Prayer Walls

Church-Wide Focus
Dr. Doug Witherup
Lead Pastor

Let’s pray for a return of all of God’s people to physical corporate worship gatherings. We are so grateful for online church during this past season and how God used it to reach so many. We are so thankful for how He continues to use it to minister to the sick and shut-ins, to connect with those who are traveling or away, and as a “front door” for new people to be introduced to our body. But there is a deep theology of physical corporate worship gatherings throughout Scripture and their essential place in the formation of God’s people. For instance:

  • God prescribed corporate worship in the tabernacle and temple (Deuteronomy 12, 16).
  • The revival that Josiah brought to Israel began with a return of the people to the house of God (2 Kings 22-23).
  • God declared the Sabbath to be “a day of sacred assembly” (Leviticus 23:3).
  • One of the meanings of the New Testament word for “church”—ecclesia—literally means “assembly”.
  • The early church gathered regularly for corporate worship (Acts 2:42).
  • The book of Hebrews reminds us: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do…not forsaking the assembling together of ourselves” (Hebrews 10:25).
  • Jesus tells us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Simply put, we cannot fully become who God has designed us to be apart from being a part of corporate worship in a local church. Let’s pray for a return of everyone to the house of God so that we can become all that God intended for us to be.

Southeastern University Focus
Pastor Kevin Smith
Lead Family Life Pastor/SEU Director
SEU Carolina just wrapped up the spring semester of the 2020–21 academic year. This year, for the first time, we are sending eight graduates out into the world. Please be in prayer that God would bless them as a step into the working world. And pray that they will be a light until the world in which they are being sent. And pray that we as a university will have the wisdom, knowledge, and systems in place to properly prepare the future graduates that God is sending us.

Family Life Focus
Pastor Nicki Smosna, Pastor Mikayla Ellis, Pastor Justin Simpson
 Please join us in prayer for the students and faculty of this month’s featured schools: Mount Pleasant Elementary, Middle, and High. We are praying for these teacher and student bodies to be open for God’s presence; for those who are believers to have boldness to lead their peers in finding life and freedom, and for anointing on the teachers to speak into the next generation. Lastly, please join us as we pray for peace within the family—that God would place passions in the students’ and teachers’ hearts as school is a mission field. Let’s pray that schools will have the opportunity to create clubs and organizations that are Christ-centered.

Missions Focus
Pastor Gwen Stowers, Pastor Harrison Skey
Featured Missionary
 In order to protect the missionaries and their ministry, they will remain unnamed. They are serving in India, equipping the national church to live by the Word and make disciples of Jesus. Pray for them at the current moment. India is experiencing a tragic second wave of COVID. Just in the past two weeks, ten pastors of churches have passed, and hundreds of thousands more. Pray for divine healing to sweep over the land. Pray for resources to come in to supply the needs they have in India (oxygen, medicine, etc.). But most of all, pray that a great awakening will arise even in the midst of chaos. Pray that God would bring the lost to be found and that they would be made disciples of Jesus.

Featured Dream Center Ministry
Present Age Ministries is a non-profit organization that is committed to combatting exploitation, sexual abuse, and the trafficking of teen girls. The organization seeks to equip communities to identify at-risk teen girls through prevention and awareness education to support survivors through holistic, individualized care. There are around 100,000 minors used in prostitution every year. These are the people Present Age seeks to help. We ask that you pray for this ministry as it helps teen girls find spiritual justice and social justice through life in Jesus. Our community in Cabarrus County—and even Charlotte—is affected constantly by the work of Present Age.

Featured Multiply Church Ministry
Over the past year, it has become increasingly evident of our need to be both Spirit-led and empowered. As a Worship Department, we’re believing for an open heaven in our services, homes, and city. We desire and expect the Spirit of God to pour out like never before. Pray with us that as we lift Him up, we would step into the promise of Him drawing all men unto Himself—and in return witness an unparalleled gathering of the saints, both new and old.

Concord Academy
 Please pray that Concord Academy students and teachers will have a safe, restful, and rejuvenating summer. Please pray that the administration team will be filled with God’s wisdom and direction as they seek God’s will for the 2021-2022 school year.

Local Government
 Pray for the town of Harrisburg with its tremendous growth to flourish in small businesses and industry, as well as grassroots community ties and in the local churches. Ask the Lord to move on the church pastors and town leaders to create strong community bonds with its citizens/residents. Pray for wisdom, peace, and protection for Mayor Steve Sciascia, Pro Tem Ron Smith, Town Manager Hayne Brigman, and the Town Council: John Booth, Rodney Dellinger, Ian Patrick, Rick Russo, Troy Selberg, Diamond Staton-Williams, and Hayne Brigman.