The Pray for Me Campaign is the Secret Sauce of Intergenerational Ministry!

When I first heard about the Pray for Me Campaign, I was intrigued by both the simplicity and the power of the idea of connecting generations through prayer. Actually, there are several simple key ingredients that, when combined in just the right way, makes a compelling intergenerational ministry “secret sauce.” A church that embraces intergenerational ministry is a healthy church. Plain and simple. It’s vital that churches have a clear concept for helping spiritually invest in the next generation.

Here is how the basic premise of the Pray for Me Campaign works: students are equipped to invite three adults from three different generations to be their Prayer Champions for a school year. The Prayer Champions, in turn, use the Pray for Me Campaign Prayer Guide, which helps them pray Scripture over students through 7 Essential categories.

HERE ARE THE 3 INGREDIENTS WHICH MAKE THE PRAY FOR ME CAMPAIGN SUCH A POWERFUL RESOURCE:

Ingredient number 1 is Prayer.

The Pray for Me Campaign is centered on prayer. Prayer makes the opportunity for investing in the next generation accessible to every believing adult in the Church. Don’t let the simplicity of this ingredient fool you. Adults who would most likely never become youth leaders or mentors for a student because it feels too daunting are willing to step up and pray. In fact, there are over 16,000 adults from 230 churches in 34 states who have stepped up and said yes to being Prayer Champions for the next generation. The simplicity of starting with prayer makes investing in students accessible to the entire church in an exponential way.

Ingredient number 2 is the Invitation.

Students are equipped to invite three adults from three different generations to be their Prayer Champions. This invitation takes place at what is called “The Pray for Me Campaign Launch Event.” At this event, there will be adults from every generation who are willing to be Prayer Champions for the students. It is at this launch event that the students invite one adult from each generation to be their personal Prayer Champions for the school year. Something supernatural seems to take place when students make this invitation. It is as if an invisible relational bridge is built between the student and the adult through this simple act of inviting. Once this relational bridge is built, it makes it easy for the adult to cross that bridge during the year when they see each other at church. There is something powerful that takes place when a student looks into the eyes of an adult and asks, “Will you pray for me?”

Ingredient number 3 is Praying Scripture.

I love this ingredient. Praying Scripture is such a powerful way to pray and the Pray for Me Campaign has a Prayer Guide that makes it easy for adults to pray scripture for students specifically through the lens of what Tony Souder calls the 7 Essentials. The 7 Essentials are categories that come from two passages of Scripture, Luke 2:52 (wisdom and favor) and 1 Timothy 4:12 (speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity). Praying for students through the lens of the 7 Essentials allows me to make sure I am praying for things that will nurture and sustain them throughout their lives. As a Prayer Champion, I can get prayer requests from my student but even if they never tell me what to pray for I have a track to run on.

If you have been trying to figure out a natural way to bridge the gap between generations, I would urge you to check out the Pray for Me Campaign at prayformecampaign.com