Every four years Free Methodist bishops, superintendents, pastors, and lay delegates from all over the nation and world gather together to seek the Lord and make decisions on behalf of the church. This year, our bishops have a four-fold focus:
Every Person – fulfilling the call to join Jesus in kingdom service within their spheres of influence.
Every Church – becoming whole and complete and fully operational as a missionary presence locally and globally.
Every Means – encouraging the creative and innovative among us and maximizing all opportunities around us.
Every Place – embracing local and global mission for every church and every member.
This year General Conference is being held at Roberts Wesleyan College, July 13-17. In preparation for that event here is how we can support our leaders in prayer.
March 7 – 12
Monday: “Infallibility of Scripture”
Our Articles of Religion state that the Bible is “uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit” and is “the trustworthy record of God’s revelation, completely truthful in all it affirms.” It has “authority over all human life.”
Pray: Think about what it means to be a people entirely committed to the truth and authority of Scripture and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Tuesday: “Revive Sactification”
Modern evangelicalism has weakened its grip on the hope of the gospel message of sanctification. Do we know too much about what makes people tick to believe in God’s power to rework our tickers? Through crisis and process, sanctification “enables believers to love God” fully and love neighbors freely.
Pray: Think about what it will take to strengthen our grip on this great doctrine and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Wednesday: “Ministries of Freedom”
Our classic Wesleyan viewpoint sees salvation as so much more than getting sins forgiven. We see salvation as being set free from the power and ravaging effects of sin. God’s work is not just judicial; it is therapeutic.
Read: 2 Peter 1:3-4
Pray: Think about what it will take for our churches to offer freedom and healing from sin and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Thursday: “Gospel to the Poor”
At the very heart of our origin as a denomination is the passion to bring the gospel to the poor. Our membership covenant calls us to “respect the worth of all persons as created in the image of God.” Are we looking hard for ways to move this passion from our hearts into our hands and feet?
Pray: Think about what it takes to place the poor in the center of our vision and pray for those things to come true in our people and churches.
Friday: “Promote Orthodox Faith”
Do we still believe in Jesus’ bodily resurrection or the virgin birth? More and more evangelicals doubt the importance or relevance of the Apostle’s Creed. There is a strong undertow of disbelief that threatens to pull us into the sea of relativism and religious pluralism.
Pray: Think about what it will take for our people to stand firm in their faith and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Saturday: “A Passion for Purity”
Our Membership Covenant says that we should commit ourselves to be free from activities that defile the mind, yet we are a lax people living in a very lax culture. Think about all the evils we are exposed to voluntarily and involuntarily.
Read: Philippians 4:8
Pray: Think about the repentance and cleansing we need and pray for those things to come true in our church.
March 14 – 19
Monday: “Confession and Repentance”
2 Timothy 2:25 tells us that repentance leads to truth. But repentance is often misunderstood as simply “being sorry” rather than a radical change of mind and behavior.
Read: Romans 2:5–11; Revelation 2:4-5
Pray: Think about how to teach and encourage repentance and pray for those things to come true, both personally and in our church.
Tuesday: “Integrity”
We display integrity when our words and actions hang together in harmony with our principles. We follow through. We keep promises. We speak plainly. We act consistently.
Read: 1 Samuel 3:19
Pray: Think about how people learn to prize and pursue integrity and pray for those things to come true, both personally and in our church.
Wednesday: “Forgiveness”
Colossians 3:13 tells us to forgive as we have been forgiven. In order for love to flourish in the church, forgiveness has to be given freely.
Read: Luke 17:3-6; Colossians 3:13–14
Pray: Think about how the church can model and urge forgiveness and pray for those things to come true, both personally and in our church.
Thursday: “Humility”
In 1 Peter 5 we are instructed to clothe ourselves in humility. In order to truly love, which is the highest quality of our Lord, we have to be humble.
Read: Titus 3:1-2; Philippians 2:3-4; Colossians 3:12–14
Pray: Think about how true humility is expressed in relationships, both within and outside the church. Pray for those things to come true, both personally and in our church.
Friday: “Wholesome Talk”
The most violated command of scripture just might be, “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.” Our Book of Discipline urges pastors to read John Wesley’s sermon on evil speaking to their congregations annually.
Read: Ephesians 4:29
Pray: Think about how unwholesome talk can be eliminated and pray for those things to come true, both personally and in our church.
Saturday: “Unswerving Honesty”
Our Membership Covenant says we should commit ourselves to strive to be just and honest in all our relationships and dealings. But do we tell the “whole truth” and “nothing but the truth?” Or do we live the lie of pretend spirituality like Ananias and Sapphira?
Read: Acts 5:1-11
Pray: Think about what it will take to promote sincerity in the church and pray for those things to come true, both personally and in our church.
March 21 – 26
Monday: “Prayer-Centered Churches”
The ultimate expression of our faith is unceasing prayer. If we watch Jesus, believe His words, and follow His example we must acknowledge that prayer is the “one necessary thing.” (Luke 10:42)
Read: John 15: 7-8
Pray: Think about what needs to happen for us to be prayer“full.” Pray for those things to come true, both individually and in our churches.
Tuesday: “Bishops: Personal Piety and Intercession”
Our denominational Book of Discipline states that part of a bishop’s task is “deep personal piety and intercession for the church and the world.”
Read: 1 Peter 5:1-4; James 3:17-18; Ephesians 6:18
Pray: Think about what is necessary for the bishops to be able to fulfill this call and pray for those things to come true in our denomination.
Wednesday: “A Worshiping Community”
This “expected outcome” implies that we must make worship more than a routine. It must become a way of life that draws us into community . The presence of God must be at the center just like the tabernacle was for the children of Israel.
Read: Exodus 4:34-38
Pray: Think about what is necessary for those things to come true, both as individually and in our churches.
Action Prayer: Take a hymn, chorus or verse that is special to you. Write the words down and make a point to have “worship breaks” throughout the day. This is a way to “invite the Lord’s presence” into our daily routines.
Thursday: “A Prayer-Saturated Church”
This “expected outcome” implies that everything the church considers, decides and undertakes must be bathed in prayer from beginning to end. Compare that principle with our all-too-common practice of saying perfunctory prayers — if that — at the beginning or end of meetings.
Read: Acts 1: 12-14; 2:42–47
Pray: Think about how a church would prioritize constant prayer and pray for those things to come true in our denomination. How can we promote and encourage this?
Friday: “Empowerment”
The Great Commission is far too great to be pursued without the power of the Holy Spirit. But do we obey Jesus’ command to “wait” before we try to obey His command to “go?”
Read: Luke 24:46-49
Pray: Think about what it means to wait for Holy Spirit empowerment and pray for those things to come true in our denomination.
Saturday: “Unity”
Jesus ’ high-priestly prayer in John 17 was to ask the Father to grant unity among his people and with the Trinity. Jesus is interceding for the unity of the church.
Read: Colossians 3:13; John 17; Romans 15:5-7
Pray: Think about what is needed in individual lives to bring unity to the church and pray for those things to come true in our denomination.
March 28 – April 2
Monday: “Counting Conversions?”
At exactly what point can we say a person is converted? When they ask Jesus into their heart? If we “count” conversions too quickly, will we stop short and fail to help people find total freedom and/or cleansing?
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Pray: Think about what people need in order to be fully converted and pray for those things to come true, both as individually and in our church.
Tuesday: “Spiritual Qualifications for Pastors”
Our denomination’s Book of Discipline states that pastors should “[show] evidence of integrity through holiness of heart and life, fruit of the Holy Spirit, receives and gives forgiveness, … models a teachable spirit.”
Read: 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Galatians 5:22-26; Luke 17:3-6
Pray: Think about what “holiness of heart …” and “teachable spirit” mean and pray for those things to come true in our pastors.
Wednesday: “On to Perfect Love”
The goal of all our doctrines and belief is to be “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) and God’s nature is love. God’s love is described in 1 Corinthians 13. The expectation is that we walk daily in this quality of perfect love. It’s vital that we live a faith that says, “I can.”
Pray: Think about what it will take for our people to believe in and live in perfect love and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Action Prayer: Engage in fasting one meal or a full day. Hunger draws us to a heightened awareness of our need to pray and surrender our entire selves to the Lord and His purposes, including our need for food.
Thursday: “Healthy Marriage”
In a world of rampant divorce it is too easy to see “staying married” as the measure of success. But the real measure of success is whether a marriage reflects Christ’s relationship to the church. Honor. Respect. Self-sacrifice. Enjoyment. Purity.
Read: Ephesians 5:21-33
Pray: Think about what it will take to promote healthy marriage among our people (in our own lives) and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Friday: “Godly, Competent Leaders”
Competency without godliness, or godliness without competency results in leadership without kingdom value. Both are needed. But both can be attempted without the Holy Spirit, resulting in leadership without authority and power.
Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Pray: Think about how godly, competent leaders are raised up and pray for those things to come true, both individually and as a church.
Saturday: “Freedom from Materialism”
Ask any ministry and they will tell you they are strapped for cash. Why? There is only one reason. God’s people make future security and self-indulgence their financial priority over God’s kingdom.
Read: Matthew 6:24-33
Pray: Think about what it will take for our people to seek God’s kingdom first financially and pray for those things to come true, both as individuals and as a church.
