Prayer

One of the most important things children can learn is that they can talk to God and He listens. They can learn that God answers all prayers, although not always in the way we expect.

It's very important to provide opportunities for children to pray for their friends, relatives and community because:

• They will learn to focus on others instead of themselves.
• It provides a way for them to participate in the outreach of their church
• It is one way of acting out their belief in God, thus making it real.

When children can exercise their beliefs, their faith will grow.

1. Get a map of the community around the church, allocate streets to families and encourage families to take a regular prayer walk along the street. They will gain insight into the community for which they are praying. They will understand the needs much better.
   
   
2. Organise the children to pray for the children in the community where they live. They may know of specific needs.
   
   
3. Get the children to make a poster for their home or their church to remind themselves or others to keep praying. Include some Bible promises and a picture to remind people of the focus of their prayers.
   
   
4. Produce a prayer calendar and have a special focus for each week eg. pray for single parents and their children, pray for homeless children, etc. Get your child to help construct the calendar.
   
   
5. Give opportunities to children to share with others who they are praying for and why.
   
   
6. Get your children to pray for their school, their teachers, and other students and parents at the school.

Resources

• 100 Creative Prayer Ideas for Kids and Grown-ups Too, by Karen Holford, Pacific Press
• Putting Their Hands in His, by Ruthie Jacobson, North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Hooray, Let's Pray, by Lois Keffer (Ed.), Group

Contact the Children Ministries department to find out how to acquire the resources.