Framework to Measure Progress
A model creates a way to measure progress in prayer ministry. The reality is that often we do not see immediate responses to prayer for healing, whether physical, emotional, mental, or relational. We remember with humility that we are becoming like Jesus and the results of our ministry efforts will lack the fullness of the power and compassion of how Jesus ministered during his time on this earth. There is brokenness in and around us that can disrupt our attempts to follow the example of how Christ ministered in his encounters. Humility and desire to improve our prayer ministry are reasons to have a way to determine what is happening and how our prayer encounters impact others. This creates a healthy atmosphere that directs the focus on moving towards God together.
By having a defined moment in the prayer model for feedback dialogue between the prayer minister and the prayer recipient, there is a way to determine to what extent prayer is impacting the prayer recipient. The feedback provides realtime input and can increase the effectiveness of the prayer.
One reason for feedback is that we are integrated beings and prayer can stir us physically, emotionally, intuitively, and spiritually. We may feel things in our body or emotions that help us know that God is at work. These are ways that the Holy Spirit engages with us during the prayer ministry.
There is another important aspect of the feedback loop in prayer ministry. When the recipient is asked what they are experiencing, it is an acknowledgment that the Holy Spirit is speaking to them and at work in them. What they think, feel, and sense are legitimate and important so that the prayer ministry stays focused on joining how the Spirit is at work in the life of the person receiving prayer.
Feedback expresses care and affirms the presence of God in their lives. Feedback creates better prayer opportunities and increases the level of compassion for those receiving prayer. Each prayer encounter can becomes a moment to move towards Christ in a deeper way when feedback informs the prayer process.
