Harp & Bowl Prayer Guidelines

Prayer:

1. Pray, don’t preach/teach/prophesy.

2. Pray using scripture whenever possible.

3. Pray relatively short, to the point prayers, pausing to allow the singers to respond.

4. Stick to any prayer theme that has been established.

5. Pray directly into the microphone with a strong voice.  You won’t need to yell if you keep the microphone to your mouth.

Worship Leader/Singers:

1. Your primary job is to help the room stay engaged in worship and prayer.  Pay attention to what is going on in the room.

2. Listen to each prayer, being careful your volume doesn’t drown it out.

3. You can vary volume/energy, but keep a steady, repetitive chord progression to make it easy for the singers.

4. When the prayer is finished singers should immediately begin to take turns singing short phrases following the theme of the prayer.  In the midst of this, look for a short, repetitive chorus to lead all the singers in singing together.  This allows the congregation to join in singing.  Only stay on the chorus for 20-30 seconds unless there is an unusually strong response or it seems particularly anointed.

5. Sing clearly, especially the first couple times through the chorus, so the congregation can easily understand and sing with you.

6. Be ready to bring the singing down to allow for the next prayer.  Ideally, a back and forth rhythm should develop between the person praying and the singers, where each feeds the other.

7. Go back into worship for a song or two if you feel the room disengaging.  Singing together will refocus them, then you can open the mic again for prayer.

Prayer Leaders:

1. Your primary job is to keep prayer on the established theme and according to our guidelines.

2. Your team should pray and gather before the meeting to discern a potential theme.  We may have more than one prayer theme in an evening.  They may develop naturally or be planned ahead of time.  Consider providing prayer verse sheets for planned themes.

3. Communicate with the worship leader regarding setting and changing direction.

4. Give direction as is helpful to those at the mic, in the prayer line, or in the room, but minimize directing from the mic.  Save that for when it is necessary to address the whole room.

5. Have a servant attitude, be encouraging, and minimally intrusive.