Leading times of Encounter
If you find encounterprayer helpful, then you will already have led a time of ‘Encounter’ - even if it’s for yourself! The more you do this, the more natural it will become to create a space where you can encounter God, who loves to be with you. However, leading this in different settings – on your own, with another person, for a group or even a whole church – may involve slightly different approaches.
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On your own, of course, you have the greatest freedom and can take as long as you like. The flip side, however, is that you may find yourself getting distracted with no one else to keep you on track - but not all distraction is bad. Remember that what you may think of as distractions may, in fact, be Jesus whispering to you now that he has your attention.
If you lead an Encounter for another person, there is the opportunity to ‘check in’ with them to ask how they are doing, what they are experiencing, what they sense God is communicating to them etc. So long as you’re not constantly interrogating them, such questions can help you to ensure that you are going at an appropriate pace for them. |
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Leading encounterprayer for a group can be slightly trickier as you have no way of knowing where individuals are on the journey, nor what they are experiencing. At times it’s possible to gauge from their faces how engaged they are, but experience has taught me that so long as I speak in a measured way, I tend to get it right.
When I lead a group, I find it helpful to join in and enjoy my own Encounter at the same time. As I explore the Father’s love, the presence of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit for myself, it usually means that I am giving other people the right amount of time too.
When I lead a group, I find it helpful to join in and enjoy my own Encounter at the same time. As I explore the Father’s love, the presence of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit for myself, it usually means that I am giving other people the right amount of time too.
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If you have not yet led an Encounter for someone else, I’d encourage you to do so. The next time someone asks you to pray for them, rather than launching straight into a time of prayer, try pausing first and through encounterprayer create a space for them to find the presence of the living God.
With best wishes, John |
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