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DEV:The Prayer Cell by Robert E. Coleman
| |
| Introducing |
| the |
| |
`PRAYER CELL`
~ ~
~ A guide to One of the ~
~ ~
~ Great Spiritual Disciplines ~
~ ~
~ of the Christian Life ~
~ ~
| |
| Prepared by |
| ROBERT E. COLEMAN |
| McCreless Professor of |
| Evangelism |
| Asbury Theological Seminary |
| |
` `
` Sixth Edition `
` Revised `
` `
~ ~
~ Christian Outreach, Inc. ~
~ Box 22037 ~
~ Ft. Lauderdale, Fla, 33315 ~
~ ~
|Copyright 1960 by Robert E. Coleman|
Preface
~A Questing spirit ...~
Multitudes of Christian people are today seeking something more
satisfying. It is not a yearning for better church organization
or for finer buildings of worship, but an anxiety for God and the
|realities| of His life. Amid this restlessness the |conviction |
|deepens| that the supreme need of this hour is for a spiritual
awakening in the church -- a revitalization of Christian
experience and concern.
The answer to this need is |prayer|. It is the basic ingredient
in every spiritual revival. Lack of it lies at the root of all
our problems. And things will never get better until prayer is
restored to its central place in the life of the church. If only
the people of God would live in the spirit of prayer, life would
be quickened, miracles would happen, souls would be saved, and the
Church would be revived.
One way to create more prayer concern is through the practice of a
Prayer Cell. It is being |rediscovered| by increasing numbers of
people as a divinely ordained means of spiritual awakening. The
resurgence of interest in this Christian discipline is undoubtedly
one of the great spiritual movements of our time. Surely those
who want to realize more of the |potential power| of prayer should
see what a Prayer Cell has to offer.
~This May Be What You Are Seeking~
| |
| "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree |
|on earth at touching any thing that they shall ask, it |
|shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. |
|For where two or three are gathered together in my name, |
|there am I in the midst of them." -- Matthew 18: 19-20 |
| |
`A Prayer Cell Guide`
This booklet is prepared to introduce the way of a Prayer Cell.
It is not a rigid rule book, but only a guide to help you get
started. In the shortest manner deemed expedient it endeavors to
answer in the simplest way the most elemental questions concerning
the operation of a Prayer Cell.
It is written for ordinary people to read -- those who are busy
and appreciate one coming straight to the point. Normally it can
be read at one sitting in about twenty minutes. It has already
helped thousands of people to discover the dynamic of a Prayer
Cell for themselves. Here's wishing you a similar experience.
Read it |thoughtfully|, follow it |willingly, and let God have His
way.
~Answering Your Questions ...~
*What it is ...
*Why Have it...
*How to Get Started ...
*How to keep Going ...
*How to Make it Work ...
*How to Let it Spread ...
*How to Ask and Receive ...
~. . . Worth Looking Into~
`Reduced to its most elemental form, it is simply ...`
| |
| A F E L L O W S H I P OF C O N C E R N |
| |
` `
` A Prayer Cell is any small `
` group united in the Spirit `
` of Christ to pray and to `
` seek together the highest `
` in God's purpose. `
` `
`1.` It must be |Christian| in all its purpose, or it should not
exist. The half-hearted or indifferent will find no challenge in
it. This is a fellowship of souls thoroughly dedicated to Jesus
Christ who want only to know and to do more perfectly God's will.
`2.` It is a |voluntary| association. Cells cannot be organized
on an assembly line basis. This is something which must grow out
of the personal desire of individuals seeking a more effective
prayer life.
`3.` It is a |creative| work of God. Each cell is an experiment
of its own bound by no traditions or fixed rules from without.
Together the members of the group work out their own procedure
according the particular situation and leading of the Holy Spirit.
`4.` It is a |spiritual| organism within the larger body of the
church. But the smaller fellowship is not a substitute for either
the congregational life of the church, or the individual
devotional life if each cell member.
`5.` It is a |growing| experience in the areas of new discovery,
both inwardly in the sense of closer fellowship with the Holy
Spirit, and outwardly in the form of service to others.
~There are different kinds of cells.~
Some may concentrate upon a discipline other than prayer, such as
Bible Study or Christian service. It is also possible that a cell
may shift its emphasis from one discipline to another with the
passing of time. The rule is simply to mind the Spirit of God.
A |Bible Study Cell| concentrates upon the Scriptures. It is
prompted by the desire to know more about what the Bible teaches.
Thus the rule adopted by the group emphasizes regular study
patterns and assignments. Meetings carry through this concern
with free discussions of selected passages in the Bible. Prayer
centers around the application of the lesson to the life and work
of the members.
A |Witness Cell| concentrates upon personal evangelism. It is
motivated by the desire of the members to be better evangels of
the Gospel. Consequently, the group discipline involves intensive
personal requirements for witnessing. Meetings are given to
sharing of experiences and techniques in this field. Prayer
centers largely upon people the members are seeking to win or
follow-up, and the enduement of the Holy Spirit for the task.
However, the |principle| of a prayer cell applies to all,
regardless of the particular area of concentration which a cell
may elect to follow. Each member is always joined to the others
in a genuine fellowship of concern expressed through prayer and
mutual helpfulness. For this reason, the minimum basis for this
kind of association is ...
` `
` A P R A Y E R C E L L C O V E N A N T `
` `
| |
| |
| |
| We covenant to pray |
| for one another daily |
| |
| |
| |
| |
~To meet together for ~| |`We desire to know `
~prayer, study, and ~|and |`and to do more fully `
~sharing of experiences ~| |`the will of God. `
| |
|Are you interested? As a disciple of the spiritual life, |
|it ... |
~ ~
~ Answers A Real Need ~
~ ~
| |
|A Prayer Cell stimulates essential virtues of the Christian|
|life. Help comes to all at the deepest level of human |
|experience. The Bible cleverly teaches the validity and |
|effectiveness of this spiritual discipline. |
| |
~1.~ It inspires |trust| in friends at the highest level of
Christian service. Kindred spirits are bound together in a
brotherhood of one accord. Each person has a sense of filling a
key position in a great team.
~2.~ It provides |strength| to overcome individual weaknesses.
The burdens of one member are shared by all. Those who are
stronger are enabled to encourage the faith and revive the hope of
faltering friends.
~3.~ It enlarges |vision| into reality. Here is one way to learn
more about yourself. And as the mind of God is more fully
realized in the experience of each person, God's purpose for all
of His creation is more completely known and accepted.
~4.~ It quickens |commitment| to action. Focused prayer on
personal needs and the constant watchfulness of the group over
each other excites unto more love and good works. Prayer
ultimately expresses itself in action.
~5.~ It vitalizes |passion| for an outreach in the larger
community of which it is a part. Blessings can never be self-
contained. When a Prayer Cell functions as it should, everyone
eventually benefits by the renewed life it imparts to the whole
church.
`GIVE GOD AN OPPORTUNITY ... `
~to show you Himself ....~
|A Prayer Cell is nothing new. It is principle ...|
~ ~
~ Founded Upon Scripture ~
~ ~
`Jesus introduced the idea to His followers.`
|He taught His disciples:|
~"If two of you shall agree on earth ~
~as touching any thing that they shall~
~ask, it shall be done for them of my ~
~Father which is in Heaven. For where~
~two or three are gathered together in~
~my name, there am I in the midst of ~
~them." (Matthew 18:19,20) ~
|* Jesus demonstrated| this principle in His own ministry by the
close relationship which He sustained with His disciples,
especially Peter, James and John (Luke 9:28, 29; Matthew 26:36-
38). His High Priestly prayer is a good example of the way |He
lifted up| His small band of disciples when talking with the
Father. (John 17).
|* Knowing the power| of this discipline in his own life |Paul|
said:
~"I beseech you brethren ... ~
~that ye strive together with me~
~in your prayers to God for me. ~
~(Romans 15:30) ~
Likewise |James| told the church:
~Confess your faults one to another,~
~and pray one for another." ~
~(James 5:16) ~
|* The Book of Acts| and |the Pauline Epistles| depict the
Christians continually praying for each other and with one
another.
|The continued steadfastly in . . . fellowship . . . and in |
|prayers"| (Acts 2:42). It is also significant that the
missionary party which traveled with Paul formed a Prayer Cell to
pray daily for the concerns of the church known to the group
(Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).
|In all kinds of situations it has been tested and ...|
~ ~
~ P R O V E D I N E X P E R I E N C E ~
~ ~
|The Prayer Cell idea has come to the fore in times of |
|spiritual awakening throughout history. |
|* The Evangelical Revival| in England in the late eighteenth
century is one noteworthy illustration of this fact. Beginning in
a little Holy Club at Oxford, characteristic of a Prayer Cell,
revival influences emanated which swept across the world and
ultimately gave birth to the Methodist Church. So impressed were
the Wesleys with the Prayer Cell principle and that every
Methodist society was organized into small Band or Class meetings.
For more than a century, during the time of Methodism's greatest
spiritual and evangelistic vitality, these small units continued
to be the |real life| of each local church.
|* The Great Revival| in America in 1857 and 1858 was another
example of this principle at work. Empowered and nurtured in
prayer meetings led largely by laymen, this last national
awakening |affected| every church in the land and brought a
million souls to the Saviour.
|God can do it again| through the prayers of His people. But
there must be a return to the proven method of united and
effectual prayer concern. God can send revival without singing,
or even preaching, but never without |prayer|. This
is the one indispensable condition for spiritual blessing.
|Are you willing to do something about it in your own life?|
~If you believe that you would like to be in a Prayer Cell, ~
~then here's how to ... ~
~ . . . G E T S T A R T E D ~
~1. PRAY~ |that God will have His way with you.|
|* Make| a new |surrender| of yourself to God, including your
total prayer life. Willing to do whatever pleases God, then ...
|* Raise| the question, |"How can my prayer life be more |
|purposeful?"| Ready to explore any area of God's promise and
blessing, then
|* Meditate| upon what God has been |pleased| to do with and
through others in Prayer Cells. Convinced that God does use this
means of prayer, then ...
|* Ask| God to help you to become a part of a Prayer Cell. You
may be let to come into an existing Prayer Cell, or more likely,
you may be let to start one yourself. However it is, you must get
|together| with someone, so . . .
~2. PRAY for another person to join you.~
|* Believe| that God is speaking to another person just as He is
speaking to you. Give God time to make |His will| known.
Confident that God is working, then . . .
|* Look| around for the person that God wants you to pray with.
You may meet this person in an |unusual| way or merely in the
|routine| course of your work. When you sense God's leading in
this matter, then . . .
|* Speak| to the person about it. If your conversation confirms
your urge, |ask God| what He would have the two of you to do.
After both of you have prayed about it, if you feel that you
should form a Prayer Cell, then . . .
|* Enter| into an agreement to pray daily for each other, and set
a time for another meeting. Your Prayer Cell is now formed. But
you must grow, so . . .
~3. Pray together for the Holy Spirit to complete your Prayer ~
~Cell~.
|* Share| ideas which you may have about others coming into your
Cell. Pray about every suggestion or inclination which the two of
you may have, and when you are agreed upon what to do, then ...
|* Invite| others to join your Prayer Cell. When the next person
or persons have come to know the |joy| of prayer fellowship in
your group, then
|* Follow| the discipline of |seeking| the guidance of God
together until the Cell is complete. Some cells may have only
three members. Others may have ten or more. When you have the
number in your Prayer Cell which God wants, then . . .
|* Continue| to grow in the will of God together.
~ ~
~ God has something tremendously important which He wants to ~
~ accomplish through your Prayer Cell, yet it will take more ~
~ than what you have now to fulfil this purpose -- more love, ~
~ more understanding, more faithfulness. Finally, it will ~
~ take more of the Holy Spirit upon your Prayer Cell to unite ~
~ it and empower it through the Word. ~
~ ~
|Once you are started, here's how to . . .|
~K E E P G O I N G . . .~
|Maintain your accepted discipline.|
~1. Meet together regularly for prayer and the sharing of ~
~problems and blessings. ~
|* Weekly| or bi-weekly meetings are suggested. Each meeting
should normally last about an |hour|. You can meet at any time
convenient to all the members, and at any place where there is
reasonable privacy.
|* the program| should allow for confession and testimony,
followed by a period of collective prayer for the specific
requests made known to the group. Each person present should
|express| his feelings freely. A portion of Scripture may be
studied together or briefly expounded by some member of the group.
|Reverence| in a setting of informality should prevail throughout
the meeting.
|* If| a member is absent from a meeting, find out |immediately|
the reason. Sickness or some other personal difficulty may need
to be brought to the attention of the Prayer Cell, and appropriate
concern manifested.
~2. PRAY daily for each other and the concerns of the Cell. ~
|* Remember| in your daily devotions the prayer requests made by
members of your Cell in the meetings and through other
communications. |Prayer lists| are very helpful in calling to
mind these needs.
|* Keep| in contact with each member of your Prayer Cell when
separated by long absences. A card or letter to a distant
fellowship friend can serve this purpose.
|* Cultivate| the feeling of solidarity among the members of the
Cell. Do things to show your |love| for each other. There are
many ways to do it. Just the rememberance of birthdays,
anniversaries, and other special days is appreciated.
Thoughtfulness in these little things will bind you all closer
together in |bigger things|.
~3. ADOPT some plan of group activity.~
|* Seek to grow| in the knowledge of God through some practical
program of Bible Study. Occasionally, you might vary your
procedure by studying together some good devotional book.
|Scripture memorization| might also be a part of this discipline.
Use your initiative.
|* Find| some way to |express| the purpose of the Cell in
Christian service. Personal evangelism can be an activity
promoted by this fellowship. Perhaps the group can find a way
through the church to help in some type of evangelistic or
charitable program in the community. Your pastor will be glad to
suggest a worthy project.
|* Change| your discipline if necessary to meet the need of the
group. There is nothing absolute about any particular pattern.
Thus it is possible that a Cell may want to direct its emphasis
primarily upon Bible study or personal witnessing, although
maintaining the underlying principle governing a prayer
fellowship.
`Your Prayer Cell will be what you make it. Here's how to . . .`
`M A K E I T W O R K . . .`
| There's no limit to what God can do through your Prayer Cell |
| if you will give it your best. It's up to you! So . . . |
~1. KEEP strictly to the purpose for which you are joined ~
~together. ~
|* Your| purpose is |spiritual| not social. You meet together to
pray, not to visit. Nothing will defeat the spirit of the meeting
more quickly than idle talk. Social fellowship among friends is
wonderful, but it is purely a by-product of a Prayer Cell.
|* You| are concerned with doing |God's will,| not your own. The
Prayer Cell is not a mutual admiration society. Superficiality
and irrelevance can be avoided only if you orientate your life and
witness around the Holy Scriptures and seek to express your
devotion |to Christ| in and through the church.
|* You| are always seeking more -- more of God, more of truth,
more of love and more ways of experiencing and expressing this
|reality|. Methods are important only in so far as they help you
to attain this objective. The Prayer Cell is not an end in
itself, but merely a channel through which |God's grace and power|
is mediated through the Holy Spirit. Honor the Spirit, not the
Cell.
|* If| a group ceases to radiate with spiritual vitality, |check|
|up| and find out the reason. It may be that it would be better
not to continue the Prayer Cell in its present state.
~2. TRUST the Prayer Cell with the intimate yearnings of your ~
~heart.~
|* Let| your Prayer Cell share your work and calling. Tell them
abut your doubts and burdens, as well as your dreams and
aspirations.
|* Be| willing to face yourself before |group introspection|. The
closer you come to one another in love and understanding, the
clearer your faults will be seen. Some of these close friends
will know things about you eventually that no-one else knows. Do
not be overly sensitive. Thank God for friends who love you so
much. "Love never faileth" (I Corinthians 13:8).
|* Protect| and preserve the honesty and |mutual confidence| of
the persons in your Prayer Cell. Never carry in conversation
beyond the border of your Cell that which is shared in confidence.
~3. SEEK the very best for each member of your Prayer Cell.~
|* Lift up| for your friends the highest possibilities of
Christian experience which you have known. Your Prayer Cell is an
instrument of tremendous |power and blessing| only when each
member is laboring for the good of the others, and all together
are striving for perfection.
|* Consider| a sin in the life of any member of your Prayer Cell a
reproach upon |yourself| and bear it as if it were your own. Do
all in your power to restore a fallen brother.
|* Above all,| point the way for others to follow by your own
obedient walk with God. Be able to say with |Paul,|
| |
| "Be ye followers of me, even |
| as I also am of Christ." |
| (I Corinthians 11:1) |
| |
~You Are the Key Man ...~
| |
|Ultimately, what you are, and what you do, |
|will determine the effectiveness of the cell. |
| |
` `
`Keep in mind that Cells, like measles, are contagious -- when `
`you have the real thing, people around you who are susceptible `
`to spiritual adventure will likely catch what you have. You `
`don't have to force it on anyone. Just expose them to it. `
` `
~ ~
~ L E T I T S P R E A D ~
~ ~
|* When| you have a chance, simply say a gentle word about what a
Prayer Cell means to you. Opportunities for testimony in public
and private are numerous. Especially seek to interest the leaders
of your church or school in this discipline. Where people |see|
its blessings in your life, they will want it for themselves.
|* Use| the |printed page| to tell what Prayer Cells are doing.
The church bulletin, letter or newspaper can lend their coverage
to this endeavor. Be sure to announce where guidance can be found
for those seeking such fellowship. Perhaps this booklet could be
made available to those wanting more information.
|* Take| advantage of special evangelistic efforts to |arouse|
people to seek ways of making prayer more meaningful.
|* The Prayer Cell| is one way of directing this anxiety into
practical expression. It is particularly helpful in preparation
for the meetings by encouraging |spiritual expectancy| as well as
in follow-up of those making decisions during the campaign by
getting babes in Christ into a family relationship. Prayer
meetings, retreats and camps afford other unique opportunities for
introducing this idea.
|* Of course|, you can always take the lead in asking someone else
to join you in starting another group. As the new Cell develops,
you can leave the old group, or you can continue to be part of
both.
~Living organisms always multiply.~
That's why vital Cells invariably |increase| their numbers. A
blessing can never be self contained for long -- either you must
give it away or the time will come when you must give it up.
|What a Challenge!| God can use a Prayer Cell to lead you and
your friends into |deeper things| than you have ever known before.
But remember always that blessings come through prayer. Merely
going through the routine will not avail. You must |prevail| upon
God in real submission to His sovereignty. This comes first --
without it nothing else matters. When it all boils down, the
effectiveness of what you do depends upon how you pray. Here's
how to
~ A S K A N D R E C I E V E ~
| |
|* Ask and it shall be given you; |
| seek and ye shall find; knock |
| and it shall be opened unto |
| you. For everyone that asketh |
| receiveth; and he that seeketh |
| findeth; and to him that knock- |
| eth it shall be opened." |
| (Luke 11:9,10) |
| |
`God has promised to answer your prayers. All you need to do is `
`to follow His directions. `
~1. Depend only upon the merit and meditation of Christ.~
|* "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who|
|is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession |
|for us." (Romans 8:34) |
|* "If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask |
|what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7) |
|* "Whatsoever ye ask in My Name, that will I do, that the |
|Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything |
|in My Name I will do it." (John 14:13,14) |
~2. Have a Clean Heart ~
|* "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear |
|me." (Psalm 66:18) |
|* "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears |
|are open unto their cry." (Psalm 34:15) |
|* "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth |
|much." (James 5:16) |
|* And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, |
|Jesus Christ the righteous . . . If we confess our sins, he is |
|faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from|
|all unrighteousness." (I John 2:1; 1:9) |
~3. Want Only the Will of God.~
|* "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may |
|consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3) |
|* "And this is the confidence that we. have in Him, that, if we|
|ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; and if we |
|know that He heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have|
|the petitions that we desire of Him." (I John 5:14, 15) |
~4. Obey All the Truth You Understand.~
|* "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be |
|a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth." |
| (John 9:31) |
|* "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then we have |
|confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of |
|Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that |
|are pleasing in His sight." (I John 3:21,22) |
~5. Believe That God Does Answer.~
|* What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye |
|receive them, and ye shall have them." (Mark 11:24) |
|* "If ye have faith and doubt not . . . it shall be done. And |
|all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye |
|shall receive." (Matthew 21:21,22) |
|* "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that |
|believeth." (Mark 9:23) |
|* "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." (James 1:6) |
~6. Never Give Up.~
|* "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint ... And shall |
|God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, |
|though He bear long with them." (Luke 18:1,7) |
|* "Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will |
|of God, ye might receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:36) |
~7. Praise God for Everything of Good Report.~
|* "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and |
|supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known |
|unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding,|
|shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." |
| (Philippians 4:6,7) |
|* "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." |
| (Revelation 19:6) |
`Before you lay this book aside,`
~A S K Y O U R S E L F : ~
* How is your |prayer life?|
* Is is ever |expanding| in the realization of |God's |
|faithfulness?|
* If not, are you |seeking| to make prayer more |meaningful| in
your life and in the lives of those about you?
* Are you |satisfied?|
`T H I N K O N T H E S E T H I N G S`
`. . . A n s w e r t h e C h a l l e n g e `
~It matters not what the conditions are about you when ~
~you are working through the power above you. That ~
~power is prayer. Everyone says it. Experience con- ~
~firms it. You know it. Then resolve now to use every ~
~means of developing this potential of unlimited power ~
~both in you and in others. The discipline of a Prayer ~
~Cell may help you. Perhaps something else. But ~
~whatever it takes, keep seeking until you find a way. ~
~This is your greatest need, but also your greatest hope.~
|"If my people which are called by My name, shall humble them- |
|selves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked|
|ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin|
|and will heal their land." (II Chronicles 7:14) |
` `
` L O R D. T E A C H U S T O P R A Y" `
` `
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Transcribed as a text file for BBS by Dana Robitille
Beehive BBS
=================================================================
