When some pastors and Christian leaders hear the word, "prayer," many different thoughts come to mind. For some, thoughts of shame flood their minds like, "I can't get up that early to pray" or, "I feel lazy when I pray." For others it's thoughts of frustration, "No one comes to the prayer meeting and when they do come all they want to do is pray for the sick." Still others have a sense of defeat. "I am weak in prayer." or, "Prayer doesn't work." I have learned through the years that when I speak of prayer pastors and Christian leaders often may imagine something completely different then what I am suggesting.
"I am weak in prayer." This was the answer to my inquiry of my host and translator to tell me about his life of prayer. To be honest, I was a little frustrated by his comment. It was his way of closing the door on any further discussion about prayer. What I later discovered is that the Kyrgyz believer's view of prayer is one of daily 4:30am prayer meetings. When the church gathers to pray everyone stands and prays aloud at the same time for 60 to 90 minutes. This model of prayer has had a great impact for the advancement of the Kingdom of God in some cultures. But the Kyrgyz night owls struggle to rise in the early mornings to lead prayer their prayer gatherings.
Conversations about prayer invoke shame and guilt within the life of Kyrgyz pastors because this early morning perspective of prayer. As I taught about Prayer Efforts, the Spirit of God began to set these pastors and Christian leaders free to embrace a whole new model of prayer. With a new excitement several pastors shared with me what they had learned and what the Spirit was leading them to do. They had a new sense of joy and hope as they thought about prayer. By the way, my host and translator is now praying daily with his wife for his family and fasting one day a week for their needs. He too has a new sense of optimism and joy in prayer.
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