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Planning Your Own Prayer Conference |
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One of the most effective ways to fire up people to participate in prayer is to hold a prayer conference. Even the smallest of churches can use this resource. Here are a few pointers:
Length & Type
Before deciding on a one-day, weekend or three-night event, ask: Are your people responsive to multi-day events? How busy is the season when the conference will be held? What participation and support can you expect from the pastoral staff? What are budget restrictions?
A typical weekend conference might start on Friday evening with
dinner—possibly a potluck—followed by an opening session of worship and
a keynote speaker. Saturday can vary with worship and teaching at 9:00
a.m., followed by smaller sessions/ workshops until noon. After a lunch
break, offer one or two sessions before ending between 2:00–3:30 p.m.
A one-day seminar can begin with breakfast and an adaptation of the
Saturday schedule above. A meal will generally guarantee more
attendees. Weather permitting, schedule either a prayerwalk or end with
a special event such as a concert of prayer.
Budget Considerations
Speaker(s): will you invite someone locally or fly someone in?
- Travel–Budget $400-450. Don’t exhaust your speaker with hours of extra travel and multiple layovers.
- Honorarium–Some speakers have a set fees, some do not. $250 per day (including travel days) is probably a minimum.
- Housing–Having your speaker stay in a private home is an option,
but ask his or her preference. Some are tired after speaking and need
quiet. Consider a mid- to upper-value hotel; noise in cheaper hotels
makes rest or study difficult.
- Meals–Many speakers prefer company at meals. Have different
members take the speaker out for each meal. Consider dietary needs if a
speaker eats in your home rather than a restaurant.
Publicity: Is your conference open to other churches?
- In-House–Promote two or three months in advance through bulletins, pulpit announcements, posters, sign-up tables.
- Radio–Stations offer community bulletin boards to announce
upcoming events. Buy radio spots or arrange an interview for your
speaker with a local talk show DJ.
- Direct Mail–This method is expensive but effective. Some national ministries might let you mail to constituents in your region.
Speaker selection
The Church Prayer Leaders Network (www.prayerleader.com) offers a
speakers’ bureau with contact information (available in its
members-only section). It also has a more in depth article on planning
your own conference.
Alternatives
If your church is not ready to hold its own conference, consider
promoting a prayer conference in your region. Here are some ministries
that regularly hold conferences in various locations:
CPLN Regional Conferences www.prayleader.com
Strategic Renewal International www.strategicrenewal.com
Renewal Ministries www.prayerpointpress.com
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September 2005