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Developing Prayer Partners

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CNN NEWS BULLETIN…

We are here in Orlando, Florida at the site of the most incredible news story in all of recorded history. If I wasn’t here seeing it with my own eyes, I would not believe it. People are walking around in a stupor as all activity has stopped for miles around and everyone is looking up in the sky to see a 14,000 foot mountain in the middle of Florida!!!!! I have with me a local high school student who has reportedly taken responsibility for this cataclysmic event. John, can you tell the listening world what happened?

“Sure, dude! Well, I was reading my Bible and I came across something that Jesus said, and thought if Jesus said it then I could believe it. It was the part in Matthew 17:20 where He said, “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you could move a mountain.” Well, I have lived in this town all my life and thought, hey, we could use a mountain around here so I asked God to move Pike’s Peak from Colorado to Florida, and here it is! It’s verse 21 that got my attention. This is where Jesus stressed the power of prayer and fasting. I hope people aren’t mad at me because I’m going to be praying a lot more now that I see Jesus was right!”

Do you feel like starting a ministry at your local high school campus is like moving a mountain? Well, without prayer, you might as well be moving a mountain. Here are some tips to help you get others to help you move your mountain! We are talking miracles here! Realize our work is spiritual. We work hard to make a difference in students’ lives and the world. But apart from God, we can do nothing of eternal significance. Prayer is absolutely essential if we are to see lasting fruit from our ministry efforts.

“…. apart from Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5b Have you settled the issue in your heart? Are you willing to commit yourself to prayer?

RAISING UP PRAYER PARTNERS

As a leader, you need to be able to explain your vision to others. You are calling forth a team of people who will wage spiritual war on behalf of students and leaders. Here are a couple of principles you can use as you call forth those who will intercede:

  1. Clarify your vision.

    Know how to communicate it clearly one-on-one and to groups. Using “word pictures” will help people understand your mission, like moving a mountain, or bringing in a spiritual harvest.

  2. Call people to be intercessors on behalf of the students in their community

    Seek to find people who really believe in prayer. God has burdened some with an extraordinary calling to intercede. Find someone to serve as a Prayer Coordinator.

LET’S GET PRACTICAL – DEVELOP PRAYER STRATEGIES

Some strategies include:

  1. Use the school yearbook to pray by name for each student. Perhaps you could give the students and adults who are praying five or six specific students each.
  2. Assign each of your students, teachers or parents a set of lockers in the hallway of the school. They can pray for the students who use those lockers each time they walk down that hallway.
  3. Ask students and adults to make a “10 Most Wanted List” of students or families they would like to pray would come to faith in Christ. Encourage them to set a specific time to pray for them each day or week.
  4. Go to school board meetings. As you are listening, pray for each school board member and the issues they are discussing.
  5. o to the school in the morning before classes begin or in the afternoon. Walk around the campus, praying for students and school activities.
  6. Mobilize students to lead and participate in “See You at the Pole,” the national youth prayer rally that takes place each September.
  7. Pray through passages of scripture for the school and its students.
  8. Send a letter to every student in the school telling them your ministry simply wants to pray for them. Enclose a self-addressed envelope where they can include any specific prayer requests. Then be sure to pray for those requests. Ask God to give you opportunities to influence those students for Christ.
  9. Consider a 24-hour prayer chain where individuals volunteer to pray for a particular time slot during the day.
  10. Invite your prayer team to outreach sites to pray during the event.
  11. Call your team of student leaders and adult leaders together for a day of prayer and fasting.
  12. Begin or connect with a local mother’s prayer group (Mothers Who Care or Moms in Touch).
  13. Communicate, communicate, communicate. You must communicate requests and answers to prayer with your prayer team.
  14. Organize a clear prayer strategy. Some ideas are:
    • A prayer phone chain
    • A group of prayer partners who are communicated with via mail, fax or e-mail on a regular basis
    • A prayer team whose touch point is calling a local phone number with an answering machine updated regularly with requests and answers.

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How to Apply for a Global Mission with Cru’s High School Ministry

Cru is a high school and middle school ministry (formerly known as Student Venture and Campus Crusade for Christ International). The application for a Global Mission uses an online system. Below are a few things you need to make sure to do.

1. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OLD, DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE PARENT CONSENT PACKET.

Then give the packet to your parents. It includes a consent form that your parent must read, sign, and mail to our office. You will submit your application online but it will not be evaluated until the parent consent form is received.

DOWNLOAD PARENT CONSENT PACKET

2. IF YOU ARE OVER 18 AND OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

We are required by law to perform a background check on anyone over the age of 18 who is out of high school. After submitting your application you should receive an email for the background check.  At that time please submit a check for $20 to Cru and mail it to; 100 Lake Hart Drive MC3200  Orlando  FL  32832.  If you do not receive this email then please contact us at cruhs.globalmissions@cru.org

3. CLICK ON THE “APPLY ONLINE” LINK NEXT TO THE MISSION YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR.

These questions will help you determine if you are ready to apply for a mission:

Once you click on “apply online” you will have multiple options for signing in. Use the one that will work best for you. Or, you can click “Sign Up” to create a user name and password to access your application. If you went on a mission last year, you can enter the user name and password that you used last year. Read the instructions carefully. Fill out the application. You will not need to fill out the entire application in one sitting. You will have the option of saving your work and coming back to it later. Provide 2-3 references.

You will need to select three people and have their email addresses handy when you apply, including:

  1. A peer/friend who knows you well. (This is required for college students and optional for high school students.)
  2. A spiritual leader. (This is required for everyone; preferably this will be a Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ staff person, or you may ask a pastor/youth pastor or adult Bible Study leader – someone who knows you well.)
  3. A parent/guardian. (This is required only for high school students.) Pay the application fee. This may be done online with a credit or debit card. Also, you may mail a check or money order (made payable to “Cru”) to Cru – High School / Global Missions / 100 Lake Hart Dr., 3200 / Orlando, FL 32832. Please do not send cash.

4. ONCE ALL THE REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF YOUR APPLICATION ARE RECEIVED, YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE REVIEWED.

Your information will be reviewed carefully and held in the strictest confidence.

Subject to change. (Updated 12.15.13))

For additional information, please contact the Cru – High School Global Missions team at chs.globalmissions@cru.org.