PRAYER & EVANGELISM SEMINAR - Joe & Heidi White
What if the problem with evangelism isn’t effort, but dependence? This interactive seminar reframes evangelism as joining God, not doing something for Him. Through Scripture, real stories, and practical tools, we’ll uncover what quietly kills prayer and evangelism and learn simple rhythms—like prayer walking and listening prayer—that help you engage people and places with Spirit-led clarity. You’ll leave equipped to move from striving to a sustainable, prayer-fueled approach to evangelism.
3 Fundamentals:
Prayer Precedes Power
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:12 - "Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
E.M Bounds - “What the church needs today is not more machinery…not more novel methods, but people whom the Holy Ghost can use - people of prayer.”
Prayer Precedes Salvation
Scripture: 2 Cor 4:4 - "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." ; John 15:16 - "You did not choose me but I chose you..."
Prayer Precedes Transformation
Scripture: James 5 - “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
Richard Foster - “To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.”
What kills Prayer?
A. Prayer as performance Kills Prayer
Scripture: Isaiah 58
B. Lacking Dependance on God Kills Prayer
Scripture: Lk 4
First Temptation “Bread”- Self Sufficiency (take care of yourself)
Eugene Peterson - “Busyness is the enemy of spirituality. It is essentially laziness. It is doing the lazy thing instead of the hard thing. It is filling our time with our own actions instead of paying attention to God’s actions.”
Second Temptation “Kingdoms”- Self-Preservation (chasing the ‘easier way’)
Third Temptation “temple”- Self-Promotion (self glorification )
PAUSE: What kills prayer in your life?
What is Prayer?:
Definition: Prayer is conscious contact with God
Scripture: Gal 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith....”
Prayer is how you:
Refuse to be at the center of your life.
Renounce control.
Reject the illusion that success depends on you
Oswald Chambers - “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”
1. Prayer Is your first act, Not the Last Resort
Prayer is not what you do after you’ve tried everything
The world is training you to: Diagnose-Strategize-Execute
John Eldridge - “Disciples of the Internet”
“You are a disciple of the system that tutors you, where you turn on a daily basis for guidance on living. For most people, that makes them Disciples of the Internet, even if they call themselves disciples of Christ. If you have a question, you go look it up …the Internet has discipled your soul to expect immediate answers. You inquire and you are answered—immediately. Three million results in 0.003 seconds; there is no waiting. The saints of ages past would be aghast at that. Waiting was considered formational for the soul. They planted crops in the spring and harvested in the fall; there was no rushing things. If you wanted something from the market, you walked there and then you walked back, moving at a pace of about three miles an hour. But now, when you turn to Jesus and you are not answered in the way the Internet answers, you feel he isn’t listening or that you can’t hear from him.”
Lk 5:16 - “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed”
PAUSE: Consider the last difficulty you faced. Was prayer your first act, your last resort, or somewhere in between? Why?
2. Prayer Is an Act of Resistance against becoming our own God.
We try to
Fix issues
Calm anxiety
Figure out what decision to make
John 6:14-15 "After the people saw the sign Jesus performed [feeding the 5,000], they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
3. Prayer Is Conversation (Speaking AND Listening)
Mother Teresa - “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God…and listening to His voice.”
John 5:19-20a - “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does..."
PAUSE: How would you describe your current prayer life?
How do you Pray?
Our Favorites right now:
A. Centering Prayer
Mt 6:6 “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your father in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you.”
B. Praying the Scriptures
Isa 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.”
C. Prayer walking
Prayer creates evangelistic zeal and opportunities.
1) Your burdens are the raw material of your prayer life. Start with your burdens.
Nehemiah: “They said to me [Nehemiah], “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Partner share: When you think about a person in your life, ministry, or neighborhood, what is breaking your heart? Take a moment to pray.
2) Your humility & repentance are the foundation of your prayer life
Nehemiah 1:5-7 - “Then I said, “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”
“Whoever has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47)
PAUSE to PRAY: "Search me O God...see if there is any offensive way in me..."
3) Pray to see what God is doing, because He’s the only savior.
John 5 - “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.”
Hudson Taylor - “When we work, we work; when we pray, God works”
4) Pray to engage in spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6 -“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. … And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
How do we engage in the spiritual battle over a person’s life?
Speaking God’s Word - Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17
In Prayer - Luke 22:31-32; Heb. 7:25; Ps. 18:1-19
By Fasting - Matt. 6:16-18; Mk. 9:29; Neh. 1:4; 2 Chron. 7:14
In Community - Acts 2:42-47; Heb. 10:24-25
Joining God in the way He is working in a person or place - Isaiah 58:1-12; Jer. 29:7
PAUSE: In light of all that you heard, what is stirring in you? How might Jesus be inviting you to respond?