Sermon Tone Analysis

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So, how would you define this word… “so”?

[so many definitions!]

or something easier… “love”?

[love wife, kids, cowboys, barbeque, & snow]

PRAYER is...

Defined=”calling on God to come through on his promise” (Gary Millar, Calling on the Name of the Lord, p. 27); “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies” (Westminster Shorter Catechism; Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Prayer,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, p. 1745); “Prayer is personal communication with God” (Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 376); “communicating with God on the basis of his promises with the desire to see him fulfill all his plan” (mine).

Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub.

House, 2004), 376.

Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Prayer,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1745.

Rather than it being something like:

Just talking to God.

Demanding something from God.

Wishful thinking aimed in God’s direction.

We start with RELATIONSHIPS.

(; )

“OUR”

…and because “our,” we, your ministry staff, are introducing two prayer-related opportunities during our Sunday morning worship.

One, during the invitation… .

Two, PrayerTime (which adding, means the removal of “meet & greet”).

“FATHER”

Prayer reminds us of the blessing of our close, personal relationship to the great big God of the Bible.

It’s exclusive...

John 8.42-47

[So…right now, we are going to pray with and for one another.

(We spend far too much time talking about things and have a hard time getting around to doing them!) Small groups of 3-5 with those next to whom you are sitting.

Please make sure no one is left out (if you don’t know someone, introduce yourself).

Make sure no one feels pressure to have to lead or pray out loud with the group.

I’ll conclude us (Interrupting is ok.

Not finishing is ok <please continue later…together, or individually>).]

We prioritize God’s PRESENCE & POWER.

(; )

“Your name be honored as holy.”

“Your kingdom come.”

“Your will be done.”