Thursday 26 September 2024
If you have read “On this Rock” by Chrissy Remsberg and Alex Harris, you will have read and reflected on some simple lessons and achievable habits from Baptist Churches that have grown healthily and numerically over the past few years. These churches were connected into the Firestarters Network.
Interestingly the first principle they reflect on is Prayer and Fasting. I was personally encouraged by how much of an overlap this focus on Prayer and Fasting had with our journey here at HBC Chester. They write about prayer being rooted in a belief that God is both Father and King. We use the language of Covenant and Kingdom, as we have created a discipleship culture that carries these twin themes of Developing Covenant Relationships and Building Kingdom Communities. This belief that God is both Father and King helps us to discover a greater level of intensity and urgency in prayer. The practice of regular times of fasting mixed in with our prayers is part of this intensity!! Not only at HBC have we introduced times and Prayer and Fasting, but over the past 5 years within Fresh Streams, we have had the habit of regular days set aside for Prayer and Fasting.
In 2023 we sensed the Lord leading us to make a fresh call for Fresh Streams to facilitate opportunities across Baptists Together to gather to pray and fast, intentionally crying out to God together. To express our hunger for God, coming together with a focus on the Kingdom of God, with a “Word and Spirit” encounter with God that would lead to an empowered engagement with the world. We reached out to the 13 Associations with our vision and hopes and in March 2024 held gatherings across 11 of the 13, hosted by leaders carrying the vision and values of Fresh Streams.
Thursday 26 September 2024
We are partnering with all 13 of the Associations for a day of Prayer and Fasting. With a physical gathering from 10am til 3pm or 10am to 1pm or 11.30 til 2pm depending on your nearest location/Association. Churches and church leaders in relationship with Fresh Streams will help host these gatherings with those in the associations. During the time together we will spend time in prayer as we intentionally pray for our Baptist Movement, highlighting specifically the Everyone Everywhere initiative, as well as praying for the churches in our associations and for each other.
These days are open to everyone and especially those in leadership in our Baptist churches.
For more information please contact the Fresh Streams Office
Dates for 2025
Thursday 27 March and Thursday 25 September