How to Conduct a Prayer Breakfast

Community leaders gather at breakfast for prayer and guidance.

Prayer breakfasts are ministries performing outreach with community leaders sharing food, engaging in prayer and focusing on common goals. The best-known prayer breakfast may be the National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, D.C., the first Thursday in February each year and attended by political, religious and professional dignitaries. Conduct a prayer breakfast in your community by inviting local business leaders, nonprofit organizations or members of the educational community, to name only three types of guests. Lead the service by focusing on shared commitments. Guide participants with prayer, emphasizing the need for God's certain guidance in every affair.

Things You'll Need

• A church leader
• Programs

Instructions

1. Focus on a theme to guide your prayer breakfast. Invite principals from local public schools, for example, to discuss and pray about protecting at-risk students.

2. Open the prayer service with an invocation by the pastor of the organizing church or of a community church active in the type of service work represented at the breakfast. Ask the pastor to begin the morning with a prayer for all attendees to bring their expertise, commitment and faith to the morning's discussions.

3. Lead the service in a hymn. Recite a prayer of gratitude for the meal. Serve breakfast.

4. Make the prayer breakfast presentation. Focus on a Bible reading to guide with authoritative teachings. Read the Sermon on the Mount, for example, to emphasize the Christian call to serving the poor and disenfranchised. End the presentation with a call to continued community service.

5. Divide prayer breakfast participants into smaller groups to determine an area of concern. Ask the groups to join in prayers for wisdom and strength in the areas discussed.

6. Gather for closing remarks and for the benediction. Ask God to guide the participants as they live their faith in their private and professional lives. Mention specific issues addressed during the event.

Tips & Warnings

• Provide an Order of Worship program to guide participants.

References

• AB Men of West Virginia: Prayer Breakfast Planning Guide

Resources

• Prayer Breakfast Network:
• Prayer Guide: Prayer Groups