.Ministry is a process by which we are constantly looking for those things that need to be changed and improved and then taking the steps to make the necessary adjustments to stay in line with the Holy Spirit. As we gather routinely, we can get so mundane in the carrying out of our meetings and ministries, that our efforts become dull rituals. Unfortunately, in this weakened spiritual condition, we as the church cannot be as effective for Christ as God would have us be.

 

The church faces many challenges which may come from inside or outside of the church’s walls. Our leaders face difficult situations in their personal lives, families and in their communities. These problems include ministering to those struggling with addictions to drugs, alcohol, and sexual behaviors that draw their energy and finances away from the church. Addictions minimize service and commitment to the church, its mission, and its ministries. Those we minister to are constantly under peer pressure to join in dangerous behaviors that undermine the strength of the family, marriage, and community. Such problems are extremely dangerous and detrimental to the life of the church and to the furtherance of the kingdom of God.

 

These problems have a way of keeping us down and defeated. So as these problems attack us, we desire transformation in our journey together as individuals and as a church that will make us a life force for the Living God. As leaders, we pray for answers, guidance, healing, and miracles and we want to be used by God. But how can that be if our self-esteem and self-worth are too low because they are burdened with negative defeated thoughts and they are not grounded in who we truly are as beings created in the image of God?

 

We want to see a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our midst, but how can that happen if we are not experiencing an intimate, personal and loving presence of God? Only out of an intimate, personal and loving relationship can we then begin to feel the empowering love of God and accept this spiritual power to connect with hurting people for the purpose of healing and reconciliation.

 

Spiritual power has had a profound influence on the effectiveness of our ministry as a church. The focus of this project was to strengthen intercessory prayer leaders in the area of personal transformation, so that they would be more spiritually empowered in their lives and their leadership in the church. Specifically, we focused on three areas of inner spiritual development, which included: (1) spiritually grounded self-esteem, (2) experiencing an intimate relationship with God, and (3) accepting spiritual power. Project goals were outlined as: 1. To develop a spiritually grounded self-esteem through internalizing various meanings of the biblical concept of being created in God’s image. 2. To facilitate growth in intimacy with God, through spiritual disciplines of spiritual reading, prayer, meditation and silence. 3. To empower leaders to experience the presence of God to accept spiritual power