7 STEPS TO HOSTING A PRAYER VIGIL

A National Prayer Vigil for Afghanistan, September 1, 2021.

Download The Pray for Afghanistan Guide

STEP 1- PRAY!

The very first thing to do is pray. Seek the Lord as to what and how He would have you act and organize. You might consider fasting as well. Call on your trusted faithful friends to pray with you. Good men must act in the face of evil. Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

STEP 2 - Determine Your Outreach

Determine the type of prayer vigil you want to organize. Many varieties will work. It can be for an entire church, a small group, a community group, or a friends/family group from across the nation online. Any of these, and more, will work. God says where two or more are gathered together, He will be there with you.

1. Whole Church
2. Small Group
3. Community
4. Friends/Family
5. Civic group (Lions Club, FCA, etc.)
6. Social Media online group

STEP 3 - Develop Your Team

Consider who you can ask to be on your team to create this event. This could be any number of different people. These are the folks with whom you can brainstorm, share responsibilities, look to for promotion, and sharing the word in any way they are able. Think of those you know who have a large sphere of influence and contact them.

1. Your pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor, worship pastor
2. Your small group leader
3. Your neighbors who are open to assisting
4. Your friends and/or family members who are most engaged.
5. Your civic group leader and associates
6. Your group administrator on Facebook or other social media outlets.

STEP 4 - Plan Your Strategy

Holding a prayer event can be as simple as gathering a few friends. It can be as extensive as involving your entire community, church, your local TV, Radio, newspapers. This all depends on what you believe the Lord has called you to do. This is a grassroots effort, not a big fancy one. This is about every day Christians across the nation coming together to stand in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Christ. If it’s only you and one other person, so be it. If it’s thousands, so be it. God will hear every single one of our voices. What is He calling you to do? Here are some strategies to consider:

• In-person event

Plan for an in-person event at your church or elsewhere. This would be at a specific time on September 1, 2021. Perhaps you would want to do it during the day at your church or in the evening at your church. Maybe you would do it on public property -- a Courthouse, a park, etc. Be mindful of any requirements or permits of your potential location. In-person events are powerful and preferred.

• Around-the-Clock Event

Plan a sign-up for people to pray for a period of time on September 1, 2021. This could be for 12 hours or 24 hours or whatever period of time works. You can use various products online for people to sign up for particular times. This allows you to include people from all around the nation.

• Online Event

Plan an online video/phone-in event. You will have to be mindful of the capacity limits of whatever online product you use for your event. But this type of event is not limited to any particular geography. You can include those from around the nation.

STEP 5 - Prepare for the Event

Make sure you are not alone in having to do whatever it is you are going to do. Here are preparation items for both in-person, around-the-clock, and online events:

In-Person:

1. Prepare an invitation for people to join your event.
2. Determine the location and get approvals as necessary
3. Determine how you will have people register
4. Work with your Pastor, if applicable, to advertise the event: announcements, bulletins, emails
5. Determine the start and finish time
6. Strategize on promotion: newsletters, bulletins, social media, emails, media, etc.
7. Send a reminder the day before and the day of.
8. If you prefer, find a source of Christian background music -- live or otherwise
9. Make sure your team is there to welcome people
10. Make copies of the prayer guide to hand out
11. Order candles if you would like to use them
12. Call your media outlets to let them know this is happening and when
13. Ask everyone involved to share the information on social media (graphic to share?)
14. Decide who will host the event

Around the clock:

1. Prepare an invitation for people to join your event.
2. Determine the location and get approvals as necessary
3. Determine how you will have people register
4. Work with your Pastor, if applicable, to advertise the event: announcements, bulletins, emails
5. Determine the start and finish time
6. Strategize on promotion: newsletters, bulletins, social media, emails, media, etc.
7. Email copies of the prayer guide to all participants
8. Ask everyone involved to share the information on social media (see graphic below)
9. Determine what online product you want to use to have people sign up
10. Determine if you will have 30-minute intervals or 1-hour intervals
11. Determine if you will have one or many praying per time period
12. Set reminders for those who have signed up to receive prior to their assigned time
13. Market the event through every means possible -- through your church, social media, etc

Online:

1. Prepare an invitation for people to join your event.
2. Determine how you will have people register
3. Work with your Pastor, if applicable, to advertise the event: announcements, bulletins, emails
4. Determine the start and finish time
5. Strategize on promotion: newsletters, bulletins, social media, emails, media, etc.
6. Email copies of the prayer guide to all participants
7. Ask everyone involved to share the information on social media (see graphic below)
8. Determine what online product you want to use: zoom, webex, etc. Note capacity
9. Market the event through every means possible -- through your church, social media, etc
10. Make sure to send out reminders on the day of the event.
11. Make sure to promote the event in every way you are able: social media, church bulletins, announcements, emails, etc.
12. Decide who will host the event.
13. Make sure you are very comfortable with the technology you have chosen

STEP 6 - During the Event

We want to share as much as possible about these events to encourage more and more believers to become involved, not just in this initiative, but in the spiritual war we are battling across this nation and the world. To that end, please remember to do the following:

In-Person:

1. Make sure your team and you arrive early to set up
2. If possible, provide water and snacks
3. Provide for chairs and tables if appropriate
4. Make sure to begin with prayer
5. Hand out prayer guides
6. Stay within the scheduled time
7. Have computers/phones for people who would like to sign up to be Action Partners
8. Take lots of photos and text them to 469-454-1200

Around-the-Clock:

This one pretty much runs itself. As long as you have provided everyone with reminders of their times and the prayer guide, you are good to go.

Online:

1. Welcome everyone to the event
2. Begin with prayer
3. Ask them to reference the prayer guide you provided
4. Make sure everyone has an opportunity to pray
5. Take screenshots so you can remember who was there
6. Close on the scheduled time

STEP 7 - After the Event

It is important to do the final follow-through when your event is over. Please consider the following regardless of the type of event you chose to hold.

1. Thank everyone who participated in the event to the best of your ability
2. Text your photos to us at 469-454-1200
3. Make sure to do any clean up that is necessary if yours was in person
4. Write notes of anything you learned- what worked well, what could work better
5. Text your notes to us at 469-454-1200
6. Thank God for the impact of your prayers

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My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.

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