Backyard Bible Clubs are a great way to connect with neighbors, train youth in service and ministry, and have an impact for the Gospel.
One key component for an effective Backyard Bible Club is prayer.
- Pray early during planning and preparation.
- Pray for God’s wisdom in the details, from which curriculum to choose to the dates and times to have the club(s).
- Pray that your volunteers would have a passion for serving and a heart for children to hear about our Great Savior.
- Pray often both individually and corporately.
- Incorporate prayer for the Backyard Bible Club into your personal devotions.
- Pray as a team during preparation and training, as well as for all aspects of the club.
- Pray before and during the club.
- Gather as a team before the children arrive to pray that God would direct the time together and for God to work in each heart.
- Pray for each child who would come, and for anything of concern that came to light the previous day.
- Have the people running snack time pray for the children during snack time.
- Pray as you and your team follow up with families after the club, inviting them to a program or meal after the club, and even to church.
- Pray for hearts to see God and faith to grow.
- Pray for families to be welcomed and loved by those putting on the club.
One strategy to implement is to encourage people to start praying now for what you hope to happen, and then solicit ongoing prayer.
- Have people sign up to be prayer partners.
- Send prayer requests prior to and during the club. Be careful of confidences and be vague where necessary.
- Encourage them to pray Scripture for the children.
- Remind the pray-ers that God is doing more in hearts that we can ask or imagine.
- Keep the request for prayer before people.
- If your church has several Backyard Bible Clubs, put the dates and host family names on a bookmark, and pass the bookmarks out to the church early in the summer to get many praying for them.
- List the clubs and dates in your church bulletin or newsletter.
- Encourage your pastors or elders to incorporate a prayer for these outreaches during worship services.
- Request that a pastor or leader pray with the team on the first day of the club.
We here at Children Desiring God would also love to be praying for your Backyard Bible Clubs. If you are hosting a club (or VBS) and would like to
share any specific requests with us, we would love to be praying with you for this important ministry. Let us know if we could share them with others who partner with us in prayer. And feel free to post on our
Facebook page or
group. Also, we would love to hear any testimonies that come out of your clubs.
May the Lord bless you as you plan and prepare for this significant time in young people’s lives.
