[S] Acts 1:14 --
14These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
[O] Praying together corporately powerful but what precedes that is everyone having one mind. Without having this hearts of unity, devoting in prayer together has no meaning other than the outward appearance. One of the cliche we often throw around is "let's pray together" as if it's some sort of a spell we memorize and a genie will come out to do some magical thing for us. But I realize praying together is really more for us to tune our own hearts in one accord in order to bring our body of believers in unity before God and this scene must be something that will put smile on God's face. In the culture when women were not even counted (remember the 5,000 fed by Jesus recorded in John 6 counted only the men) the women (probably led by Mary the mother of Jesus) joined with men to pray continually. Likewise, the foundation of any vibrant ministry is to have one mind.
[A] Promoting one mind within our church requires wisdom and disciplined way of leading the congregation such as effective communication. Prayer and studying word is the default requirement we must hold on to but the practical aspects of embracing people's mind is a pre-requisite ground work that must go on continually. This year, I need to work in this area for our small group ministry such that not only we refine the "program and structure" but to gather more people's hearts in one mindedness.
[P] Dear Father, please gather our church congregation's hearts into one mind just like how you did in this passage so out of such a culture people will naturally pray together in various groups for our ministry and for one another. Please make our community a praying community. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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