Playing For An Empty Room... Well, Not Really...

Lately I have been playing electric guitar for a worship team at IHOP that covers the Saturday 6 AM - 8 AM set every week. 6:00 AM is the time that the nightwatch is ending their day and the day-time teams start their day. Usually, the prayer room is pretty laid back on the weekends, so the 6 AM set is especially slow, or so it seems.

I recall one Saturday morning I woke up at 5:00 AM, rolled out of bed, and slowly made my way to the prayer room for what seemed like another normal 6 AM set. There were probably 10 people total in the prayer room that morning, so it didn't seem like a very important set at all. We played well and focused on God more than the room, but we figured we had only played well for 10 people (and God, of course : ).

What we didn't know was that we were live on GODTV in more than 200 countries and more than 15,000 viewers were logged in to the online web stream in other parts of the world... and we had no idea. What seemed to us like another normal set that we may have even blown-off was actually one of the largest sets of the week in other time-zones around the world.

This served as a good reminder that we are not in the prayer room at 6 AM for ourselves or even for those in the room. Ultimately, we are there to minister to GOD's heart whether anyone is watching or not.

The fun part about the prayer room is that you never know who is watching, whether the room is full or empty. In the end, it's for an audience of one...

High School Prayer Rally You Will Not Want To Miss!

In years prior, 456 has hosted several events called the "Heal Our Land Project" where we shared the message and vision to see revival in our generation through the power of prayer.

This year (2010-2011), there will be a brand new event on October 2nd: High School Prayer Rally. This rally takes the Heal Our Land Project to another level. On the heals of See You At The Pole (September 22nd), an IHOP team will be leading the worship and prayer time and we'll get to hear from local youth leaders on the prayer movement that is sweeping through schools across our nation. I have been mobilizing prayer in Kansas City schools for many years now and I must say that the most exciting days are just ahead in the next 2-3 years.

Today, the youth of America and the schools of America are faced with a massive crisis due to a destructive culture fueled by demonic influences. Depression, suicide, rape, violence, and every addiction you can imagine has plagued our children. It all can be traced back to one moment in history that opened the flood gates of immorality in our schools: the 1962 Supreme Court Case Engle v. Vitale. This court case removed school sanctioned prayer from public schools and effectively built the foundation for the wall of separation of church and state as it relates to the classroom. In the years following, national test scores decreased, teen pregnancy increased, teen violence increased, teen STDs increased, and even the national divorce statistics increased at a rate that has not declined since.

The removal of prayer from schools also opened the doors to dozens of other court decisions removing God from the school system, even down the history books. What most people do not know about public schools is that prayer really has not been removed. School sanctioned/facilitated prayer has been removed, but not student-led prayer. Therefore, it is essential that we put prayer back on school campuses through student-led gatherings. If we want to make a difference in this generation, and we want to learn from history, the place to start is prayer in the youth.

That is why I am urging you to attend this High School Prayer Rally on October 2nd, a followup event to See You At The Pole in Kansas City. Whether you are a student or a youth leader, if you want to reach the schools and see revival in Kansas City, this event is for you. I will see you there!

High School Prayer Rally

October 2nd, 6 PM - 9 PM

Grandview Assembly

12400 Grandview Road

Grandview, MO 64030

Contact loganbloom@ihopu.org for more info.

Not Just Another School Year

This is my August entry in the Johnson County Christian publication!

Logan Bloom

Director, 456 Campus Ministry

info@kcstudentmissions.com

Not Just Another School Year

Already, August is upon us and another school year is beginning. Back to school shopping is in full swing and nerves run high as students wonder what their classes will hold. Vacations come to a close and construction is wrapping up in schools across the Kansas City area. What most students do not know is that their school has been prayed for all summer and long preparations have been made to reach their student body with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Barna Research Group (www.barna.org) has just released a new study related to teenagers and their religious practices and the study reveals yet another set of troubling statistics. For years, Barna has been tracking teenage religious behavior and now the statistics of church participation are lower than ever. Most shocking of all is that born again teenagers are no longer sharing their faith because of the pressure of political correctness, especially in their schools.

It is my prayer that 2010 and 2011 would not just be another school year of ‘business as usual’. Right now there are established student-led prayer furnaces and Bible studies on the majority of school campuses in Kansas City. There is still hope, even in the face of a failing culture, if we act now.

The need has never been greater for prayer in America. Church leaders are sounding the alarm throughout the nation calling for a prayer movement in our churches and in our schools. This year could be the year of change for the culture of our teenagers. Rather than watch church participation decrease and the measures of immorality increase, I challenge you to take a stand in prayer for this young generation.

Partner with me in prayer for our students, both local and national. I believe that Kansas City can be a burning and shining lamp in a time of national crisis. Pray Ephesians 3:16-19 over the students this year as they begin school, that they would know the love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God. Let us petition the Lord for breakthrough, and let us partner in deed with our prayers by encouraging and supporting the outreaches that students are leading on their campuses.

Don’t let this be just another school year. This could be THE school year that makes a difference for an entire generation. Visit www.kcstudentmissions.com to find out how your student can get involved and to find events in your area where students are uniting in prayer for revival.