This week could be a great time for you to be intentional about praying for our current and future Elders. Consider one of the following ways you can make this a priority for you and your family:

• Choose one morning this week to wake up an hour early to spend time in prayer.
• Spend time with your family studying 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
• Choose one meal to fast from or a full day. Use this time to let your mind lead and focus you on leadership in the church and how God desires to use you and others.
• Find a worship playlist on Youtube or Spotify or your favorite listening method. Sit and do nothing for several songs and enjoy some time to relax and worship. Afterwards, consider men in the church who inspire and encourage you. I personally love listening to this playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWFzMvCfLE&list=RDQMg-Kh0eEX1lU&start_radio=1
• Open up the directory and spend time praying over every individual and family with specific emphasis on those that God puts on your heart to lead and serve Central.
• Talk with God! As simple as that. 

​“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2)
 
Here John points out 3 important aspects concerning the Word.  The Greek word here is Logos.  To the Greeks, this word represented an impersonable force that is responsible for wisdom and knowledge and all of creation.  John personifies Logos.  He points out that Logos is now personable in every way.  My challenge to you to today is to call upon the personable presence of the Logos.  Call upon His wisdom and knowledge as you spend time praying for our elder selection process. This is a very important time here at Central and would love for each of you to be intentional in your efforts as you take part in this process.

It was common knowledge among the disciples that they would find Jesus praying during the early morning hours.  When they needed Him, they knew where to go.  Every time the Lord Jesus was faced with an important decision, He prayed.  When He was tempted to do things by the world’s methods instead of His Father’s, He prayed (Matthew 4).  When it was time choose His disciples, He prayed an entire night (Luke 6:12).  So with that said, the leadership of Central Church of Christ would like to encourage you to spend some quality time in prayer reflecting upon this season of change within our group of Shepherds.
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Questions and thoughts to ponder as you do this?

1. If the Son of God required a night of prayer in order to determine the Father’s mind, how long might it take us in prayer to clearly determine our Father’s will?
2. Will we follow the Savior’s example as we consider what we would like to see going forward from who will be the new additions to our Shepherds?
3. What are your expectations from the Shepherds going forward?
4. How would you like to see this important process impact Central going forward?

Please be in prayer for those men whose names have been written down and will be written down as suggestions for future Shepherds.

Let me encourage to read Galatians 5:16-23 as you spend time reflecting and praying about this important decision for Central. 

As you have heard, John Havard and Larry Bonner will be stepping down in the coming months due to moving their family to new towns.  These moves will happen in the next several months (by the end of the year). For this reason, we are looking to a few men of the congregation to step up and fill these eldership/shepherding roles. 

We encourage each of you to be in prayer over this situation.  Be in prayer over the two men that are making changes in their lives, and be in prayer over the men that will be stepping in to those roles.  Be in prayer over the leadership, as a whole, as they lead this congregation on our spiritual journey to live out God’s calling to each of us, and to live out our vision here at Central.

Keep these verses in mind as you continue praying over this process:

• Acts 6:4 “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
• James 5:16b “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
• Ephesians 6:18 “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,…”
• Romans 12:10 – 13 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor’ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”

As you are spending time in prayer keep these following thoughts and devotionals in mind to help encourage your time of prayer: