through a book in the Bible, a focus on a theological subject, support group, recovery group, etc.

“Seek the Lost” Mindset

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. We want to be a significant part of that mission. We must be willing to leave the 99 to go after the 1. Pray that we become “glocal” (global and local) in our outreach. May we have a “go” mentality like that in the Great Commission.

Dedication to Prayer

One of the keys to the power and influence of the early church in Acts was their commitment to prayer. May we have a dedication to intercession, petition, praise, and thanksgiving in our prayers. May we practice a lifestyle of prayer and be known as a church where God answers prayers.

Hunger for God’s Word

As God’s people we are to thirst for the milk of God’s Word and hunger for the meat of God’s truth. Pray that God’s people would devote themselves to the study and application of God’s Word in their lives and in the church body.

Sacrificial Service

God has designed everyone with a purpose and ministry in mind (Eph. 2:8-10). Pray that each of God’s people would identify their spiritual gifting, heart and calling to ministry, and how God can use their personality and abilities to sacrificially serve others.

Gracious Living

God desires His people to be gracious in how they speak and treat others. Pray that God’s people would be kind, patient, forgiving, gentle, peaceful, good, and merciful to the people at work, school, church, and in their community.

Sunday Morning Worship Experience

God wants His people to gather for worship each week. Pray that the worship experience would be inspiring, challenging, motivating, convicting, and uplifting. Pray the focus would be on Jesus and His greatness!

Spiritual Growth

Everyone needs to grow spiritually. Pray for the growth in spiritual maturity among the believers and this growth to be evident in their love for God and in their treatment of others.