Recently, during an exercise discussing our leadership team’s values, a leader mentioned one of our values is this: Prayer is ministry.

Even while I find that sentiment challenging in my daily life, I really like and believe what he said. Prayer IS ministry. Going to kids, listening to kids, knowing kids, that is all also ministry, but perhaps in vain without prayer.

Someone else in our area reminds us frequently, “Ministry without prayer is the highest form of arrogance.”

Thankfully, it’s never too late to shift gears and begin praying more. Here are a few ways other WyldLife leadership teams are praying:

Walks around the school’s campus. Do prayer walks around schools that you have current ministry and schools where you aren’t yet. Invite leaders, committee, parents, potential leaders.

Create a calendar with location and date information to help invite others to join – if they know in advance, they can put on their calendars.

Copies of yearbooks. Scan pages of year books and print copies for each leader to have a copy to pray over kids. This will help leaders know kids’ names better and help you gauge how many students you have yet to meet.

Writing prayers. Invite your leadership team to start a small notebook of prayers for kids and your area. Over time, you’ll be able to look back and see where God was present and transforming your hearts. You might also create a sticky note wall of prayers with your team.

Liturgical prayers. Use these with students or your leadership team.

Printed photos of kids. Write prayers, hopes, or truths about them on the back of the photos (or frame them on paper.) Each leader might have their own stack of photos to keep at home and use as a reminder to consistently pray for their friends.

Singing worship. Often, music shifts our souls to connect with God in a unique way. Don’t rule out singing as a form of prayer and intimacy with God.

Weekly at a set time. Invite your leadership team to all set an alarm for the same time (ie: Wednesday at 7:23pm) to pray for kids.

Popsicle sticks. Put kids’ names on popsicle sticks and draw them out 2-3 at a time to pray. You might add scripture or specific hopes and needs to each one on the other side.