The Bible talks about the importance of fasting a lot, with Jesus specifically addressing it in Matthew 6. Jesus didn’t just say, “If you fast,” or “if you pray.” He actually led with, “when you fast,” and “when you pray,” which explains to us that prayer and fasting isn’t just an option, or just something reserved for the elite, but it’s a practice for all of us and it’s designed to maximize the Spirit of God in our lives.
From January 1 through January 21, we’re doing a churchwide fast with an extra emphasis on our prayer and devotional times. We’re encouraging everyone to take ONE STEP CLOSER this season.
First Day:
Wednesday, January 1
Last Day:
Tuesday, January 21
We invite you fast something uniquely sacrificial to you. We recommend the Daniel Fast (no meat, no bread, and no dessert), but we challenge you to go deeper by exploring the other fasting types in our digital or printed guide.
Our Prayer Services are going deeper than ever before! Join us at 7pm on Wednesday and Friday nights in the Main Sanctuary throughout the fast.
Midweek Prayer Services | January 8 & 15
We’re switching up our typical Wednesday night services at the Curry Ford Campus by leading the congregation in directional prayer nights. Both our Michigan St. and Red Bug Lake Campuses will be meeting at their campuses as well, as they kick off their “Winter Wednesday Nights” series with prayer. (No service on Wednesday, January 1 in observance of New Year’s Day, but we do invite you to join us for our New Year’s Eve Service on Tuesday, December 31 at 10:30pm at the Curry Ford Campus)
Friday Night Prayer | January 3 & 17
Our Prayer Services are going deeper than ever before! Join us at 7pm on Friday nights in the Main Sanctuary (across all campuses) throughout the fast. Join us weekly as we PAUSE to pray at all campuses with a directional prayer night for both youth and adults. (On January 10, Ministry Team Conference will kick off with prayer for attendees in the Mainstream Youth Center).
Make a daily commitment to spend extra time praying and seeking God.
To bring your prayer times to the next level, we encourage you to attend our midweek services at 7pm on Wednesdays for three weeks of “Night of Prayer,” and our Friday Night Prayer services at 7pm on Fridays throughout the fast.
Below, you’ll also find quick-links to share a praise report of what God’s doing in your life, submit a prayer request, or pray for your church family.
We invite everyone to participate in 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting. While we recommend the Daniel Fast, we challenge you to go deeper by fasting something uniquely sacrificial to you. For tips and resources, flip through the booklet above, pick up a physical copy in the lobby, or simply download a digital copy below.
A Prayer & Fasting Workshop
Sunday, December 29 or January 5 | 11:15am | Room B201
Join us for a transformative journey into the spiritual discipline of fasting. This class is designed to deepen your understanding of fasting as a biblical practice and a tool for drawing closer to God. Whether you are new to fasting or seeking to enrich your relationship with God, this one-week class will equip you with the knowledge and encouragement needed to embrace fasting as a pathway to a deeper faith. Choose to attend on either Sunday, December 29 or January 5, to prepare you as we head into our annual church wide 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting.
In addition to prayer and fasting, reading your Bible is essential towards connecting with God in a powerful way.
This year, we’ve outlined a simple 21-Day Bible-Reading plan, complete with daily prayer focuses that we believe will unite us as a church.