American High School Students pray for the persecuted churchRachel Wegner - 24 Aug 2011

Throughout summer 2011, Christ in Youth (CIY) hosted several events for high school students here in the USA to help amplify God’s call for their life. Each event, which took place all over the nation, also hosted a prayer room with a variety of stations that guided students to give thanks, repent, dwell on Scripture and pray for others around the nation and world. The CIY team received an overwhelming response to the prayer rooms, which were open for the greater part of each day during the gatherings. Students lingered for hours and some leaders even asked for the prayer room to be opened in the early hours of the morning. 

Along with training and equipping students to follow God’s call for their lives, the CIY team also challenges them take the things they learn and carry them into both local and global communities. Aaron Molesky, who directs the short-term missions arm of CIY known as Engage, said that he and his teammates have a growing passion for prayer in tangent with their focus on mission-minded living.

“We believe that if you’re going to be on a mission, it’s got to come out of the heart of God,” Aaron said. “Prayer is just as much a part of an intimate connection with the Father as actually going and doing.”

During all of their summer gatherings, CIY also screened a documentary called “Love Costs Everything.” The full-length documentary portrays the powerful and heart-wrenching story of people in the persecuted church around the world. The film also highlights the human rights issues surrounding the persecuted church.

Directly following each screening of the documentary, a prayer station focused on the persecuted church was added to the prayer rooms and a 24-hour prayer vigil was held. Small groups of students were invited to take 30-minute time slots each to accommodate as many people as possible in the prayer room during the 24 hours.

Many stories emerged of students and leaders alike being deeply moved by the documentary, and how their eager and genuine reaction was to pray. Below are just a handful of direct responses from students (and one leader) who were part of the gatherings and spent time in the prayer rooms. 

“I thought that the prayer room was a great way to connect with the Lord and to feel what it was like to truly ask for God's help on earth. It put into perspective how powerful prayer really is. I was very changed in the prayer room. Also, being able to see my siblings in Christ as deep in prayer as I was was incredibly moving.” Ethan (student)

“I really liked praying for the persecuted church. It was hard to know what I could really do to help them, but just sitting there and praying made me feel like I was at least doing something. I think that was the longest I have ever been able to pray without being completely sidetracked.” Hannah (student)

“We signed up for a 30 minute shift, but we ended up staying there for over an hour and a half.  Several of my students were shocked to find out we had been in the prayer vigil for over an hour-and-a-half. They told me that they thought it was going to be hard to pray for 30 minutes, let alone an hour-and-a-half.  The prayer vigil allowed students, some who probably don’t pray very often, to really connect with God through various forms of prayer and meditation. It was one of my favorite moments of the whole week.” Jake (leader)

View the trailer for “Love Costs Everything” and stayed tuned to the Christ in Youth website for more information on upcoming screenings and events.

This article was originally posted on the 24-7 USA site.  Click through to read the original and to follow the movement in the US.