Winning Ways -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

How Your Prayers Are Like Water on Rock
by Tom Goodman
August 28, 2013

With all the great tools and training behind the Explore God campaign, don't forget the essential element of prayer.

It's exciting to see the billboards and news coverage for the campaign. It's impressive to scan the ExploreGod.com website and see the quality of the materials. The members of over 350 churches in the Austin area have received training to have spiritual conversations. On September 8, those 350 churches will begin a sermon series and small-group study on the Seven Big Questions, such as "Why does God allow pain and suffering?" and "Is Christianity too narrow?" and "Is the Bible reliable?"

And yet... and yet....

All the efforts are merely the hoisting of canvas on a sailboat: There's no moving forward if the Wind doesn't come.

So, pray for God's Spirit to come and fill the sails of our efforts. Pray for God to work in your conversations and invitations. Pray for God to work in our and all the churches involved in this campaign. Pray for life-change.

I'm encouraged by Pete Greig's image of intercession as water working slowly into rock. In his book, God on Mute, he wrote:

In prayer, we appeal to the gentleness of Christ's nature as well as His power and engage with the complex free will of people He loves. That's why prayers for people generally work slowly, like water seeping silently into the tiny cracks of a vast boulder. For a long time, nothing may appear to have changed. Our prayers, resembling mere dribbles of water, appear to be of an entirely different nature than the substance of the rock. But then there comes the first great freeze of winter -- some circumstances beyond human control -- and overnight, as if by magic, as if struck by lightning, the vast boulder splits open.

This Sunday, September 1, we'll take a close look at 1 Timothy 2:1-8. There we find five things that have to be in place for your prayers to have any impact in the lives of others. We'll also celebrate the Lord's Supper. Join us @ 10!

Wednesday Nights. Midweek programs have returned, and on September 4 the kids return to AWANA.

Sunday Nights. Starting September 8, we launch back into our Hillcrest Institute classes and Kids Music Theater). Sign up!

--Tom

Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here.

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Winning Ways - from Hillcrest Baptist Church, Austin, Texas	Contact Tom Goodman, Pastor
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How Your Prayers Are Like Water on Rock by Tom Goodman August 28, 2013 With all the great tools and training behind the Explore God campaign, don't forget the essential element of prayer. It's exciting to see the billboards and news coverage for the campaign. It's impressive to scan the ExploreGod.com website and see the quality of the materials. The members of over 350 churches in the Austin area have received training to have spiritual conversations. On September 8, those 350 churches will begin a sermon series and small-group study on the Seven Big Questions, such as "Why does God allow pain and suffering?" and "Is Christianity too narrow?" and "Is the Bible reliable?" And yet... and yet.... All the efforts are merely the hoisting of canvas on a sailboat: There's no moving forward if the Wind doesn't come. So, pray for God's Spirit to come and fill the sails of our efforts. Pray for God to work in your conversations and invitations. Pray for God to work in our and all the churches involved in this campaign. Pray for life-change. I'm encouraged by Pete Greig's image of intercession as water working slowly into rock. In his book, God on Mute, he wrote: In prayer, we appeal to the gentleness of Christ's nature as well as His power and engage with the complex free will of people He loves. That's why prayers for people generally work slowly, like water seeping silently into the tiny cracks of a vast boulder. For a long time, nothing may appear to have changed. Our prayers, resembling mere dribbles of water, appear to be of an entirely different nature than the substance of the rock. But then there comes the first great freeze of winter -- some circumstances beyond human control -- and overnight, as if by magic, as if struck by lightning, the vast boulder splits open. This Sunday, September 1, we'll take a close look at 1 Timothy 2:1-8. There we find five things that have to be in place for your prayers to have any impact in the lives of others. We'll also celebrate the Lord's Supper. Join us @ 10! Wednesday Nights. Midweek programs have returned, and on September 4 the kids return to AWANA. Sunday Nights. Starting September 8, we launch back into our Hillcrest Institute classes and Kids Music Theater). Sign up! --Tom Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here. Check out my weblog here. Do you know friends who would appreciate Winning Ways? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to Winning Ways? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail. FRESH NEWS AT HILLCREST UPDATED WEEKLY: www.hillcrestaustin.org LISTEN TO RECENT SERMONS: Click here. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Click here. If you do not have access to the web, please send a note to newsmaster@hbcaustin.org to tell us of any changes you would like to make.