Prayer  Movements
In addition to what we can learn from numerous biblical passages regarding prayer, the dynamic history of Boston and New England is rich with examples of prayer movements that help us understand the significance and foundational role of prayer in God's redemptive mission over time and within the church in our city, nation, and world.
The Puritan Awakening, the Great awakening, the Second Awakening, the Boston Noontime Prayer Revival, and the Student Volunteer Movements for foreign mission are some examples of historic movements of God's spirit in our region with accompanying streams of prayer activity that inform us regarding prayer today.
Given the significance of prayer, the Vitality Project investigates the role of prayer in shaping New England's past, its contribution to the current Quiet Revival*, and the unique opportunity before the church to strengthen various streams of prayer across New England for an even greater and sustained move of God's spirit.
Prayer Ministry Objectives
- Identify the vital contours of the prayer landscape in Metro Boston and New England
- Foster collaboration among existing prayer movements, networks, and alliances
- Strengthen local and regional prayer events, conferences, and activities
- Encourage, teach, and train prayer leaders
Prayer Ministry Activities
- Pray for Boston, an ongoing monthly prayer meeting of Metro Boston pastors and leaders initiated by the Vitality Project, is encouraging four streams of ministry as suggested by local pastors: (1) neighborhood based pastor-to-pastor prayer and fellowship; (2) neighborhood based congregation-to-congregation gatherings; (3) coordinated city-wide prayer gatherings & activity, and (4) intercessory prayer activity - especially with regard to how these four streams of ministry might help prepare the church and our city for a sustained and significant move of God's Spirit.
- Hosting His Presence is an ongoing monthly prayer and worship gathering sponsored by the Vitality Project through our partnership with Watch Boston - www.neapn.org
- Korea Prayer Trip and Learning Team - www.egc.org/korea2009 (October 19-29, 2009) for pastors and lay leaders from Metro Boston. For decades, EGC's interest regarding vitality has led us to explore many aspects and expressions of the church within Metro Boston and New England especially with regard to long term, sustained kingdom growth dynamics. As we better understand how the vitality of Christianity in the Global South contributes to the "Quiet Revival"* of the church in Boston, we also sense an increasing need to explore the dynamics of the church in other cities and nations experiencing what some would consider "Major Revival." The vitality of the church in Boston is related to many other vital places around the world like Korea.
- "Lay of the Land" Project is working to identify and document existing local and regional prayer activities and movements in Greater Boston and New England that demonstrate a broad, Kingdom perspective in ministry in order to inform, encourage, and increase collaborative, transformational prayer in our city and region. In the process it will investigate key historic prayer events as related to Boston & New England's spiritual development, and the contribution of various ethnic churches regarding prayer in the context of the Quiet Revival*
- In addition, the Vitality Project has collaborated and supported local prayer events and networks including: The Boston Ministers Prayer Summit, The Global Day of Prayer, 10 Days of Prayer, The Solemn Assembly, The New England Alliance, Covenant for New England, The New England Apostolic Prayer Network, and The Boston Night of Worship. The Vitality Project collaborates with and supports national and international prayer events and networks including: The Global Cities Initiative prayer in New York City Sept 9, 2009, The Ephesus Intercessory Prayer Conference April 6th-10th, 2010 in Ephesus, Turkey.
*Quiet Revival: the unprecedented growth of Christianity in our region in the past 40 years, characterized not only by a growing number of churches and more people in churches, but also by increased unity, prayer, community transformation, and overflow to the world.
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