40 Day Prayer Guide

Read Luke 4:1-14. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness with the Father to prepare for his ministry. It was a time of testing and deepening. As you prepare to pray for 40 days, spend time with Jesus today. Ask him what you need to do so that your heart is ready to pray.

What are you thankful for today? Tell the Father about it.

Preparing to Pray – Why are we praying for 40 days for nations & generations?
40 days seems like a really long time to pray. So why 40? The number 40 in the Bible has deep significance, often used to represent a period of testing, trial, and even triumph. Noah and his family spent 40 days and nights on the ark, waiting for the Lord’s deliverance. Moses spent 40 days and nights with God on Mt. Sinai when he received the ten commandments. Israelite spies scouted the promised land for 40 days. The reluctant prophet Jonah preached in Nineveh for 40 days, and the whole city repented. Even Jesus spent 40 days praying and fasting before he began his ministry. Luke 4:14 says that afterwards, “He returned to Galilee filled with the Holy Spirit’s power.”

Why 40 days or prayer? Because seasons of testing and challenge can become the catalyst for spiritual growth. Because we want to finish this season like Jesus—filled with the Holy Spirit’s power!

Today, we pray that God will grow the faith of our church. We pray that we will depend on the Father more fully as we give ourselves to prayer for 40 days. We pray that God will prepare us to ask for nations & generations. Father, deepen our faith!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Luke 3:21-22 and John 15:9 and reflect on your identity. You are the beloved of God.

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #1 – See 1,825 people surrender to Christ and be baptized.
We are asking God to use our church to bring one person to faith every day for the next five years. This reflects the heart of the church we see in Acts where it says, “And God added daily to their number those that were being saved.” There are over two million people who live in Tarrant County alone, and less than half are a part of any type of church. So many are struggling, worn out, trying to figure out their purpose and if anyone really cares. This is why we consistently ask the question, “Who’s your one?” We know they’re out there. We know what it’s like to be out there, alone. And we know the power of what it’s like when someone comes looking for us.

Friends, they’re waiting for us…

Today, please join in the prayer that God will lead us to 1825 people who do not know Jesus yet. Pray that God will prepare their hearts to receive good news. Pray that they will receive the news of Jesus with great joy and that the roots of the Gospel will grow deep so that the evil one cannot steal what has been planted. Pray for protection over these 1825 who will come to know Jesus in the next five years. Pray that this harvest will bring great glory to God!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Luke 10:2. Jesus knows the harvest is ready. He invites us to go with him to bring people back home into His kingdom. Spend time memorizing this verse today.

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #1 – See 1,825 people surrender to Christ and be baptized. 
We continue to pray that 1,825 people will come to Christ in the next five years through the life and work of our church. One of the essential elements to see this happen is that there must be an increase in the number of people who are actively sharing their faith and making disciples in our church. Research shows that somewhere around 60% of Christians rarely, if ever, share their faith with someone else. Many believe it is the job of the church staff or pastors to do so. But Jesus invites you into this, too!

We reproduce what we are. Followers of Jesus should, by nature, reproduce other followers of Jesus. There is so much death, hurt, and pain out there. We believe people finding real life in Jesus is the way our world gets better. And God is inviting you to share the life of Jesus with specific people over the next five years.

Today, pray that God will raise up 1,825 disciple-makers in our church who will share their faith with at least one other person. Pray that The Hills Church will be a people who consistently and compassionately share their faith with friends, neighbors, and family members who do not know Jesus yet. And pray that God will lead you to one person you can share your faith with. Father, make us a community of disciples who make disciples!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 2:8. The nations are Jesus’ inheritance. Spend time with Jesus reflecting on his love for all people throughout the world.

What are you thankful for today?

Asking for the nations.
One of the reasons we are asking for nations & generations is because the nations are Jesus’ inheritance. We get to partner with God in bringing the nations to Jesus as a gift because they rightfully belong to him. The nations reflect the beauty and goodness of God. They make up the Kingdom Jesus came to build. The book of Revelation speaks of a day when all nations, tribes and tongues will be gathered around God’s throne, praising him forever. It is a scene that moves God’s heart. Jesus died so the nations could live. It is a vision that he is determined to see come to pass.

“All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.” (Psalm 86:9)

Today, we pray that God will use The Hills Church to bring the nations to Jesus. We pray that our church will be a place where all peoples are welcomed and loved. We pray that our church will go to the nations to proclaim that Jesus’ Kingdom has come and that people from all over the world will follow him. We pray that our lives, resources, and talents will be invested in reaching the nations so that Jesus will enjoy the goodness of his inheritance.

Father, please send us to the nations. Send the nations to us. May we be a people worthy to receive them in Jesus’ name.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this. Write down what He says to you.

Read Luke 4:18-19. Meditate on this idea: Jesus is always working to set us free! He came to give us the life that is truly life!

What are you thankful for today? Tell the Father about it.

Generations Goal #1 – Launch and lead Celebrate Recovery and a Freedom Ministry for the redemption of broken generations.
Did you know that almost 21 million Americans battle an addiction of some kind? The truth is, there are many people battling addictions in our church, and countless more are fighting for their lives in our cities and neighborhoods. Our lives are full of hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We know Satan is good at what he does. He comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He gives the gifts of chains and broken dreams.

But Satan doesn’t have the final say. We are launching a Celebrate Recovery program and a Freedom Ministry because we believe that Jesus is capable of breaking chains, giving freedom, and restoring people to the wholeness we were all born to experience. So we will compassionately meet people in the midst of their mess. The journey is not easy. It’s littered with trouble and hurt. But we will not back away. Jesus’ Kingdom is full of people who used to be dead, who aren’t any longer, and who testify that Jesus gave them new life.

Today, pray for Celebrate Recovery and for our Freedom Ministry. Pray that those who come to these communities will experience freedom and wholeness. Pray that God will break chains and set people free from addiction, from broken relationships and from shame and guilt. Pray that these ministries will be established in power and compassion and that many will come to Jesus through them.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Ephesians 6:10-12. What are we really battling?

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #1 – Launch and lead Celebrate Recovery and a Freedom Ministry for the redemption of broken generations.
Our battles on earth are often a result of what is happening in the heavenly realms. Spiritual warfare is real. It’s a part of our existence whether we have the eyes to see it or not. Every time someone comes to Celebrate Recovery and our Freedom Ministry, there is going to be a spiritual battle that will ensue for their heart and life. Satan is relentless in keeping people bound. He hates our freedom. He will fight to keep people from it.

The Celebrate Recovery and Freedom Ministry teams need our prayer coverage. So today, pray over these teams. Ask God to protect them. Pray that he will use them to show love and compassion, and that the evil one will have no power in that community. Pray that God will protect their marriages, their faith, and that he will fill them with power and discernment as they work with people who are really hurting.

Our prayers for these ministries matter. Fight for our friends in the spiritual realms today. Pray that God will use them in mighty ways to participate in the freedom of others. Pray that they have tremendous amounts of compassion and wisdom as they step into the darkness and do battle for God’s beautiful children who have been hurt and suffering for too long. Father, protect our teams and protect these ministries in the name of Jesus! Use them to bring light and hope into this world!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 57:9. Worship Jesus today. Spend time praising him. Know that there are people all over the world today who are joining you. What song are you singing today?

What are you thankful for today?

Praying for unreached people groups.
Today, we pray for the Bhil people who live in central India. A people group of almost 17 million, the Bhil are almost completely unreached. Almost all of the Bhil practice ethnic religions that have been highly influenced by Hinduism. Ancestor worship is common. Shamans (priests) are also called upon to offer sacrifices to the many gods and mud idols. 

Despite these traditional beliefs, there has been an interesting in-breaking of God’s Spirit among some of the Bhil. At the turn of the century, one guru (a Hindu religious teacher) warned his disciples that there would be a great famine, after which they should look for teachers from the North and West who would teach them the true way of salvation from a book, free of cost. They would teach about the true God, and about a sinless Incarnation who was born of a virgin. The guru also said that they should worship this sinless, invisible God, turn away from stones and idols, and live blameless lives. A famine occurred in 1899-1900, soon after the guru’s death.

Even without the presence of missionaries, God is revealing himself to these people! 

Would you pray for the Bhil people today? Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go and share Christ with the Bhil. Ask God to provide open doors for Bhil believers to share the Gospel with their own people. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften their hearts towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.

(Source: www.joshuaproject.net)

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Revelation 7:9-10. This is a picture of what is to come. Close your eyes and visualize this scene. What stands out to you?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #2 – Become a multi-ethnic church.
Ours is a world marked by division. It’s an old, tired tactic of the evil one. He has convinced people that we are too different to occupy the same space. But this is a lie, friends. Jesus made possible something different, something new. Through the cross, Christ ushered in the age of unity.  

Christians now have the power to overcome division through humility and compassion. As God’s people, we no longer have to play by the world’s rules. Instead, the church can extend to a divided world the uniting love revealed through Jesus Christ on the cross.

The great invitation of the cross is that you and I can be one. Period. It is God’s dream. It now must become our reality. Our hearts desire is for The Hills Church to look more like the communities we’ve been entrusted to serve. Today, we pray that The Hills Church will be a place where every person is welcome, every voice matters, and every difference brings us closer together instead of pushing us further apart. We pray that our church will be a place where all peoples can belong, connect, serve, lead, and flourish. Pray that God’s dream will come to pass in our church in the next five years. Pray that God makes all who come to our church one through the cross of Jesus.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read John 17:20-21. Why do you think our unity matters so much to Jesus?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #2 – Become a multi-ethnic church.
Jesus’ prayer in John 17 draws a line between our unity in the church and our witness in the world. A united church is a powerful witness. But division weakens our testimony.   

Today, we continue our prayers to become a multi-cultural expression of God’s kingdom. We pray that our church will pursue unity with great passion. We pray that the sins of division from the past will not bear fruit in our future. We pray for the humility to apologize when we hurt each other and the grace to forgive.

We pray that God would make us a church who looks like our community. Holy Spirit, create in us a culture of honor so that people of many backgrounds are welcome to use their voice, gifts, and perspectives to build our church in new and different ways.

We pray that people of all tribes and tongues will be recognized in our public worship, invited to serve on our staff and leadership team, and lead in our eldership. We pray for deep and meaningful relationships to be established among people of all ethnicities so that the Spirit cultivates a diverse community of beloved disciples.

May Jesus’ prayer for unity be answered in our midst. May we live as those who believe Jesus is alive and he has done away with the ugliness and pain of division. Jesus, may you live out your life through The Hills Church. Make us one, Jesus. Make us a multi-ethnic church.  

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 68:4-6. What has been your experience with family? Has it been great or has it been difficult? Our experience with our earthly families is often painful. Reflect on the ways God is restoring what we perhaps have always longed for.

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #2 – Raise up 25 new foster families in our church, and train 100 members to be respite workers to serve foster families.
There are over 15,000 children in foster care in Texas. In March of 2021, 237 children slept in foster care offices because there were not enough foster families to house them. That must move the heart of Jesus. And because it moves him, it’s got to move us.    

Jesus always leads his disciples to love people who are outside traditional boundary lines. As God grows our hearts, he grows our Kingdom family, too. And one of the most tangible ways we demonstrate the Kingdom here on earth is by inviting the forgotten into our lives, our hearts, and our homes. 

Today, let’s pray that God will so move us that he will raise up 25 new foster families from our church who will partner with God to end the cycles of homelessness, abuse, and struggle so many children are burdened with from the very beginning of their lives. Pray that these families will have great courage, deep love, and persevering compassion as they alter the trajectory of children who are often not seen. Father, raise them up! We ask that you reduce the numbers of children who have to sleep in government offices through the love and compassion of The Hills Church.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Proverbs 11:25. People who refresh others will be refreshed. Reflect on a time when you felt refreshed by Jesus. Maybe you’re in a dry season and you need his refreshing. Spend time with him now. Being with Jesus is the only way we find true refreshing!

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #2 – Raise up 25 new foster families in our church, and train 100 members to be respite workers to serve foster families.
Sometimes when you run a race you need refreshment. A chance to catch your breath, to rest for just a moment before stepping back in your lane to keep going. It might only be a moment, but it can make a world of difference. This is certainly true for foster families who serve abused or neglected children. A little help goes a long way.    

One of the ways we can help foster families is by providing respite care. Respite care provides an opportunity for foster families to pause, catch their breath, and rest before stepping back in to love the children God has brought into their lives. Our goal is for 100 members of our church to be trained to provide this respite care for foster families.

Today, pray that God will raise up 100 of our members to love and bless the next generation of children who have started from a place of extreme difficulty. Pray that these members will be refreshed as they refresh others. Pray that cycles of broken families will be stopped because of the courage of our church and that new generations will come to faith because God’s people showed up in the hard places.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Genesis 12:1-3. God told Abraham that because of his obedience, all the families of the earth would be blessed. How have you been blessed by someone’s obedience to God? Reflect with Jesus today how he has blessed you through the faithfulness of someone else. 

What are you thankful for today?

Asking for generations.
In Genesis 12, God made a covenant with a man named Abram (later called Abraham). He told Abram to leave his home, his people, and his family and go to a land he had never seen before. God told him he would bless him, make him into a great nation, and because of his obedience, every family on earth would be blessed.    

God invited one person to follow him. That person said yes. The world changed.

It was through Abram’s family that the savior Jesus would come. Abram couldn’t see that far into the future, but he believed God. And because of his faith every generation after him has been blessed.

Church, how many generations after us will be blessed by our faith and obedience? God has called us to make and grow followers of Jesus. He has invited us into this new vision of asking for nations & generations. What could happen if we all said yes? How could the world change through our simple acts of obedience? Like Abram, we can’t see that far into the future, but we believe God can use what happens today to bless generations to come. 

Today, we pray that God will continue the legacy of Abram through The Hills Church. We pray that every generation that is present in our church will be blessed and that the blessing will continue for generations to come.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Acts 9:31 and 12:24. God’s church multiplies. It always has and it always will. Where can you multiply the Kingdom of Jesus today? Where can you release more life into the world?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #3 – Be a church of at least 5 campuses.
In the Kingdom of Jesus, everything multiplies. Disciples make disciples. Churches plant churches. Life produces life. This has always been the way God has chosen to change the world. This is why the multiplication of our campuses matters. For every healthy church of Christians in the Metroplex, there just as many people who are far from God. Multiplying campuses is part of how we feel called to reach the lost among us. The neighborhood gets better when Jesus moves in.    

Today, we pray that God will show us the neighborhoods, places, and peoples He is sending us to serve. We ask him as a church: Jesus, where are you ready to go? Where would you like us to plant our fourth and fifth campuses? Jesus, give us the courage, wisdom, and discernment to go where you send us. May we hear your voice and follow your leading. The Hills Church is ready to move into the neighborhood. Show us where, Lord. May your Kingdom come, and may our city come to faith because of the new campuses you will plant.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Acts 13:1. Sometimes God has specific roles for us to play in the church and the spread of His Kingdom. What are ways that God has used you to grow his church? If you haven’t yet, what are some ways you’d like to participate in what God is doing?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #3 – Be a church of at least 5 campuses.
We are prayerfully looking for the places where God will plant our next two campuses. We are also praying over the campus teams who will lead the ministry in those places and who will help establish the Kingdom of Jesus there. Today, please pray that God will already be preparing the campus pastors, worship teams, kids and student ministers, involvement and outreach teams, and so many others who will play significant roles in serving the people in the new communities where we are sent.  

Pray also for the people in the neighborhoods where we will be planted. Pray that many thousands will come to faith at those campuses. Pray that those campuses will make disciples who make disciples. Pray that disciple making will spread into those new communities and the businesses, restaurants, schools, and streets will be different because God does a mighty thing there.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Isaiah 42:1. Jesus is going to bring justice to the nations. Where do you see injustice in our world? Ask Jesus to bring justice to the places that need it today.

What are you thankful for today?

Praying for unreached people groups.
Today, we pray for the unreached people in the country of Laos in Asia. There are 3.5 million people in Laos, the majority of whom have never heard of Jesus. More than half of the Lao are Buddhists. The Lao Buddhists believe that right thinking, ritual sacrifices, and self-denial will enable the soul to reach nirvana (a state of eternal bliss) at death. They live in fear of their gods and constantly strive to appease them with religious chants, rituals, and sacrifices. They also believe that existence is a continuous cycle of death and rebirth, a process known as reincarnation.   

The Lao have been greatly affected by fighting and bloodshed in the past. They are in desperate need of inner healing and true spiritual hope. Only the blood of Jesus Christ has the power to break through the barriers that are keeping them bound.

Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to Laos and share Christ. Pray that the Lord will give missions agencies new strategies for effectively evangelizing the Lao. Ask God to use Lao believers to share the love of Jesus with their own people. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Lao towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel. Pray that God will open the hearts of Laotian governmental leaders to the Gospel. Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Lao.

(Source: www.joshuaproject.org)

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 145:3-4. Who shared their faith with you? Spend time with Jesus remembering the people who have been important on your faith journey. Thank God for them.

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #3 – See 2,000 members a year serve in ministry to kids and students in our church and community.
We pass on what we love to others. When we love or enjoy something, we want others to know about it. Just look at social media. Whether it’s their most recent meal or a special memory, people love to share things that are important to them. God wired us that way. That’s why, all throughout Scripture, we see God teaching people over and over again to pass on their faith to new generations. Church, did you know that two thirds of people who follow Jesus come to faith before they turn eighteen? Serving our kids and students is one of the most missional things you can do.    

Today, we pray that God will raise up 2,000 people in our church who will recognize the power of developing the next Kingdom generation. We are praying for 2,000 disciple makers who will pass their faith on to the next generation. And may that new generation pass on the faith when it is their turn. Father, multiply the faith of our generation so that it will reach four generations into the future. Pray that God will establish His Kingdom through the children who will be reached in our church in the next five years.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Genesis 48:8-9. The concept of blessing has been an important part of God’s journey with his people. Have you received your blessing from Jesus today? Listen to what he has to say to you.

What are you thankful for today? Tell the Father about it.

Generations Goal #3 – See 2,000 members a year serve in ministry to kids and students in our church and community.
Blessing is the language of the Kingdom of Jesus. He started one of his greatest sermons by saying, “Blessed are…” Blessing is also the nature of our relationship with God. Blessing is about calling out someone’s identity and purpose. Blessing is not about performance. It is about our God-given identity.    

As we continue to pray that God will raise up 2,000 people in our church to invest in the next generation, pray today that our church will first receive our blessing so we can pass it on to our children. We cannot give what we do not possess. If we are to bless kids and students, the 2,000 who will serve must know they are the beloved of God. Today, you must know you are a beloved child of God.

Pray that our children and students will receive the blessing they long to hear. Pray that they will know that they are the beloved of God. Pray that as we pass on faith and blessing to them, they will be rooted in the Gospel. Pray that this culture of blessing would be attractive to prodigals far from the Father. Pray that these young people will learn from us how to call out the good in the people they meet.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Isaiah 66:18. The nations will be gathered and see God’s glory. What do you think it will be like when we see God’s glory? As you spend some time with Jesus, ask him to help you understand the majesty of God’s glory.

What are you thankful for today?

Praying for unreached people groups.
Today, we pray for Tunisian Arabs. Of the 11 million people who live in the North African country of Tunisia, 99% consider themselves Muslim. While many are nominal Muslims, Islam heavily influences Tunisian culture. Their religious practices include various ceremonies and festivals. They believe in jinn (spirits according to Muslim legend) capable of exercising influence over people. Witchcraft and worship at shrines are practiced and produce bondage and strong spiritual darkness.    

There are currently a few hundred believers in the country. However, most Tunisian Christians experience significant persecution from family and friends. They risk losing their jobs, their place in society, and they face pressure from the authorities. Recently, Christian websites, TV, and radio programs have generated interest in Christianity in Tunisia. In addition, testimonies have been shared where Jesus appeared to people through dreams and visions. Unprecedented access to the Gospel has produced a great need for more workers to meet with curious Tunisians seeking to know more about Jesus.

Today, pray for the people of Tunisia. Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the small number of Tunisian Arab believers. Pray for completion of Bible translation in this people group’s primary language. Pray for strong national leaders to emerge and for these people to plant churches in every city and village in the nation. Pray for the missionaries serving there, that God would protect them and give them faith and courage.

(Source: www.joshuaproject.net)

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Deuteronomy 10:17-19. God cares for the foreigners living among us. Have you ever been an outsider? What does the word welcome mean to you?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #4 – Engage members as advocates for 25 asylum-seeking families or individuals in our community.
“Welcome” is a powerful word. It is a word of invitation, connection and kindness. Jesus constantly challenged the religious leaders of his day because their faith was all devotion and no inclusion. They made no room for anyone who was marginalized or outcast. But Jesus painted a different picture of God. The Kingdom is a place where outsiders hear the Father say, “Welcome.”    

In 2018, over 63,000 people from different countries came to the United States seeking asylum. An asylum-seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution or other human rights violations. Almost half of all asylum-seekers are children. They have fled war, religious persecution, and grievous abuse in their homelands. These people have come to the US to go through the legal, recognized process of becoming citizens in our country. Sometimes they find welcome here. Often, they don’t.

Today, we pray that asylum-seekers will find welcome in our church. We pray that we will be a people who make room to include the foreigners who have had flee their homes to save their lives. We pray that our church will be a place where foreigners are loved, cared for, and seen. We pray that the revolutionary idea of welcome will be experienced by people from all tribes and tongues and that they will add to the diversity and beauty of the multi-ethnic community God is building at The Hills Church.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Leviticus 19:33-34 and Matthew 25:31-40. Jesus considers showing kindness to those who need it as showing kindness to him. What are ways Jesus has shown you kindness?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #4 – Engage members as advocates for 25 asylum-seeking families or individuals in our community.
Have you ever been the new person somewhere? Most of us have had that experience. Being new is hard. But imagine being forced to flee to a new country with no choice but to navigate a new culture. Imagine having to submit critical paperwork for a complicated legal system in a language you might not speak, all the while not being able to legally work to support and take care of your family. What would you do?    

This is the reality of many asylum seekers. So we praise God that there are organizations and ministries who have stepped up to serve asylum-seeking families in our country. At The Hills Church, we are excited to partner with DASH Network as they serve asylum-seekers who live in our city.

Today, we continue praying for our church to be a place where asylum-seekers find welcome among us. Specifically, we are asking God to raise up 25 advocates within our church to welcome, bless and guide asylum-seeking families while they are getting started on their journey here in the United States. Through our partnership with DASH, we are asking God to lead us to 25 asylum-seeking families whom we can serve and bless in the next five years. Pray that God will lead us to these 25 families and that they will know how loved they are by their Father and by our church.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Acts 2:1-12. We have God’s Spirit as a helper and guide to accomplish the vision God has given us. How have you come to rely on the Spirit in your life? In what ways can you open yourself more to God’s presence with you?

What are you thankful for today?

Asking for the nations.
The Holy Spirit has been looking to bring order to the chaos of this world from the very beginning (Gen. 1:2). The Spirit formed the nations. Now the Spirit wants to fill the nations. From the birth of God’s church in the book of Acts, the Spirit was active in making it possible for people from every nation to hear the story of Jesus. The Spirit’s role in the mission of God is to give power to the people of Jesus to reveal his Kingdom. In fact, the church cannot engage the mission of God without the Spirit of God.     

Church, let us not pursue this vision under the illusion that if we try hard enough or strategize well enough, we can pull this off. We can’t. We must listen for the Spirit’s voice and follow the Spirit’s leading. Because so much is possible through the Holy Spirit of God! Nations can hear the story of Jesus. Generations can pass down faith that changes the world. Our city can change. Our world can look different.

Today, we pray that God will fill The Hills Church with the Holy Spirit. We pray that he will pour out from heaven the Spirit that will lead us, protect us, comfort us, and use us to bring his Kingdom to earth. Father, send us your spirit so we can impact nations & generations.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Proverbs 13:20 and John 10:9-10. What do you think Jesus means when he says that he is going to give us life to the full? Reflect on his kindness today. What does a rich and satisfying life with Jesus look like?

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #4 – Launch a ministry residency program that trains at least 10 people for future service in the church.
Your life should be about more than you. Jesus made that clear in his life and ministry. As a result, we want to be a church focused on more than ourselves. We believe God is calling us to raise up new leaders in God’s Kingdom through a residency program. We want to train men and women who may never work at The Hills Church – but who will be sent out equipped to bear fruit in other churches around our nation and around the world.    

Today, please pray that God will lead us to at least 10 individuals we can train in the next five years. Pray that God will begin preparing them even now to know that this opportunity is for them. Pray that we will have the eyes to see those that God is raising up, and perhaps those we need to tap on the shoulder and say, “Hey, maybe this is for you.” Pray that we as a church do an extraordinary job of caring for and mentoring the 10 that will come and that they will be blessed because of their experience with us here at The Hills Church.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 145:8-13. Spend time praising Jesus today. Listen to a worship song or sing something the Lord has put on your heart.

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #4 – Launch a ministry residency program that trains at least 10 people for future service in the church.
Today, we continue our prayers for the ministry residency program God is calling us to pursue in the next 5 years as a church. Specifically, we want to pray for the churches, ministries, and organizations these 10 leaders will engage in the future. Developing healthy and spiritually connected leaders is a way we invest in the Kingdom of God for generations to come. Who knows how many different people groups, cities, communities, neighborhoods, marriages, social issues and lives these leaders will impact?    

We pray together, and we ask God to guide these future leaders to the places and peoples he is already preparing for them to serve. We pray that our cities, our nation, and our world will be blessed by the leaders who are developed here. We pray that God will protect their marriages, their children, their churches, their ministries, and their legacies. We pray that they will multiply more leaders and they will pour into others as we have had the blessed opportunity to pour into them.

May the future generations come to know you, Jesus, because you allowed us to invest in these men and women. May they bring great glory to your name and may your Kingdom come because of the ministry residency program here at The Hills Church.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Ephesians 3:20-21. God can do more than we can ask or imagine, including reach an unreached people group with the Gospel. What is an impossible thing you are asking God to do in you, through you, or around you? Talk to Jesus about it again today.

What are you thankful for today?

Praying for unreached people groups.
Today we pray over the Fulani people of Sudan. With a population of 225,000, the Fulani are almost 100 % Muslim. Most of them are still nomadic shepherds who travel with their flocks in search of better grazing land.    

The Fulani are a proud people who teach their children to have tribal dignity. Fulani children are required to love their mothers and respect their elders. They are also taught to strictly hold on to important values such as generosity, honesty, and modesty.

In terms of spiritual beliefs, the Fulani are almost entirely Sunni Muslim with many animistic beliefs blended in. The Fulani in Sudan need reliable sources of water for their livestock and for their families.

Please pray for the Fulani to encounter Holy Spirit-led believers in Sudan and South Sudan. Pray that this community of shepherds come to know the Good Shepherd. Pray for the Holy Spirit to do a new work among Fulani leaders that will open doors for a movement to Christ. Pray for faithful teams to regularly pray for the Fulani people.

(Source: www.joshuaproject.org)

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Daniel 7:13-14. Jesus’ Kingdom will be established forever and ever. Spend time with Jesus today thinking about all the different places where you have found him. Ask him to remind you of the places you’ve forgotten. What are the most important churches and places on your faith journey?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #5 – Help launch and/or support 15 new multi-ethnic church plants.
The Hills Church has a deep desire to plant other churches. It’s core to our mission and our identity as followers of Jesus. There are roughly 330,000 churches in the United States. Best estimates show that only 20-30% of Americans attend any kind of church each week. A March 2021 poll from Gallup found that fewer than half (47%) of Americans say they belong to a church, synagogue, or mosque, down from more than 70% in 2000. Churches are closing faster than they are being planted.    

We should lament these statistics, but we shouldn’t stop there. We must respond.

We have an extraordinary opportunity to do something our country desperately needs. We get to plant more churches! We get to be a part of the new things God wants to do in our cities and communities. So today, we pray that God will lead us to new cities where he wants to plant churches. We pray that he will prepare the hearts of the people there. We pray that the church will become a light in the darkness for those communities.

Show us where to go, Lord. We are ready. We are not afraid of statistics or shy about taking on challenges. We trust you are with us. Jesus, plant your church!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Matthew 16:16-19. Jesus is building his church. Spend time with him today. Ask him if there is anything he wants to build in you or with you?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #5 – Help launch and/or support 15 new multi-ethnic church plants.
Jesus is the one who builds his church. And he promises that not even the gates of Hell will be able to stand against it. But in his grace, he invites us to participate in the building! What an amazing invitation, that we can be a part of what God is doing here on earth!    

Being a church planter is a specific calling he gives to some of his children. Today, we pray that God will raise up 15 church planters to go into the darkness of lost communities and plant God’s Kingdom where it is needed most. We pray that when he calls them, they will be able to listen and respond with great obedience and deep faith. Pray that God will give them vision, courage, and faithfulness to do face the challenges that come with a new church. Pray that God will give them great teams to work with and that they will equip and empower others well as God makes the church grow. Pray that these multi-ethnic churches will reflect the beauty and diversity of all of God’s children. Pray that at least one of these 15 church planters will come from within The Hills Church and that we will be a community that sends church planters all over the world.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Ephesians 3:17-19. God is growing your faith on the days when you can see it and on the days when you can’t. His goal is for the good news of Jesus to have deep roots in you.

What are you thankful for today? Tell the Father about it.

Generations Goal #5 – Guide 3,000 people to connect to God, church, and their purpose through Rooted, a small group discipleship experience.
The mission of our church is to make and grow followers of Jesus. A follower of Jesus is neither made nor grown on their own. We all need to have a group of people who are helping grow us into Christlike maturity. In the next five years, our church is going to engage a small group experience called Rooted to help further develop a culture of discipleship in our church.  

Rooted isn’t simply a bible study or a curriculum. It is a community experience, where people practice seven rhythms essential to a healthy relationship with Jesus. Individuals establish firm roots in the truth of God’s Word through personal study and then come together to discuss what they’re learning in a space where they are safe and known.

Today, please pray for the 3,000 people who will participate in Rooted. Pray that this will help our church to make and grow followers of Jesus. Pray that people will grow deep roots in the Gospel. Pray that people will know and love Jesus more because of their experience. Pray that new community groups will be formed out of Rooted and that our church will be changed by people who have been changed by Jesus through this experience.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Hebrews 10:23-25. Community is God’s idea. We were made for it. Reflect with Jesus today about the communities you are a part of. Who is helping you become like Jesus? Who are you helping to become like Jesus?

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #5 – Guide 3,000 people to connect to God, church, and their purpose through Rooted, a small group discipleship experience.
We know that any time we push towards community, the enemy is going to push back. Satan hates community. He knows that God made us to live in connection to him and one another so he will stop at nothing to keep us a part. That’s why unity is so important. Unity is a gift from God and an assault on the broken rhythms of the kingdom of darkness. As God begins to form Rooted groups in our church, Satan is going to work to pull them apart.  

So we pray over all of the Rooted leaders today. We pray for their protection in the name of Jesus. We pray that God will watch over their personal lives, that they will live in holiness and truth. We pray that God will protect their marriages and their friendships and their relationships with their children. We pray that God will protect the groups that are formed, that they will be safe spaces where people can grow in their faith and that the groups will be free from division, anger, and mistrust. Please use these groups to make disciples who will make disciples. Send us 3,000 people, Father, who will grow in their faith, love, and obedience to you through Rooted. Jesus, grow our church!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 102:18-22. The faith we live out today will be a blessing to future generations. What stories do we need to write today so that future generations can be told what the Lord has done? Spend time with Jesus and let him remind you of all that he has done in your life.

What are you thankful for today?

Asking for generations.
Remembering what God did yesterday can inspire faith for tomorrow. Our memory is a gift rich in hope. Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”  

Today we pause to remember what God has done among us as a church. Think of all the things he has done in us, through us, and around us. Let your mind remember testimonies you’ve heard, stories you’ve participated in, worship experiences that have brought you deeply into God’s presence.

As we remember, our faith grows. Remembrance kindles hope that once again the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will lead The Hills Church to do difficult things with great faith. By faith, we believe we will see the vision of reaching nations & generations come to pass. We know it is possible because God has done it before, and we believe he will do it again.

Today Father, help us to remember all that you have done in our church. Help us to remember how you’ve saved us and blessed us and led us and challenged us. Help us to remember the times when we watched you do what we thought was impossible. Give us faith to believe that tomorrow can be different. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Ephesians 4:1-7. God has made us one in Christ but has given us unique gifts to bless the church. How can you pursue unity with Jesus and others today?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #6 – Support the Livingstone International University community through prayer and by sending 20 members to teach, equip, and encourage.
The Hills Church helped start Livingstone International University (LIU) in Mbale, Uganda as part of our last vision. Since then, LIU has been able to reach students and communities in Africa for nearly a decade. We are so blessed to be a part of the story God is writing there! With over 200 students from 9 different nations, LIU is developing into a strong university that is partnering with God to shape the course of African communities across the continent.  

Today, we pray that God will provide for all that LIU needs during this season. Operating a university during a pandemic is a challenge, to say the least. Pray that God will continue to provide for LIU and the school will be able to resume classes in person as soon as it is legally possible. Pray that God will continue to develop a culture of disciple-making on campus and that every student who comes to the university will leave with a fantastic education and a deep love for Jesus. Pray that the faculty and leadership of the school will be blessed with wisdom, discernment, and passion for leading and growing students in the grace of God. Pray that the university will influence every nation in Africa and that its impact will be felt for many generations to come.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Romans 12:6-8. God has given gifts to every person who is a follower of Jesus. Our gifts help build up the church and bring good into the world. What are your spiritual gifts? If you haven’t discovered your spiritual gifts yet, talk to someone in the church about how you can do that.

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #6 – Support the Livingstone International University community through prayer and by sending 20 members to teach, equip, and encourage.
Every person has a gift that they can share, and every gift ultimately highlights the real giver – God. Now, you may think that what you have to offer isn’t much. Jesus invites you to take your eyes off of your gift and look at him. In his hands, it is enough. In fact, it’s more than enough! So be ready, because we’re going to be putting out the call for mechanics, nurses, computer programmers, Godly men and women who are ready to visit our friends at LIU. Through sharing our gifts and skills, we pray God is glorified, LIU is edified, and Christlike love is put on display.  

Today we pray that God will raise up 20 of our members to go to LIU. We pray that there will be great connection between our groups and the students and faculty. We pray meaningful and reciprocal relationships will be formed. We pray that our small efforts will strengthen what God is doing there and that we can receive from our friends in Africa just as much as we are able to give. Father, prepare our teams even now to go. Thank you for LIU and the opportunity to be partnered with that beautiful community.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Isaiah 2:2-3. There is a day coming when the nations will be drawn to the Father. It is going to be a beautiful day! In what ways does the Father draw you to him? Maybe it’s been a while. Listen for the Father’s voice. Let him draw you in.

What are you thankful for today?

Praying for unreached people groups.
Today we pray for the Persian people of Iran. There are over 38 million Persians living in Iran. The Persians have a rich history full of poetry, art and advances in math and science. In the late 1970s, Islamic revolutionists took power. Now Iran is an Islamic nation under the ayatollah, or religious leader. The revolution is still fresh in many of their memories, and the current government asserts control over many aspects of their life.  

Although 96% of Persians in Iran profess to being Muslim, it is speculated less than 10 percent of their population strictly follows the practice of Islam. Because of many disappointments with their current government and other hardships, their hearts are surprisingly open to other religions. However, it is illegal to evangelize in the country of Iran and conversion is punishable by death. Despite this, many are coming to faith in Christ through supernatural encounters with Jesus. The church is growing faster in Iran than in any other place on the earth.

Please pray for the salvation of the Persian people. Pray for a way for churches to meet legally and for religious freedom in their country. Pray for the believers in Iran, that they would be safe and grow in their relationship with Jesus. Pray the Lord would meet them in supernatural ways where missionaries cannot go.

(Source: www.joshuaproject.org)

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Ephesians 5:21-33. Marriage is a picture of how God is inviting all of us to live as one with him. In what ways does marriage teach people how to live in unity?

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #6 – Strengthen marriages by developing relationship champions to impact and encourage 250 couples.
Marriages matter to God. One of the ways God describes his relationship to the church is by calling the church his bride. There is a holiness and beauty in that picture. It is the idea of one man and one woman choosing to love and bless and care for one another for the rest of their lives. It is a place where sacrifice is required and forgiveness is an imperative. It is a teaching ground for how we are to live in our relationship with Jesus.  

One of the single greatest gifts we can give to the next generation is to invest in marriages. Solid marriages are the level ground for our children to stand on as they learn to navigate this world. They provide solidity, peace, and confidence. And as our children watch those who are married in our church live out their oneness, they begin to see living testimony to how Christ loves us. It’s not a perfect picture. All marriages are messy sometimes. But there is truth found in the goodness of two people committed to loving one another no matter what.

So, we pray for the marriages in our church to be strengthened and for husbands and wives to love one another the way Christ loves us. We pray that God will encourage and transform 250 marriages in our church in the next 5 years. Jesus, teach your church to love one another well!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Philippians 4:8-9. Those who have followed Jesus for many years have the opportunity to pass on what they’ve discovered to new generations of Jesus followers. How have you been blessed by someone a bit further along on the journey? Who has blessed you and what have they taught you?

What are you thankful for today? Tell the Father about it.

Generations Goal #6 – Strengthen marriages by developing relationship champions to impact and encourage 250 couples.
When you’ve never been down a certain road, there is great comfort in being able to walk with someone who has been that way before. The generations before us possess wisdom we need for the roads we are walking. This is especially true for our marriages. 

We continue our prayers for the marriages in our church and we ask that God will raise up relationship champions who will be able to encourage, bless, and share wisdom with 250 couples. Many of the people who are best equipped to be guides and encouragers on this journey may be the ones who would quickly say, “Oh, I don’t have much to offer.” But their experience and wisdom matters! We are praying that God will impart a firm and deep calling in these relationship champions who will walk with 250 couples. The couples we’re praying for won’t say, “We have it all figured out,” but rather, “We’ve been this way before. Let us share our journey.”

Father, raise up relationship champions to bless the next generation of marriages in our church. Thank you for their faithfulness, witness, and courage. May they know you are inviting them into a journey of blessing for the good of marriages and the good of our community. Raise them up, Father!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Matthew 28:18-20. What a promise! Spend time with Jesus today and reflect on how you have never been alone, even when you couldn’t feel His presence. 

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #7 – Reach the unreached by launching and supporting 5 church planting movements and by supporting Bible translation efforts in 5 new languages.
There are 7,407 unreached people groups in the world. An unreached people is a group who have little to no Christian presence and who will not be able to share Jesus with their people unless there is outside assistance. Those 7,407 people groups make up approximately 3.23 billion men, women and children who have never even heard of Jesus. We have work to do.  

But know this: we are not asking for 5 churches. We are asking for 5 church planting movements. We are asking God to raise up disciples who can’t help but multiply themselves because of the power of Jesus alive in them.

The only territories that Satan is sure to possess are the ones we decide aren’t worth fighting for. As 1st John 4:14 says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

So today we ask God to show us which unreached peoples to engage. We pray that he will raise up disciple makers and church planters from all over the world who will have the courage to go. We are praying that missionaries will be raised up from within our own church who will go to some of these places. And we are praying that God will launch church planting movements all over the world. Father, in the name of Jesus may it be so!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Isaiah 55:8-11. God’s Word never comes back empty. Reflect on how God’s Word has shaped your life. What would your life be like if you had never read the Bible? What are some of your most favorite passages?

What are you thankful for today?

Nations Goal #7 – Reach the unreached by launching and supporting 5 church planting movements and by supporting Bible translation efforts in 5 new languages.
Imagine you had never seen a Bible. Imagine never having heard the phrase, “Jesus loves you” in your own language. We have had access to God’s Word our whole lives. But that experience is not true for many people in the world.

There are 180 million people in more than 2,000 languages who are Bibleless. No Scripture exists in a language they can understand. We believe that God is calling us to do something about that.

We are going to partner with Bible translation teams around the world to translate God’s Word for unreached people groups. This is an exciting time in Bible translation history. There is still much work to do, but current projections say that the task of translating the Bible in all languages could happen by 2050. We get to join the global church in finally making God’s Word available to everyone everywhere.

Pray that God will lead us to the people groups and translation projects he wants us to engage. Pray that many thousands will come to faith because of these translation projects. Jesus, we want partner with you so that your Word can go out to those who are ready to hear it!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Psalm 46:10. Our activity is often counterproductive to what God wants to do in our lives and in his world. Often, what the Father wants more than anything is for us to be still and know that he is God. Be still with Jesus today. You’re worth is not based on your activity, it’s based on who he says you are. Listen to Jesus. Who does he say you are today?

What are you thankful for today?

Praying for unreached people groups.
Today we pray for a unique unreached people group in the country of Bangladesh. We are interceding for the deaf community there. Bangladesh has a population of 165 million people. Almost 90% of people in Bangladesh are Muslim.

The needs among the 1.5 million Bangladeshi deaf are extensive. 40% are unemployed. 99.9% don’t know the Lord. They do not have a Bible in their mother-tongue. On top of that, 97% don’t know sign language, and less than one percent have received an education. These factors make the Bangladeshi Deaf an oppressed and desperate people group.

Many Deaf are receptive to the gospel’s message of hope and love. However, the risk of converting is subject to intense pressure from their hearing families to not stray from traditional religious values.

Please pray for the Bangladesh Government to establish more schools for the Deaf. Pray for workers among the Deaf to learn sign language. Pray for resources for the Deaf and a Bible in their own language. Pray that missionaries will go and find the deaf populations in Bangladesh and other places in the world to share the good news of Jesus with them.

(Source: www.joshuaproject.org)

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read 2 Timothy 2:2. There is something powerful that happens when we share with others what has been shared with us. What have you been taught that you can pass on to someone else?

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #7 – Create an inter-generational mentoring experience for men and women on every campus with a goal of maturing 300 kingdom influencers.
One of the single greatest gifts one generation can give to another is through relationships marked by wisdom and encouragement. Unfortunately, new generations trying to find their way in the world are often met with judgment instead of the support they most often need. At The Hills Church, we believe in the power of equipping and developing new generations of Kingdom influencers. In the next five years, our goal is to intentionally pour into 300 men and women who will shape and change the world because someone took the time to invest their lives in them.

We find this principle all throughout Scripture. Moses mentored Joshua. Elijah mentored Elisha. Paul mentored Timothy. Priscilla and Aquilla mentored Apollos. We see time and again the principle of older, experienced followers of God pouring into and developing the next generation of leaders and Kingdom influencers.

We want the same for our church. Today, we are praying that God would move the hearts of older, experienced followers of Jesus who have a passion to develop and grow new Kingdom influencers. We pray that God would raise them up to invest in the next generation and that because of the mentoring and leading they provide, our church and our world will be transformed.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Matthew 5:13-16. Followers of Jesus are unique and different from the world. You now have a role to bring light and flavor to a world that is bland and dark. In what ways can Jesus use your life to bring His Kingdom here? 

What are you thankful for today?

Generations Goal #7 – Create an inter-generational mentoring experience for men and women on every campus with a goal of maturing 300 kingdom influencers.
The Kingdom of God is often subtle; it breaks into spaces with little immediate notice. Jesus likened it to a seed planted in the ground and yeast working through dough. In a similar way, Jesus said his Kingdom followers are like light and salt. They add flavor to the world and they illuminate the shadows.

We believe that God is growing followers of Jesus at The Hills Church who will influence every level of our society for His Kingdom. Every line of work is an avenue for the Kingdom to break in. If you are a teacher, you are a Kingdom influencer. If you are a businessman or woman, you are a Kingdom influencer. If you are a scientist or lawyer or bookkeeper or accountant or stay at home mom, you are in exactly the right place to bring Kingdom influence into this world.

We pray today that God would bring mentoring relationships into the lives of our younger generations to help them grow. We pray that God would connect the next generation of leaders with a powerful generation of mentors. Father, we want to develop 300 men and women in our church who will be used in by you in big and small ways to bring your Kingdom to this earth. Please, may it be so.

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.

Read Acts 17:24-28. As you come to the close of this prayer journey, don’t leave Jesus behind! He wants to be with you. He will continue to walk with you, speak to you and help you. How do you plan to continue to abide with Jesus?

What are you thankful for from the last 40 days?

Asking for nations & generations. How will you join what God is doing?
We are so grateful you have taken this prayer journey with us. Thank you for faithfully praying over the things God will use our church to do in the next five years.

It is no accident that you are here at The Hills Church for this season. God has you here to be a part of what it is that he wants to do. Now is the time for all of us to decide how we are going to partner with God in the vision to ask for nations & generations. Which goals stood out to you the last 40 days? Which ones grabbed your heart? Which ones seemed too big and caused you to think, “I could never do that!” (Pay attention to those…God may have that exact piece of the vision in mind for you!)

Each of us has a next step. Maybe you need more information. Maybe you’re ready to sign up and get started. Sign up here

May the Lord bless you and may the Lord bless our church as we ask for nations & generations. Jesus, we are ready. May your Kingdom come. May the nations & generations know that you love them. We will give you our very best to see this vision born. In the name of Jesus…let’s go!

Spend five minutes listening to what the Father has to say to you about this.