Part 3: Prayer and Worship
By: Kristen
Photos: Connie Rock
Often, the most powerful ministry of all is unnoticed.
It’s easy to see the importance of clothing the poor and feeding the hungry. “When I was hungry, you fed me,” Jesus said, and it’s something that we as Christians try to live. We put on VBS programs and visit churches, go door-to door, and try to literally be the hands and feet of Christ to those who don’t know Him. We serve him with everything that we have.
But ministry doesn’t always happen in between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., specifically in a church or on a school playground. Ministry is a lifestyle.
This trip was structured specifically to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Everyday, there was some type of specific ministry, but much of the day was spent in two very intentional ways: Prayer/worship and in just living life.
It didn’t take long for our team to realize that we’d been given an incredible gift-the gift of music. Armed with a guitar and our voices, we began to walk the streets of San Pedro and sing. We went up on our hotel’s roof to worship. We sang in churches, in classrooms, in homes, on boats, and even in a bus. No matter where we went, prayer was on our lips.
At first, it was just a pleasant surprise. Worship was something we all loved to do, something we were passionate about. So to be able to come together and praise God in that way was not only beautiful to hear-it was fun to do! But one morning, after meeting together, learning about listening prayer and specifically, ATL (which stands for “Asking the Lord,” a form of ministry where you block out several hours of the day, pray for God to lead you, and then follow his direction), the team heard something very specific. After several hours of praying together, of reading the Bible and testing what we were hearing, we came to this conclusion. One of our major ministries would be worship.
Praise became not just what we loved to do, but something that was constantly on our hearts, our service to God. We set aside portions of every day to meet together to worship, whether it was by ourselves, corporately, ipod worship, or singing together. We met together by the water one day, with another team by the water one night. We sang everywhere we could. Some of us wrote songs, others just couldn’t stop singing. Music led us into prayer, where we’d listen for the Lord to speak and intercede on behalf of the ones we’d met. We’d prayer walk and pray in one voice, lay hands on and cover each other when we were weak. Our entire trip was bathed in prayer and worship.
People began to notice. They’d gather nearby whenever we sang, stopped whatever they were doing, and listened. Some joined in; others cried when we switched from English to Spanish and sang in their native tongue. And that led us to conversations where we were able to express the love of God to those who desperately need to know Him. It led to breakthrough and healing.
The team that prays together is powerful. Unstoppable, even. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s the most important element of any trip. That kind of ministry isn’t limited to a set time or a specific location. And when a team walks in prayer and praise, those nearby cannot help but take notice. Ministry-sharing the love of Christ-is a lifestyle, not something reserved for a specific day of the week. It’s how Jesus walked: intentionally, listening for his Father’s leading, and reaching out in love. For ten days in Guatemala, his praises rang out from the very depths of a volcano.
