Summary of Evangelism Strategy

Called by God in baptism and empowered by the Holy Spirit...

Objective I: Call the Church to Prayer

Pray for the renewal of this church so that every member, congregation, synod, churchwide unit, and institution might bear witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Goal: Activate and mobilize this church to pray for renewal that is grounded in the Word.

Actions

A. Issue a call for prayer from the presiding bishop and synodical bishops to congregational members and congregations

B. Promote spiritual renewal

C. Provide resources to teach, model, and mentor prayer

D. Learn from, and walk with, our global and ecumenical partners in prayer ministry

E. Develop new prayer leaders through the identification and training of children, youth, and young adults

A Praying church: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America affirms its commitment as a praying church. We believe that God is calling every member and congregation to fervent prayer as a foundation for effective evangelism. As a praying church, congregations and other ministry settings are invited to discern prayerfully God's leading in every aspect of ministry.

Prayer for Evangelism: The presiding bishop and synodical bishops will call and encourage all leaders and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to a time of fervent prayer, spiritual growth and renewal. For the sake of God's love for the world, ELCA members, congregations, and other ministry settings are invited to renew prayers for friends, neighbors, and family members who are outside the church.

B. Promote spiritual renewal

Spiritual Renewal: Personal renewal is interdependent with corporate renewal. Congregations and all ministries are encouraged to evaluate programs and intentionally expand opportunities for faith formation for all ages. Offerings might include: solitude for prayer and study, community-building retreats, public witness, and sacrificial service.

C. Provide resources to teach, model, and mentor prayer

Teaching Prayer: The educational ministries of this church are called to teach, model, and mentor individuals and groups. A praying church is open to the Holy Spirit, who makes the impossible become possible. Scripture affirms that apart from Christ we can do nothing, and yet, with Christ all things are possible (see Philippians 4:3 and Mark 10:27). The Apostle Peter was transformed and received a new vision for mission from the Holy Spirit while in prayer (Acts 10). As a praying church, the ELCA can be transformed to discover new possibilities for mission. Being a praying church is not a program or strategy; it is an essential way God calls us to live (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Synods are called to raise the awareness of existing resources and, where appropriate, develop new prayer resources focused on  evangelism that will equip people of faith for this vital task. This will include providing worship resources with varied expressions of corporate

and individual prayers.

Affirming that people have a variety of approaches to prayer, worship resources reflecting a diversity of prayer forms are beneficial for those who plan worship.

D. Learn from, and walk with, our global and ecumenical partners in prayer ministry ... synods and congregations, are called to assist this church to continue to learn from, and walk with, partners in prayer ministry.

E. Develop new prayer leaders through the identification and training of children, youth, and young adults

Development of Prayer Leaders: Congregations, with the support of the churchwide organization, will develop new prayer leaders through the identification and training of children, youth, and young adults. Creative styles of prayer will be encouraged, including use of the arts and expressing prayer through body movement."

[footnote 4] Jesus modeled the centrality of prayer. The Gospels bear witness that Jesus prayed in all circumstances of daily life in times of temptation, decision-making, and challenge (see Luke 4:1-13; 6:12-16; 22:39-46). The Lutheran church is deeply rooted in the disciplines of Scriptural meditation and prayer. Martin Luther emphasized the centrality of both corporate and individual prayer in the life of the church. Luther wrote, "A Christian without prayer is just as impossible as a living person without a pulse (see Martin Luther, Sermons on the Gospel of St. John, Chapters 14-16,vol. 24 of Luther's Works, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1961, 89).

"Centrality" however, does not mean "uniformity." The variety of expressions of prayer within the history of the Lutheran church reflects a rich diversity developed for corporate worship and private devotion, including: Daily Prayer (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline), the active prayer meeting of the Pietist home groups, and the ancient practice of contemplative and meditational prayer. Diversity of prayer styles is a great strength for a praying church.

Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said, "Our engaging in the world is guided and empowered by prayer". Our inviting can be directed by prayer as we begin to actively invite others into the praying community. Our connecting with other Christians is based in prayer. Prayer is where we concretely experience our unity in Christ. Our changing will be guided by prayer, especially the prayer of discernment, as we discover together the ways in which our churches can be renewed and empowered for mission in the world, as we seek a vision of what God wants to do with us and through us. We will be a praying church." (see Mark S. Hanson, Faithful Yet Changing, Minneapolis: Augsburg, 2002, 74).