7 Powerful Prayers for Cultivating Evangelism and Discipleship in My Church

Prayer for My Church to Focus on Saving the Lost:

Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

Lord, we are living in a time of church exit and the watering down of the purpose of the church. The Holy Spirit and your Word continue to point to prayer, evangelism, and discipleship as the lifeline to save the church. Today I come to you in prayer for my church. I desire to see fewer “programs and finances” going into what the world expects and more of what is needed for pure evangelism and discipleship. I pray the primary focus of all Christian churches is to point the lost to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Please give my church the heart of evangelism. Give all of us eyes to seek the lost and bring them to you. Let us not forget the core business of the church is soul-winning. I pray that our church leadership keeps this vision before their eyes daily. Sometimes getting distracted by the hype of newer, greater, creative programs is easy. The gospel is simple; make our church focus on the simple message of salvation and leading all to Christ. We have a clear direction in:

Matthew 28:19-20: “Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you.”

Lord, I pray my church continues growing its new and mature believers. I believe in a comprehensive discipleship program that meets the spiritual needs of new and seasoned believers. I pray for church growth and church planting to empower our believers. Salvation is not the end of our calling. Father, raise our leaders to build an army of believers emboldened with the full armor of God, ready to train up the members to carry your message to the world. Fill our members and leaders with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish your work.

With great anticipation, Amen.

Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

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Prayer for My Church’s Vacation Bible School:

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Dear Lord,

We are excited about this year’s ministry opportunity for so many precious children. I praise you that my church understands VBS is still an important part of our evangelism obligation. I come to you today asking for your blessings upon the upcoming Vacation Bible School. I pray that you would be with every child who attends and that they would experience your love and truth in a real and powerful way.

I pray for the teachers and leaders who have dedicated their time and energy to this ministry, that they would be filled with your wisdom and discernment, and that they would have the words and guidance to lead the children in the path of righteousness.

7 Powerful Prayers for Cultivating Evangelism and Discipleship in My Church

I pray that you will bring families together in a special way during this week and that parents will see the importance of growing in their faith alongside their children. Work in the hearts of the children; touch them in a deep and meaningful way.

Thank you for your love and care for these children, Lord, and for the opportunity to teach them about your word and your ways. I trust in your goodness and mercy and pray that your will be done in this Vacation Bible School and in the lives of all those who attend. Amen.

Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Prayer for My Church to Boldly Preach the Gospel to the Lost:

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Father,

You hear the world groaning. People are hurting worldwide, and churches seem to have lost the focus of evangelism. I come before you today to ask for your guidance and courage as I seek to share the good news of your gospel with those who do not know you.

You have called us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. You have given us the mandate to share the good news of your salvation with everyone we meet. But I confess that I often feel timid and afraid to speak boldly about my faith.

Lord, I ask that you give me a spirit of boldness and courage, like the apostles in the early church, who fearlessly proclaimed your gospel to all who would hear. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to speak your truth confidently and clearly.

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Help me to overcome my fears and doubts and to trust in your strength and provision as I share your message of hope and salvation with those who are lost and searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. Put the words in my mouth. Penetrate the hearts of those who hear about Jesus. Show them that in this troubled world, Jesus is the one who can a true peace that passes all understanding.

Father, I know that apart from you, I can do nothing. But with you, all things are possible. So I surrender my fears and insecurities to you and ask that you fill me with your boldness and power to share your gospel with those who need it most.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”

Prayer for My Church to Seek Opportunities to Share the Gospel:

Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Faithful Father,

I come before you today to ask for your intervention in the outreach programs at my church. Every year I have seen less and less emphasis being placed on evangelism. Lord, the fields are ripe for harvest. Touch the leaders in my church to see the urgency in bringing the lost into the fold.

Lord, I realize evangelizing is part of each member’s calling too. Let that begin with me. I pray that you will open doors for me to share the gospel with those around me. Help me to recognize the opportunities you place before me and to have the courage and boldness to speak up and share your truth with those who need it. Please remove any restrictions that are in place, those which permit me from sharing the gospel.

2 Timothy 4:5 “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Father, guide my Pastor to exhort the members to a lifestyle of evangelism. Prepare the members to go into the community and share the gospel. Bring back the “fill the pews” days. I ask that the urgency be felt by all church members.

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Father, I also ask that you prepare the hearts of those we speak to so they may be receptive to your message and open to your love and grace. Soften their hearts and help them see their need for you so they may be saved and come to know you personally.

Lord, I know that sharing the gospel is not always easy or comfortable, but I trust in your strength and guidance to lead all church members every step of the way. May your name be glorified and your kingdom advances through my words and actions.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Isaiah 6:8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Prayer for My Church to Disciple New Believers:

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Heavenly Father,

Today my heart is for those new believers. You clearly share in your Word salvation is just the beginning of the Christian life. I come to you today to pray for the new believers who have recently come to faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. I thank you for the work you have done in their hearts and for the transformation that has taken place in their lives.

Lord, I pray that my church will explore more ways to disciple new believers of all ages. We are seeing an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our church with many accepting Jesus. My burden is seeing my church lacking in training these new Christians in their new birth. Show my church leaders the need to disciple the new believers in their spiritual journey, to teach them your Word, and to model for them what it means to follow you. Raise church leaders and members to help equip the new believers with the full armor of God so that they are prepared to fight the battle in a world where attacks on Christians are becoming more common.

Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, …”

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Father, I pray that these new believers would be firmly rooted in your love and truth and that they would grow to be mature and fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ. Help them to understand their identity as your children and to live in obedience to your will.

Lord, I pray for your protection over these new believers, that they would be guarded against the enemy’s schemes and that they would be surrounded by a community of believers who can encourage and support them in their faith.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of being a part of your work in the lives of these new believers. May your name be glorified through their lives and their witness to others.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

2 Timothy 2:2 “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

Prayer to Prepare the Hearts of Unbelievers to be Receptive to the Gospel:

2 Corinthians 4:4 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Merciful Father

You tell us in your Word that the fields are ripe for harvest. Lord, I want to be obedient in sharing the gospel with unbelievers. I come to you today to pray for the hearts of those who have not yet come to know you as their Lord and Savior. I pray you would prepare their hearts to be receptive to the gospel message.

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Lord, I know that many people are resistant to the gospel’s message and have hardened their hearts against you. Our culture and media oftentimes ridicule believers. But I believe nothing is impossible for you, and you can soften even the hardest of hearts.

Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

I pray that you will break down the walls of resistance and unbelief in the hearts of those who do not yet know you. Help them see their need for you and recognize your Word’s truth.

Father, I pray that you send your Holy Spirit to convict them of sin, righteousness, and judgment and draw them to yourself. Open their eyes to the beauty of your grace and the depth of your love, and help them to turn to you in faith and repentance.

Lord, I also pray for those struggling with doubts and questions about your existence and character. Help them find the answers they seek and come to know you personally as their Savior and Lord.

Father, I know that it is not my job to save anyone, but I pray that you would use me as an instrument of your love and grace in the lives of those around me. Give me the courage and wisdom to share the gospel message with others and to be a living example of your love and grace.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh…”

Prayer for an Army of Disciples to Spread the Gospel:

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Heavenly Father

The signs are all around us–the return of Christ is upon us. I come before you today to pray for an army of disciples who will boldly proclaim your gospel message to the ends of the earth. I pray that you would raise a generation of believers who are passionate about making disciples and who are willing to do whatever it takes to see your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, I pray that you would ignite a fire in the hearts of your people and that you would fill them with your Holy Spirit and power. Help them to have a vision for the lost and to be willing to step out of their comfort zones to reach them.

Father, I pray that you would raise leaders who will equip and train others to be effective disciple-makers. Give them the wisdom and discernment to know how to disciple others and the patience and love to walk them through their struggles. May the churches rise and move from the walls of their churches. Quicken their hearts to create ministries and opportunities to go into the streets to reach the lost.

Lord, I pray that this army of disciples would be characterized by their love for one another and their commitment to unity in the body of Christ. May they be known for their humility, compassion, and unwavering faith in you.

Father, I pray that this army of disciples would be a force to be reckoned with and that they would bring your light into the darkness. Use them to bring about transformation in their communities, their nations, and the world.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of being a part of your mission to seek and save the lost. May your name be glorified through our lives and our witness to others.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Acts 1:8 …”but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

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