Praying for the Lost

Praying for the Lost

Psalm 142:4

We have been discussing in staff meetings the last several weeks on growth, church growth. A huge challenge for every church in this area, including ours, is growth.

A CHURCH GROWS THREE WAYS …
A church grows by what we call “transfer growth” when people who are members of other churches come and join our church.
Another kind of growth called “biological growth” in which the children of current members come to know the Lord and are baptized.
The third kind of growth is called “conversion growth.” That’s where children, teenagers and adults who really have no church background are brought to Christ by their friends and family members and become part of the church.
I suppose there are a variety of ways to grow a church, but one thing I’ve learned about church growth is that whatever you do to get people here, you have to do to keep them here. Not that is anything wrong with good, honest promotion of the church and its ministries.

I’ve also learned certain growth principles that rarely if ever change.
80% RULE
One principle we have to be aware of is the 80% rule. That is you can’t put people where is there is no space for them. And when a church hits 80% of its capacity in parking, worship attendance or Bible class space, then that church stops growing.
GREETING PEOPLE
Another principle we need to be aware of is our greeting. Within the first few minutes of someone visiting our church they have already decided if they like us and if they might come back.
PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
Still another is in the Preschool and Children’s ministries. Families with young children expect nice, clean facilities with top notch ministries for their church or they will go elsewhere.

Though all of those principles are true and valid they primarily deal with the first two ways of growth … transfer growth and biological growth. The issue for growth through conversions is critical. How is the best way to grow a church through conversions? Or simply put how can you and I win lost people to Christ?

The best way is through prayer, so the question is, how do you pray for those who do not know Jesus as their savior? This is important and not just for growth, but because you have lost people in your family that need to know Jesus. Our lost friends at work, school and neighborhoods need to hear about Jesus.

May no one ever say about this church what David said in Psalm 142:4 “Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul”.

 We must all learn how to pray for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior.
What does prayer/praying mean?
Prayer is simply communicating with God, just as a child communicates with his father.

If we are going to pray for lost people to be saved we have to know …

• What does it mean to be lost?

To be lost means to be without hope of salvation, it means someone is spiritually dead. They are like someone drowning, they need to be saved.

• What do we need to be saved from?

Lost people need to be saved from sin. Sin  is what separates us from God. Jesus died for our sin.

• How many ways are there to be saved?

Only one way and that is through Jesus.
In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Acts 4:12 says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Here are nine things to pray as you pray for people to come to know Christ as Savior

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NINE THINGS TO PRAY WHEN WE PRAY FOR SOMEONE LOST
1)        Their name, God answers specific prayers
2)        That God would convict them of their sin John 16:8
3)        That God would remove the spiritual blindness 2 Corinthians 4:4
4)        That God would help them understand Ephesians 1:18
5)        That God would draw them to Himself John 6:44
6)        That God would bind Satan from them Matthew 12:19
7)        That God would reveal Himself and what Jesus has done for them
8)        That God would send someone to share Christ with them
9)        That God would give me the opportunity to share with them