A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Dear Pastor,
I want to thank you for taking the time to teach the Pray21 principles of Believe, Belong, Become, and Be from your pulpit during the next few weeks. As a pastor myself, I know how dedicated you are to accurately teaching God’s Word, so I have worked hard to make sure these outlines are biblically correct and culturally relevant to the battle your church faces today. At the same time, I admit that I do not know your congregation, so please make adjustments as needed to feed the flock entrusted to your care.
There are a couple points I would like to discuss with you briefly that are crucial. Honestly, I didn’t know how to address them in the outlines without having an intimate knowledge of your congregation. I was concerned that if I made these points, I might weaken the primary purpose of the four messages; therefore, I simply want to highlight them for your prayerful consideration and implementation.
You are going to find that Pray21 sermons deal primarily with the young people and youth ministry in your church. These messages place the emphasis on adults learning to see youth differently; but truthfully, many of the adults in your church are going to see themselves in the content and context of Pray21. This campaign is about helping followers of Jesus Christ (regardless of age) find their place in his cause and their role in his church. You know as well as I do that too many believers still do not know who they are even after decades of being in the church. Pray21 is an opportunity for the church to help youth and adults recognize and respond to God’s voice in their life.
While it is my fervent hope that your congregation will learn to see young people in a new light and embrace the mentality of youth in ministry, there is mutual benefit for all ages from this mission. As you and the adults in your church begin to believe in young people, they will begin to believe in themselves. At the same time, adults are going to be learning more about themselves. Be prepared to make this point in each sermon.
The need is great and the time is now. Take the time to make these messages personal to all ages. I already believe they are, but again, I want to leave those additional teaching points to your prayerful discernment and pastoral discretion. Apply this message to all generations – everyone is looking for a breakthrough.
Because of Jesus,
Timothy Eldred
Executive Director
Christian Endeavor International
Feel free to call me personally. I can’t wait to hear your wisdom! 800-260-3234.
Pray21 Week 1: Believe
Message: When you care about the dreams and visions of young people they hear their call from God and believe.
Notes:
1. Focus – the unique relationship of adult mentors in helping young people discover their purpose.
2. Main point – belief begins because Jesus first believed in us. We follow his example by stepping out and putting our belief in the young people in our church.
3. The Pray21 Discovery Guide gives many examples that can be used for the sermon. Read and choose the one or two examples from Part 1 that speak the most to your heart to use in the message.
4. Combine these with examples from your life about how God spoke to you and called you into a relationship with him because of caring adults.
5. Have others give similar short testimonies—both youth and adults.
6. Leave time for prayer with the young people in the service. Break into small groups and pray with youth by name.
7. The outline is a general guide and should be adapted to your style and God’s leading. The most important objective of the sermon is to leave the adults and youth with a sense of how vital they are to each other in discovering God’s plan for the church and enacting it.
Outline:
1. Introduction
a. Spend several minutes going over the Pray21 campaign, purpose and roles.
b. Our responsibility as parents is “to bring [our children] up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4, NIV).
c. The responsibility of the church is to make sure every person is fitted into their place in Christ’s cause.
i. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13, NLT)
d. The responsibility of young people is to:
i. …obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1–3, NLT)
e. During these 21 days:
i. I will be addressing the adults asking them to accept responsibility to pray with you (young people) as God reveals your place in his cause.
ii. I will be asking the adults to discover how to support youth in God’s cause.
iii. I will be asking young people to obey their parents in the Lord and study and seek God with all their heart.
iv. Together we will seek to follow Christ as one.
2. Testimony
a. Have three people give a brief testimony about how they discovered their purpose through prayer and the guidance of another mature Christian.
3. Jesus is still drawing the whole world to him through the obedience of his followers.
a. If you are here today, it is your turn to follow Jesus.
b. You will do great things.
c. You will need helpful mentors.
i. Examples
1. Elijah and Elisha (help)
2. Eli to Samuel (help)
3. Saul to David (hinder)
4. Others?
4. Jesus mentored others through his living example.
a. Conquered death and removed our curse.
b. Forgave our sins and gave us a new heart.
c. Trained twelve disciples in the way to live life abundantly.
d. Sent the Holy Spirit so they could pick up where he left off.
5. His purpose for the church is that we do the same thing.
a. Conquer the fear of death and remove curses.
b. Guide others to Christ for forgiveness and a new heart.
c. Enact our unique purpose under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and be a part of the completion of the church’s mission.
6. How does it work?
a. Pray and Listen. Listen and Pray. Act upon what God says.
b. God is speaking directly to our young people.
c. An adult’s belief can give young people the confidence to believe, too. Lack of belief has the opposite effect.
d. The job of adults, like Eli of the Old Testament, is to confirm when God is speaking.
e. How many times did he invite his disciples to prayer? How many times did he ask them, “Do you believe yet?” They had to pray, listen, pray, act upon, pray, listen, and then act again until they got it. They did! Here are two examples:
i. The return of the seventy-two.
1. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. (Luke 10:21, NIV)
ii. At Pentecost, they got it big time. God SPOKE and the room SHOOK. They heard.
f. Believe. God will reveal these things to your children just as he did then.
g. Believe. When the new disciples are ready, empower them, and then get out of their way. This is the hardest act of belief. Even Jesus had to get out of the way.
h. Believe. By joining hands to pray with our youth today and for the next 21 days, we commit to pray and listen and listen and pray together, and act upon what God reveals for us to do.
7. Conclusion and concentrated prayer.
a. Instead of burying your face in your hands or closing your eyes, try praying as Jesus often did, including the last time he prayed for his disciples—raise your head and look towards heaven.
b. Pray WITH young people. Share your hopes and dreams and lift each other in prayer.
c. Give enough time to pray: 10–15 minutes (or more).
d. It’s ok to sit silent, listen and then share what’s on your heart after prayer.
