In the 1990s, the global church was mobilized for prayer like never before. Primarily through the United Prayer Track of the A.D. 2000 and Beyond movement, millions of believers worldwide were trained, inspired and then focused on intercession for the nations. Thanks to the efforts of those intercessors, in the last 10 years we've seen increases in spiritual activity, in strongholds being broken and in more people coming to Christ than ever before.

Although millions of believers participated in intercession for the 10/40 Window in the four Prayer Through the Window efforts in the 1990s, this prayer effort largely bypassed the members of local churches in the United States.

So, last summer the National Association of Local Church Prayer Leaders (NALCPL) was formed through the World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to mobilize our local churches in greater intercession.

The main purpose is to assist local church senior pastors to identify, train and equip prayer leaders within their congregations.

When identified, these prayer leaders are being networked with others throughout the nation. Through NALCPL, local church-based intercessors will be able to come together to share ideas, motivate one another and join forces in strategic prayer.

Essentially, NALCPL is a mingling of the efforts of the ministry leaders who have highlighted the importance of concerted prayer (such as C. Peter Wagner, Terry Teykl and Alvin Vander Griend) with the local church networking efforts of the National Association of Evangelicals and Mission America. Their visions have combined in NALCPL to implement a nationwide, local church prayer movement.

Pastors and church leaders--this is a great opportunity for us. NALCPL will help all of us involve our congregations in deeper and broader levels of intercession. This association is by local churches and for local churches. It will:

**create and/or connect with the prayer efforts in our churches

**produce a newsletter and Web site emphasizing strategic prayer points

**host an annual convention so local church prayer coordinators can receive training and encouragement for their churches.

In the past, we've highlighted prayer for the nations; through NALCPL, we'll highlight prayer for our own churches and cities as well as international concerns.

Members will be encouraged to pray for their pastors, elders, church staff members, small groups, programs and other church ministries. They'll learn how to intercede for the schools, businesses and governments in their city. They'll also learn to bathe their region, state and nation with effective, fervent prayer.

Simply put, believers are motivated to pray more than ever before. Now it's time to connect them through the local church. Through heightened prayer, we will see God's kingdom expand in our cities like never before.

For more information, contact NALCPL at [email protected], call (719) 268-8210, register online at www.nalcpl.net, or write to 11005 State Highway 83 North, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. *

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