Seeking Together: Prayers for the Church

By Bishops Kaye Kolde and Fraser Venter

A New Invitation

Bishop Kaye:

For three years, the bishops have committed ourselves to the vision of seeing a Spirit-fueled movement in and through the Free Methodist Church that catalyzes the multiplication of disciples, leaders and churches.

We have prayed and discerned places where change can bring greater health and effectiveness, but ultimately this vision is entirely dependent on the work of God and our willingness to participate with Him as His holy people and witnesses. This is possible as we shift the culture of prayer to intercede on behalf of the church, to listen for His will and leading, and receive His empowerment for obedience.

For the last two years, we have been calling the church to this kind of prayer in ways that transcend local and conference boundaries. We have experienced the power of coming together through in-person gatherings, online prayer devotionals, and seasons of unified prayer and fasting that we have called Seeking Together.

In the late spring as Bishop Fraser Venter joined the Board of Bishops, we gathered for a time of prayer with some of the team that has guided our National Prayer Ministry over the years.

We began by asking the Spirit how we should pray for the church. We listened and joined in intercession for the Free Methodist Church to be spiritually fruitful in both our collective holy character and our mission to multiply. Arising from that time were themes and specific words that we felt should be our guide as we invite the whole church, once again, to seek God together for His glory.

Together lay and clergy are the stewards of the gospel and of generations of fruitful ministry in the Free Methodist Church. Now our role is to keep reaching new generations and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe. However, all of our effort and our strategy as stewards is submitted to the Lordship of Jesus. He is the one who told us to pray with shameless audacity, and to ask, seek and knock because we have a Father in heaven who will give us the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:8–13) to do His will.

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 “Together lay and clergy are the stewards of the gospel and of generations of fruitful ministry in the Free Methodist Church. Now our role is to keep reaching new generations and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe.”

A Purpose and a Plan

Bishop Fraser:

As Bishop Kaye shared, during our time of prayer, we felt encouraged by the progress of prayer so far and the ongoing call for the Free Methodist Church to keep pressing into Jesus and becoming a Spirit-fueled movement.

Whenever we encounter a passage of Scripture that begins with a “therefore” or “for that reason,” it is wise to pause and revisit earlier verses or even chapters to understand what the author is referencing.

In what is often called the Alps or Grand Canyons of the pastoral letters of the Apostle Paul, he offers one of the most encouraging and insightful prayers in Ephesians 3. Yet he starts with “for that reason,” reminding us that this powerful prayer is rooted in the first half of the book, which highlights our role as believers and emphasizes the phrase “in Christ.”

This serves as a reminder that all our blessings and identity are found in Jesus. And then, in this pinnacle prayer, we are called to live out this blessing and identity in the world.

In God’s incredible grace, He shares a mysterious wisdom: A unified community, His church, has a purpose and a plan — a purpose and a plan to serve as His witness of glory. As great stewards of this revealed mysterious wisdom, the church, Paul provides and exhorts us with a prayer outline to anchor and guide us.

In this heartfelt prayer and encouragement, Paul urges us to ask God for inner strength through the Spirit of Christ living in the believer’s heart, a love that surpasses understanding to fill our lives. He also emphasizes the fullness of God and the display and declaration of God’s glory.

Each part connects to the next, creating a strong path toward divine empowerment and witness. Our goal during the 28 days will guide us by this same outline to build and connect in prayer for ourselves and His church.

And so, we excitedly invite you to join us as we explore the power of prayer found in Ephesians 3:14–21. For this reason, as Paul states, let’s together witness our God accomplish abundantly far more than all we ask or imagine, to Him be the glory in the church and throughout all generations.

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 “Our goal during the 28 days will guide us by this same outline to build and connect in prayer for ourselves and His church.”

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