'Praying for Boldness: A Prayer Initiative for Our Church'
"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." — Acts 4:29-31
Listen to what the early church prayed for. They didn't ask God to smite their enemies or make them nicer. They didn't pray for the threats to go away. They prayed for boldness and more miracles. "God, we're all in. Do it again—and even more!" And God answered. He poured out His Spirit. They spoke the word of God boldly.
That's the pattern throughout Acts. Prayer for boldness to be witnesses and do great things in Jesus' name is answered with the Holy Spirit to do the very thing they prayed for—and even more. At Pentecost in Acts 2, they prayed and the Spirit came like rushing wind. They spoke boldly. Here in Acts 4, they pray again. God fills them with the Spirit again. They speak boldly again.
This is what we long for today. We want boldness to share the good news that Jesus has the power to forgive and restore whoever will hear. We want God to work through us—in our words and in our deeds. We want Christ to be lifted up so that He draws all people to Himself.
So we're launching a prayer initiative in three critical areas of our church life: Worship, Children's Ministry, and Youth Ministry.
How It Works
You'll find prayer cards at the entrance to each of these ministry spaces. We're inviting you to come 10-15 minutes early on Sunday mornings to pray over one of these areas. The cards will guide you—showing you how to pray and what to focus on.
For worship, you can kneel at the altar, sit quietly in a pew, or walk through our space praying as the Spirit leads. Pray over the sound booth and tech equipment. Pray for the choir, musicians, Kateryna and Phil. Pray for those who will enter—the burdened, the grieving, the hurried, those seeking wisdom and direction. Pray for our greeters and ushers who are the face of Munholland. Pray for the children at Children’s Message and then Children’s Church, and Jasmine & Ashley who teach them. Pray for clarity, courage, and faithfulness for Rev. Beck for his message and leadership.
Then take time to be still and listen. Write down any scripture, word, or prompting God brings to mind.
Why This Matters
The early church didn't stumble into boldness. They prayed for it. They asked specifically for courage to speak the word and for God to stretch out His hand to heal and perform signs and wonders. And God answered—not halfway but with the fullness of His Spirit. They prayed for boldness to be witnesses, and the Holy Spirit gave them power to do the very thing they prayed for. They went out and proclaimed the good news that Jesus has the power to forgive and restore whoever will hear. God worked through their words and their deeds.
We're asking for the same thing. We're committing to pray for boldness to share the gospel—that Jesus saves, heals, and makes all things new. We're praying for the Holy Spirit to fill us and work through us in ways we can't manufacture on our own. We're believing that when God's people pray, God answers.
Come early. Pray intentionally. Listen expectantly. And let's ask God for what the early church asked for—boldness to be His witnesses, and the power of the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do.
"True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." — John 4:23-24
Prayer cards are available at the entrance to our worship space, children's ministry area, and youth room. Join us in praying for boldness to share the good news and for the Holy Spirit to work through us in power.
Blessings,
Jonathan