Greetings from the Northside Shepherds!

Father, you are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This simple prayer is from Max Lucado’s book, Before Amen. I love the simple format because it covers anything needing to be prayed over. I love the quote by C.S. Lewis [as portrayed in the movie, Shadowlands], “I pray because I cannot help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time— waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.” Your shepherds would like to emphasize the importance of going to our Heavenly Father in prayer.

Did you know there is a group of prayer warriors here? They are called the Prayer Team. The Prayer Team meet weekly to pray for the Northside family. They pray for our shepherds, they pray for our ministers, they pray for different groups that make up our family, they pray for our children, they pray for our teens, they pray for our young and older adults, they pray for all our members that desire God’s blessings or those that need healing. They pray for the many ministries and community outreaches of our church. They also pray for each individual’s special prayers. In other words, they cover our church and community in prayer continually. Our prayer team is in all-day-long conversation with Jesus Christ. Your shepherds and Prayer Team certainly believe and practice I Thessalonians 5:16–18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I think you see we are a praying people. The leader of our prayer team, our sister Rita Campbell, leads our prayer group in this direction. Please know, your shepherds, when discussing spiritual matters, always take time to pray for wisdom and guidance from the Lord. We shepherds and ministers are always available to pray for you in your home or next to your bedside in the event of hospital stays or surgery. Also know that we shepherds or ministers or any brother or sister may meet in our Prayer Room near the entrance to the Worship Center to pray for one another.

The Shepherds continue to encourage small group prayers through our Lifegroups, women’s Bible study, men’s Bible study, Loaves and Fishes, Bible classes, and other ministries of our church family. We want to encourage the formation of additional prayer teams within our church. If you have neighbors or close brothers and sisters that wish to pray together, we encourage you to do so. If anyone desires assistance organizing prayer teams you may contact Rita or anyone on our Prayer Team for additional information. Our Prayer Team will be introduced to everyone later in the month.

Jesus tells us this in Mark 11:24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” May we continue to mature in spiritual unity and faith in Jesus Christ.

From the Shepherds,

Barry Allison