April 24 2010 - Passion for Prayer

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Revd Kwame Adzam (Trinity Baptist Church, West Norwood, London)

Two hundred people were stirred by the words of the Revd Kwame Adzam when he spoke at the Association Day held at Mansfield Baptist Church on Saturday 24 April. Following the theme of the day he spoke about ‘Praying the prayer that prevails’.

He was introduced by the minister at Mansfield Baptist Church, Revd Anne Davies.

He said, “The only power God yields to is the power of prayer,” and he wondered where the people are today who are prepared to ‘wrestle’ and ‘storm hell’s strongholds’. He told the gathering of the four principals behind the ‘prayer that prevails’: Passion; Perspective; Persistence and Possession. In conclusion he said that such praying is “praying how Jesus prayed ... and with an energy that never tires”.

His motivational talk fitted well with the day’s other contributions, which heard exciting testimonies of God at work in Coalville and Burton on Trent. Churches here have been opening their doors to
homeless people in the most practical demonstrations of love. In the Coalville project several people
have decide to follow Jesus and live for Him.

The Association, under the leadership of the Revd Dianne Tidball, is making rapid strides in developing a mission strategy for the association which is based on four key thrusts – Sustaining healthy churches; Caring pastorally; Resourcing churches; and Partnering with others.

The meeting heard one amazing fact about the dynamic of church growth and planting in the region. Since 1750 there has only been one decade when new churches were not being planted in the East Midlands ... and that was 1910-19 during the period around the Great War.

The Association also launched its latest Church Project Appeal to support Friar Lane and Braunstone Baptist Church in Leicester with funds to help with replacing the church roofs which are threatening to hamper their mission in the local community. The buildings are heavily used by community groups.