Prayer Mapping

No one loves change.  Even when we are looking forward to the fruits of change the process of changing can be daunting.  Change requires a departure from our comfort zone.  The process can be foreign, confusing and if engaged long enough it can leave us feeling lost in the process and unsure if the upheaval was even necessary. 

Over time I have developed a personal strategy to help me navigate change.  It has worked well and I began to see other areas in life in which it could be utilized; such as getting married, having a baby, moving, projects at work and ministry.  Just about anything that may be an overwhelming task or a task with multiple components that requires clear and concise thought and direction would be an excellent candidate for this strategy. The strategy is called Prayer Mapping.

Prayer Mapping by definition can be considered a system which combines prayer, documenting and organization tools to process anything from a concept to a large individual or group projects.  Simply, Prayer Mapping is my way of breaking up large events in to smaller tasks to provide clarity and manageability.

Now imagine trying to conquer change as part of a team.  More people, more proclivities, more opinion, more fears.  It can be exhausting and in the worst case scenario the fruit of the desired change may never be actualized resulting in a splintered and demoralized group.

Having experienced great personal success with Prayer Mapping it was a natural progression to utilize it as a strategy for some of the ministries and planning committees in which I participate.  

Prayer Mapping as a group became a valuable tool as it became a centralized documentation of protocol which states clearly the purpose and intent of the undertaking.   It provided direction for processes and keeps the group in scope of the project.  It outlines the resources necessary to accomplish the task and it is also the keeper of the desired results.  This strategy document becomes the focus of the groups energies and unifies the participants on the task at hand.

Here is how you can take an idea or intention and create a prayer map for your mission with a few steps.

First we want to present a task to the group for explanation and review.  Often times, a vision in our head is made fuller and sharper when participants lend their individual talents and skill sets to the mission.

Follow the presentation with a brainstorming session where everyone can access the need associated with the project.  Again, this is excellent as it allows individuals with certain levels of experience to shed light on their areas of expertise which in turn creates buy in on the project for that individual. 

Next, we pray. In faith communities we serve a God that is sovereign. He is an all seeing, all knowing God whom when we seek His face and His will, He exchanges our will for His.  This simple trade results in His will being transferred from the Spirit realm to being actionized in the earthly dimension.   We are working a vision, prayerfully, given to us by the God that knows how to get it done.  It makes perfect sense to seek Him for the plan and how to procure the resources.  In our petition we should seek God for direction, resources, connections and wisdom as we document the process.  An important note here is not only to pray but to try and discern God’s responses as well. 

As the tangible and intangible prayer requests are meet match them to the petition made for them.  This is an excellent way to determine measurable progress and is a great morale booster for the group.   

And the biggest step of all, project evaluation.  Did we meet our goal / mission?  Do we have what we need to accomplish the task? Could we have done it better? How? Evaluating the project lets you know whether the project is complete or not.  The project is complete when you have met the objective of the prayer map.  If you are completed, congratulate your team for a job well done. 

Depending on the project you may need to break it up and phases and utilize multiple prayer maps.   

Although I started Prayer Mapping as an individual practice it is thoroughly equipped and customizable to meet the needs of any size group looking to combine prayer and organization for just about any project.