The Battle Plan for Prayer

Yesterday, I was able to submit a 124-page document to LifeWay for the upcoming curriculum entitled, “The Battle Plan for Prayer.”  Working alongside the Kendrick Brothers, we have developed a Bible study on prayer that has changed my life for the better!  If it impacts people a fraction of how the Word has impacted me during this process, lives will be changed!

This curriculum is an 8-week course with small group guides and daily devotionals that will walk through the Bible teaching Christians how to pray and how to pray effectively.

Their upcoming movie, “War Room,” deals with the power of prayer.  It releases August 28, and it is a powerful film that inspires, models, and teaches on the difference prayer can make in our lives.

Here’s a trailer for the film:

Hope you are excited about the movie!  I know I am!

The Bible study is full of scriptural directions concerning prayer.  It really has impacted my life, my home, my test groups, and I pray it can help get you into the Word, onto your knees, and in a closer relationship with Jesus.

It is neat how this study is on prayer and my connection with the Kendrick Brothers started with prayer.  In fact, I didn’t know it at the time, but they caused me one day to pray for myself.

How All This Started

My wife and I arrived early for the Focus on Marriage simulcast held at our church.  On February 27, 2010, churches from all over the United States linked up to focus on the sacredness of marriage vows.  Realizing that everything for the simulcast was working properly, I found a seat and began flipping through the workbook.

We were a couple of months away from our second child, Eli, arriving, and so we were thankful to have this day to focus on marriage ourselves.  I had just graduated with my doctorate in December which had consumed a lot of extra time in the previous 30 months.  Most of those nights when my wife would go to bed, I would crawl back to my computer to work on much of the material addressed in this book.  After all that focused time on parenting, one advertisement in the workbook leaped off the page to me.

“From the makers of Fireproof – coming 2011 – Courageous.”

The remainder of the page highlighted the upcoming movie that would be released by Sherwood Pictures which would focus on fathers.  Since so much of my research showed the pivotal role of fathers in that process, I almost jumped to my feet in excitement.  Fireproof had made such an impact on our marriage and countless others, I was so thrilled that the same attention was going to be focused upon fathers.  In my seat, waiting for the simulcast to begin, I began to pray for Courageous.

“God, use this movie in a mighty way.  Make it quality, but not for quality’s sake.  Make it quality to reach homes in our community.  Change the nation through this movement.  Bring the hearts of the fathers back to their children.  Raise men up in this country to be the primary evangelists and disciple-makers of their children.  Lord, raise up people to help this movie impact homes, churches, and communities.  Please God, prepare the workers of those that will be involved in making the movie, but also those who will help develop the next steps from the movies so your churches can disciple fathers all over.  Lord, please change the fathers in this country.”

You might think that I am making the next part of this story up, and I would understand because I was shocked too.  A few moments after I said “amen,” my phone vibrated in my pocket indicating a new email had been received.  When I pulled up the application, the subject line said, “Courageous.”  Needless to say, I was intrigued to what this email was about.

The email was sent from an editor at LifeWay Christian Resources.  She assumed that I wasn’t aware of the upcoming movie entitled, Courageous, but she wanted to know if I would be interested in developing a Bible study curriculum to accompany the movie’s release dealing with the biblical standard of fatherhood.  She explained what appeared to be a random string of events that put me on the radar for this project, but as I read further, I was overwhelmed at how God had brought all of this together.  I wasn’t aware that moments before I had been praying for myself!

Over the next few years, I have been honored to work with LifeWay and the Kendrick Brothers on 4 different Bible study curriculums.

  • Honor Begins at Home
  • The Resolution for Men
  • Love Dare for Parents
  • The Battle Plan for Prayer (Releasing August 2015)

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The first three resources stemmed from the movie Courageous.  “Honor Begins at Home” received the Crown award for 2012 curriculum of the year.

The Love Dare for Parents Bible Study looks at parenting the way Scripture describes it. It’s about walking in relationship with the One who created us and entrusted our children to us. This study will inspire and strengthen busy parents—married and single—to learn and practice principles of love as they relate to their children, ages preschool to college. It offers a plan of action to more fully cherish and enjoy all of their children during each season of their lives. Leader helps for parents and small groups are included. (6 sessions)

The Resolution for Men – Bible Study includes content for small-group sessions, five personal devotions each week, and leader notes. You’ll also find icebreakers, interactive Bible study, provocative insights, and guided prayer. This men’s group curriculum was inspired by the document featured in the movie COURAGEOUS. The Resolution contained 12 commitments related to characteristics that all men of God want to pursue, such as responsibility, faithfulness, honor, justice, forgiveness, integrity, and courage. The Bible study walks participants through each of the 12 commitments, especially to their families, and identifies the biblical roots and showing how to live out each godly principle in real life. It’s ideal for men’s accountability groups.

Honor Begins at Home guides the participant through this compelling Bible study based on the movie Courageous. This 8-session study will take individuals and small groups deeper into biblical truths for a godly family, exploring topics such as redeeming your history, walking with integrity, winning and blessing the hearts of your children, and more.  Every session involves watching a clip from the movie to help group members engage in discussion.

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Please Pray

It may sound trite to ask for prayers on a prayer curriculum, but I could never be more sincere.  If we could get the Church to do their fighting on their knees, we would see spiritual breakthroughs all over the world!  Pray that as the content is edited and fine-tuned that God will continue to develop it so that people all over will be able to be inspired by how the Bible teaches us how to pray!

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