South Georgia Reports Successful Prayer Summit 2009
By Olin Greer, South Georgia Youth and Christian Education Board
One word can sum up this powerful day of prayer…. AWESOME!
Over 700 students, parents, and youth leaders from all over South Georgia gathered for a time of celebration and Praise, Repentance, Asking, and Yielding to God, on January 19th, 2009 at the Church of God Tabernacle in Tifton, Georgia.
The Prayer Summit, with its acronym P – R – A – Y, was a vision that was birthed in prayer from South Georgia State Youth Director, David Blair. The vision was indeed carried out with tremendous effort, and the results were profound.
Administrative Bishop, Ray Garner gave his full support to Brother Blair and the State Youth and Christian Education Board in this endeavor. Members of the South Georgia Youth Leaders Association Board and other local youth leaders met together months prior to the event to discuss details for hosting and facilitating this event. The Prayer Summit would consist of four intense, interactive hours of prayer and praise to God. Each segment was divided into three twenty-minute sessions.
Praise and Worship bands from across the state led the audience into the presence of God, as well as local youth groups performing dramatic presentations, creative videos, prayer and praise walls, student testimonies, and the ability to post prayer requests and praise reports by way of text messaging proved to be a very effective way to get the audience involved. It was very successful in getting the students and leaders interacting with each other. God anointed every person to bring the message of prayer into the hearts and minds of everyone there.
The day began with PRAISE (P). Praise and Worship led the way into the presence of God. After several minutes of worship and music, two dramas were presented. The segment ended on a spiritual high with more Praise and Worship, and a powerful prayer.
Then, there was a session on REPENTANCE (R). This segment began with Praise and Worship. Several students were introduced, and each student gave a personal testimony, and prayed a prayer of repentance. The session primarily focused on the need for repentance in all areas from our country, to our churches, to our lives. This session ended with a powerful illustration of “Nailing It to the Cross.” It proved to be very effective and life-changing, and was very sobering.
Next, there was a session on ASK (A). Again, the praise and worship music set the tone for the topic of “Asking.” Dramatic presentations were presented, along with student testimonies, and a powerful time of prayer. Those in attendance “asked” God to meet their needs. This session ended with an “Ask” illustration and then students were encouraged to “TEXT” their needs. Needs were posted on screen and visible to all. A special prayer of healing was prayed for a pastor and Youth Board member who is fighting cancer and pneumonia. Everyone, in unity and one accord, came together to ASK for his healing.
Lastly, there was a session on YIELD (Y). After the praise and worship, and an illustration on many topics that focus on “Yielding”, testimonies, and prayer, the segment ended with Communion. Everyone was asked to participate in partaking of the Lord’s Supper. One of the best ways to “Yield” to God is to “Commune” with Him. There was such an awesome presence of God at this point that every heart was truly focused on God. Many hearts became yielded at that moment.
This event marks the first “major” event of 2009 sponsored by the YCE department. It was also the first event to be Webcasted on the Internet from the campground. Over 160 parents, pastors and peers logged on during the four-hour event. God showed up and moved in a mighty way. The efforts of everyone involved did not go unnoticed, and many lives were dramatically changed for eternity because of the heartfelt vision that God had given. The vision for “PRAYER” was carried out with such compassion and dedication. Praise Be to God! Great Things He Has Done!
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A Students View
Posted By Misty to Loved2Much2Hate on 1/22/2009
In all of the busyness of the last few days, I failed to post about the Prayer Summit that I attended with our youth on Monday!! What an AMAZING time!! The theme was “Calling a Generation to Prayer”. It was promoted as ‘4 hours of Interactive Prayer’. Can I just tell you how phenomenal this time was!? 700+ students and leaders gathered together for the same purpose and seeking the same God!
Another 150+ watching on the web! It was, by far, the most organized, relevant, and enjoyable prayer conference that I have EVER been to! The 4 hours were broken down into different categories using the acronym P.R.A.Y. From there the hours were broken down into 20 minute intervals of live music, dramas, students and leaders leading group prayer and giving testimonies.
The first hour was all about Praise. Giving God the praise He is worthy of in all of the aspects of our lives. The second hour focused on Repentance. Not only personal repentance, but repenting for our Nation, our Church, our Schools, and our personal lives. The third hour focused on Asking. Asking God for what we need; revival, salvation for family and friends, healings, laborers for the harvest, and whatever else it was that was needed in that place that day. The last hour focused on Yielding. We focused on yielding everything in our lives to God. Our Lives, our future, our example, our minds, and our hearts.
The state youth board and Prayer Summit steering committee did an awesome job planning the whole thing. One of the really neat things was that they had 4 projector screens set up in the corners of the tabernacle. Every so often on the big screen that is at the front, they put up a phone number that the students could TEXT their prayer requests to, and then they would be put up on the screens for everyone to see and pray for!! They went up anonymously, so there was no embarrassment factor. Is this not ingenious!? The idea to take the CRAZE that is texting in today’s youth and use it as a worship tool! That is the best idea I have witnessed in quite a while! They also had an activity during the Repentance hour where they had 4 wooden crosses laid down in separate places of the tabernacle and small pieces of cardboard, pens, hammers, and nails around them. They had the students go and write anything that they wanted to repent for on the cardboard and nail it to the cross. The sounds of the hammers hitting the nails is one that I will not soon forget! The dramas were amazing, as were the youth bands that performed! The testimonies that some of the kids gave were heart wrenching and such a blessing at the same time.
I am so blessed to be from a place where so much hard work goes into planning things for the youth! Not only that, God has blessed our area with so much talent in our leadership that it is almost unbelievable! I had such an AMAZING time and I am already looking forward to next year!!
