We have made some big changes to our schedule at the House of Prayer. I learned some new things during our trip to Atlanta IHOP and Bristol-HOP. (Thanks to Tom and that one guy at ATL HOP!)
Here is what I learned: (*author's note--of course these may not apply across the board for every HOP. Mostly, just really resonated with me, and I felt God's direction through these concepts...) 1. The House of Prayer must have full and part time intercessory missionaries. 2. Might be good to build the schedule during daytime hours rather than shedule evening and weekend hours in order to be flexible for people who work. Two reasons for this are: (1)those in the work force full-time may not be able to readily commit to building the HOP.(2)those in the work force who are strongly called to build the HOP must get out of work force and enter into missionary lifestyle in order to participate. 3. Early meetings are focused on training and equipping the teams that are already in place instead of calling in visitors. 4. It is important for the intercessory missionaries to DWELL in the HOP. There is a difference between harp and bowl meetings and a HOP. The goal of a HOP is to establish a place for the glory of God to dwell. When "Annas" spending work-type hours in the HOP, God grants a corporate anointing even as individuals enter into personal devotion time at the HOP.
Based on this information, we are spending 5 hour blocks of time during the days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week. The first 3 hours we play CDs and just enter into personal devotion, prayer, meditation, and creating. The last two hours we do a intercession harp and bowl clinic, pausing once for people to trade roles from prayer leader to singer. We sometimes only have 3 people, so 2 singers, 1 prayer leader...then we switch! Other times we have 6 or 7, and we can have 3 singers and more people praying:) Bristol-HOP does a really great clinic, so our understanding was so much better after visiting that we were able to follow their lead.
There are a few amazing things that are happening since we started this two weeks ago. First, our time is much more focused. Instead of meeting for two hour intercession 5 times per week, we are meeting 5 hours 3 times per week. This allows us to really focus our energy. Secondly, we are learning to have a greater corporate expression, and their is not as much burden on just one or two people for the meeting. With more people praying and singing, its more enjoyable for everyone. There is also a greater sense of unity. With each of us contributing, there is a stronger sense of community, and we are encouraging each other. Encouraged to seek the heart of God, to dwell in the HOP, to see His glory descend in our city, to abandon the world, and to run hard after the deep things, to know Jesus, to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, to usher in the appearing of Christ...
At the end of two weeks, I feel very encouraged. There is a renewed zeal and passion for God to build this House! We have a new clear, tangible, unified vision for the future. Really, it has just been a very encouraging two weeks.
He is the Lord, God, Merciful. He is Good. Gracious. Abounding in Love. Zealous for His people and His House. Love.
Ps 27:4 One thing I have desired from the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to pray in His temple.(MKJV)
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sounds like God is directing you..