Another summer has passed, and students are heading back-to-school. This time of year, brings great anticipations and dreams for what a new school year will bring, but it is also that time of year that causes great changes to our environment: new schedules, new teachers, new friends, and plenty of new activities with sports and music.
In the midst of the chaos of planning and strategizing your new ministry year, the buzz of being in the back-to-school season, let’s not forget that the most important thing we can do for our students is to pray. Here are five prayers I am using as I think about the students in my youth group. I trust these ideas may serve to jumpstart prayers of your own:
That my students would bear to life the fruits of the Spirit:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
That my students would boldly declare and demonstrate the Good News of Jesus
“Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods.” Psalm 96:2-4
That my students would seek to serve needs of peers and community members
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:3-7
That my students would grow in encouraging one another
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
That my students would desire to grow in the truth of God’s Word
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16
