As Mars Hill Church wraps up our series on Pray Like Jesus with Pastor Mark, let me continue to highlight some nuggets of truth for application.  Especially for us at the Olympia Campus, just getting going, we need to understand there is a corporate side to spiritual renewal.

Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “not my will, but yours be done.” We ought also at the OC to orient ourselves to kingdom-centered prayers.  This kingdom-centered prayer refocuses us, corporately, to plead with the Father our need for His presence and power to further His glory and kingdom. (God’s kingdom can simply be defined as his place, his people and his sovereign rule, as explained by Graeme Goldsworthy.)  If our corporate prayers call for the glory and kingdom of God to expand rather than push our individual wants leading to selfishness, we may just see more of Jesus’ mission before us.  Repentance is key in this corporate process, as the entire body prays and Jesus Christ our advocate directs our prayers. May we turn from using prayer as self-help to praying for Jesus to be King of an expanding Kingdom, generating a movement of changed hearts turning to God.

As we corporately pray this way, may we also continue to proclaim the gospel through the preaching of the Word, our relationships in community groups, and transformed living before all people.  It is imperative, as Paul teaches us, “to keep a close watch on ourselves and on the teaching” (1 Tim. 4:16a).  This is a strong challenge to apply truth to heart and life as well as keep to sound doctrine in our minds.  This would never be possible unless we had a holy, loving and merciful Father empowering us.

In our efforts to regain a kingdom-centered focus on prayer and proclaim the gospel corporately, may we be amazed at the work of the Holy Spirit not only at MH Olympia’s campus but also throughout the south Sound.  Asking for God’s will to be done in expanding his glory and kingdom can be done multiple ways: individually through prayer for the body, on Sundays corporately, and even better still in your community groups.  The hope in community groups, is that you would know the specific needs in your context and may target the kingdom of God’s expansion in your area.  Allow yourself to see the triune God at work.

Pray with me,
Pastor Gary