Any of the prayer categories below can be used as a one-hour season of prayer using a "10-20-30" prayer model. The four categories below follow the missions and ministry structure of Acts 1:8.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem1, in all Judea2 and Samaria3, and to the ends of the earth4 (Acts 1:8).
Each hour-long season of prayer includes:
- Ten minutes of Scripture reading, public leadership, and worship, followed by
- Twenty minutes of sharing prayer concerns in small groups related to the session focus, followed by
- Thirty minutes of guided and conversational times of individual, group, and corporate prayer.
1 My Family and Network of Friends
Create a prayer list of your family members, praying for them daily.
Introduce the CrossRoads Prayer Evangelism ministry (see sample at InAllThingsPray.net). Encourage church members to list names of up to five friends and begin tracking their prayer, care, and sharing with those friends.
Ask members of your congregation to write down names of unchurched and lost family members on a note card and bring them to the front of the worship center and place them before the Lord.
2 My Church and Community
Print the names and dates of the church’s planned evangelistic emphases for the next six months—things like VBS, revival services, or special music programs.
Lead the church to pray for these planned events by name during the pastoral prayer time on Sunday morning. Pray also for the continued health and unity of the church.
Pray by name for the church’s ministry teams and committees, encouraging volunteers to use their ministry opportunities to expand the Kingdom.
3 My Country and its Peoples
Read 1 Timothy 2:1–6 aloud during the morning worship service. Ask the congregation to intercede for the nation. Mention the names of elected officials during the pastoral prayer.
Pray for the Lord to multiply your church’s reach by calling out of your congregation those who will serve as pastors, missionaries, and church planters.
Pray for the diverse peoples of our nation and for the racial reconciliation that is possible only through salvation in Jesus Christ.
4 My World and its People Groups
During the pastoral prayer, pray for those in your church who may be sensing God’s call to become part of the “limitless ministry teams” serving alongside our IMB field missionaries.
Ask the Lord to give IMB trustees and leaders divine wisdom and guidance as they challenge Southern Baptists to be on mission with God.
Ask for wisdom and mercy for missionaries accepting often-dangerous opportunities for service around the world.
The one-hour “10-20-30” format is designed to serve as a model that can be replicated and used in a local church setting.