5 Top Tips: Growing Your School Prayer Culture | Sandra Scott

11 February 2022

1. ROUTINE | Pray with your students everyday

Modeling will be your most powerful lesson on prayer. God doesn’t expect you to be an expert! Talk to your students about prayer and commit to daily class prayer. Ask how you can pray for them. When and where appropriate, ask them to pray for you and for one another. 

Incorporating prayer into classroom life demonstrates to students the truth that God desires to be a part of every aspect of their lives. Alternatively, omitting prayer from your classroom demonstrates to students that it is not a priority. 

2. TEACH | Teach children about prayer

Does your school have intentional strategies for developing biblical literacy? I encourage you to access the Christian Studies Program resources on the CSA website. 

Teach students that prayer  is less about a list of requests and more about developing a relationship with God. Use the elements of the prayer Jesus taught us (Matthew 6:9-13). Have the ‘needs and wants’ conversation. Teach students to express gratitude rather than merely asking for something.

Make it your goal to guide students, gently and non-judgementally, toward a mature relationship with Christ and a prayer model that focuses on building God’s Kingdom on earth.  

"True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that – it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth."

Charles Spurgeon

3. INSPIRE | Raise your students' eyes

It’s tempting to stay in our comfort zone, but it’s not conducive to growth! Show your students that prayer is the most accessible way to participate in God’s work. Teach them about what breaks God’s heart and that He is at work restoring and reconciling all things. 

Have a prayer map in your classroom. Invite students to pray for bigger things, world-changing things. Connect with a ‘sister school’ or mission organization. 

Tell stories (even your own story), read books, and show video clips, of how the power of prayer has transformed lives. Students pray more fervently and more effectively when they understand that the good news of Jesus Christ [the gospel] is life-changing and ultimately world-changing. This is faith formation in action! 

4. CONNECT | Link with local, national and global prayer events

Look out for or even organize prayer events which students can attend or join online. These might include inter-school events, community prayer walks, state prayer breakfasts and national prayer events.
Join the ACSI Global Day of Prayer | ACSI  on February 15-16, 2022. Check out the ACSI Prayer Map which is an interactive guide to praying for the needs of Christian schools all over the world. Add your own prayer requests as well and see your school on the global map.  

5. PURSUE |Go further

Let students recognise that authentic prayer is a stepping stone to action and a catalyst for strengthening faith. Discuss ways in which to connect with people they are praying for, even across the globe. Go further by building real relationships and taking real action along with praying. For much more on this, check out CSA’s Christian Studies Program Service Learning Companion (CSA website).  

TAKE ACTION:

Add Prayer Requests to Global Map

Find Day of Prayer Resources

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