3 Minutes at Sunset or Sunrise Can Turn Your Church Around
I think every church in the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond would want their people to engage in preparing weekly for the worship services of their church. Just imagine the power that would be upon God’s preachers and the power that would come upon worship services around the world if the church consistently prepared for these moments spiritually. It would be God-sized!
Consider letting the sunset on Saturdays or the sunrises on Sundays serve as a reminder that it is time to pray for your church for 3 minutes or 180 seconds, as referenced in Pleading With Southern Baptists. There is nothing holy or biblical about three minutes of concentrated prayer, but it is an attainable goal for every Christ-follower I know. It does not matter where you are or whom you may be with. 3 minutes to slip away and pray for your church should be possible most weeks, if not all. You could set a 3-minute timer on your cell phone, and pray until the alarm goes off. This will help increase your focus in prayer.
Issue the Challenge to Your People Soon
I believe these 3 minutes at sunrise or sunset can turn your church around. Yesterday in our worship services, we began issuing the challenge to our people to let the sunset on each Saturday or the sunrise on each Sunday remind them it is time to draw aside and pray for 3 minutes for our church.
Last week, I released a 16-page e-book entitled PLEADING WITH SOUTHERN BAPTISTS. In this easily readable book, I asked every Southern Baptist pastor and church to participate in this challenge. How can we expect our churches, from smallest to largest, from oldest to newest, to see God use us mightily if we do not pray? We will never see dead churches come to life, lukewarm churches get hot for God, discipleship become a culture, evangelism occur, and the Gospel advanced to the nations if we do not pray.
What do we Challenge Our Churches to Pray For in These 3 Minutes?
Let me suggest that we keep this very simple not only for attainability, but also for the sake of communication.
Challenge your church and one another to pause either at sunset on Saturday evening or sunrise on Sunday morning to pray for 3 minutes for these two things:
1. For the anointing of God’s Spirit to be upon your pastor as he proclaims God’s Word to God’s people on Sunday.
Pastors would love to know that their people paused for 3 minutes to pray for them specifically to be anointed with God’s powerful Holy Spirit to proclaim the Word of God. In fact, text your pastor or get a message to him sometime to let him know that you are praying for him like this weekly. It will ignite his faith and encourage him greatly. Dead preachers will come to life in their preaching when people pray for them!
2. For the anointing of God’s Spirit to be upon the worship services of your church.
I am convinced that singing would move from half-heartedness or disengagement to whole-hearted worshipping of our Lord when we pray for our worship services. When we pray for our worship services, expectation will replace boredom and passion will replace apathy.
These 180 Seconds of Focused Prayer Will Soon Begin a 180-Degree Change in Our Churches
Yes, 180 seconds of weekly, focused prayer can help turn your church around. Prayer can change the culture of any church, which will lead us to change, not only spiritually, but also strategically.
God will lead our churches to strategic change when we are praying weekly. We will begin to rise up more than ever; ready to do whatever God wants us to do strategically to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Finally…
If you have not yet downloaded this free 16-page e-book, please do so today. You can print from your download or contact our ministry if you desire printed copies.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church President, Southern Baptist Convention*******
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
This Week at Cross Church | Weather, Blessings, and Holidays
Cross Church, I want to thank you for your vision, commitment, and generosity. You are an amazing church. This is why I want to share these things with you today.
Weather Hit Us Last Sunday
Last year when we had a snow Sunday on the first Sunday in December, I was shocked! This year, winter weather hit in November! After a wonderful, engaging, winning football game in Razorback Stadium with 60,000+ fans present on the coldest collegiate game in recent history, Sunday was challenging.
With forecasters warning people not to go anywhere and others fearing they would not be able to get home after church, the weather and its forecast hit us strongly.
Therefore, please do two things:
(1) Make sure you support the ministry financially even on Sundays you are away. Sunday hit us hard financially. Please make up for it this week. You can be faithful in your giving in one of 6 ways.
(2) Watch or listen to the message from Sunday here. Since we are in a series, we believe this will encourage you.
We sure hope to see you Sunday.
Thousands of People Will Receive Blessing Baskets
Through the years, our church has gifted thousands of families with a Thanksgiving meal. The 2014 Thanksgiving will be no exception to this commitment. Please join us by volunteering to serve and giving generously to insure this continues. You can support one family this Thanksgiving for a gift of $25 given online or at your campus. Most can give more than one basket. Let’s commit to insure all families are taken care of. Thanks for serving and giving.
The Holidays Are Upon Us
One week from today is Thanksgiving. Our weekly email will be sent to you next Wednesday rather than Thursday. Please look for it in your inbox.
Also, please see the list below of some of the holiday opportunities for you and your family. Insure your own involvement and attendance in these days.
Springdale:
- Blessing Baskets: Assembly day is Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at the Pinnacle Hills campus; the Springdale Campus distribution service is Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m.
- Baby Dedication is Sunday, Nov. 30.
- New York Times bestselling Author, Joel Rosenberg, will be our special guest speaker at the Springdale & Pinnacle Hills campuses on Nov. 30.
- Week of Prayer for International Missions is Nov. 30–Dec. 7, and you may give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during the month of December.
- The Christmas Summit Luncheon is on Dec. 4 at 11:50 a.m., at our Pinnacle Hills campus.
- Breakfast in Bethlehem, breakfast and a walk-through Nativity for the whole family on Dec. 7.
- Cross Church Christmas, an evening concert event, will be at our Pinnacle Hills campus on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
- Communion service is Sunday, Dec. 21.
- Each of our campuses will be hosting Christmas Eve services; Springdale’s candlelight service will be at 4 p.m. on Dec. 24.
Pinnacle Hills:
- Blessing Baskets: Assembly day is Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at the Pinnacle Hills campus; the Pinnacle Hills distribution service is Saturday, November 22 at 12:30 p.m.
- Baby Dedication is Sunday, Nov. 30.
- New York Times bestselling Author, Joel Rosenberg, will be our special guest speaker at the Springdale & Pinnacle Hills campuses on Nov. 30.
- Week of Prayer for International Missions is Nov. 30–Dec. 7, and you may give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during the month of December.
- The Christmas Summit Luncheon is on Dec. 4 at 11:50 a.m., at our Pinnacle Hills campus.
- Cross Church Christmas, an evening concert event, will be at our Pinnacle Hills campus on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
- Communion service is Sunday, Dec. 21.
- Each of our campuses will be hosting Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24; Chapel on the Creeks service will be at 1 p.m., and Pinnacle Hills service will be at 5 p.m.
Fayetteville:
- Blessing Baskets: Assembly day is Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at the Pinnacle Hills campus; the Fayetteville Campus distribution service is Sunday, November 23 at 2 p.m.
- Baby Dedication is Sunday, Nov. 30.
- Week of Prayer for International Missions is Nov. 30–Dec. 7, and you may give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during the month of December.
- The Christmas Summit Luncheon is on Dec. 4 at 11:50 a.m., Pinnacle Hills campus.
- Cross Church Christmas, an evening concert event, will be at our Pinnacle Hills campus on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
- Communion service is Sunday, Dec. 21.
- Each of our campuses will be hosting Christmas Eve services; Fayetteville campus services will be at 3:30 & 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.
College Avenue:
- Blessing Baskets: Assembly day is Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at the Pinnacle Hills campus; the College Avenue Campus distribution service is Sunday, November 23 at 4 p.m.
- Baby Dedication is Sunday, Nov. 30.
- Week of Prayer for International Missions is Nov. 30–Dec. 7, and you may give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during the month of December.
- The Christmas Summit Luncheon is on Dec. 4 at 11:50 a.m., Pinnacle Hills campus.
- Cross Church Christmas, an evening concert event, will be at our Pinnacle Hills campus on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
- Communion service is Sunday, Dec. 21.
- Each of our campuses will be hosting Christmas Eve services; College Avenue campus service will be 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.
Neosho:
- Blessing Baskets: Assembly day is Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. at the Pinnacle Hills campus; the Neosho campus distribution service is Sunday, November 23 at 2 p.m.
- Baby Dedication is Sunday, Nov. 30.
- Week of Prayer for International Missions is Nov. 30–Dec. 7, and you may give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during the month of December.
- The Christmas Summit Luncheon is on Dec. 4 at 11:50 a.m., Pinnacle Hills campus.
- Cross Church Christmas, an evening concert event, will be at our Pinnacle Hills campus on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
- Communion service is Sunday, Dec. 21.
- Each of our campuses will be hosting Christmas Eve services; Neosho campus service will be 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.
My Own Travel
Thankfully, travel relating to my role as President of the Southern Baptist Convention will be slowing down greatly. I have been so blessed to go the places I have gone and have enjoyed each one thoroughly. Yet, I need a break and am looking forward to being here in Northwest Arkansas the vast majority of the time between now and the end of the year.
Thank you for praying for me. While I am fulfilling my responsibility serving as Pastor here, I am also working toward the appointment process in SBC life. Please continue to pray for me.
See You Sunday,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.