Pastor Chris

Summer has gone by so quickly!



School begins soon. Parents are gathering supplies. Teachers are preparing their classrooms.

Children are counting the days. For those of us who grew up when school started after Labor Day, we are always surprised at how soon school seems to begin each year.

Now is a good time to begin praying for your local schools!

My church is full of educators, parents and children. Carol, my wife, is a teacher in the public school. I will have two of my own children attending elementary school this school year. Our church operates two early learning centers wherein we teach preschool children. I am surrounded by reminders of the importance of our schools, school employees, and children.

I believe God cares about our schools. God wants each of us to get involved. At the very least, we should pray for our schools.

Personally, I believe our schools are generally under-funded and under-supported. However, the most important deficit in school support is a spiritual one. Our local schools lack the adequate focus and prayers from the Christian people in the community.

I encourage you to take time to pray for your local schools. Sure, local businesses and citizens should do more to positively impact the local school. Yet, the greatest need for our schools is your prayer.

What kind of positive difference would we experience in our schools if local churches and citizens committed themselves to pray daily for our children and school staff? Consider the issues our children face today: bullying, drug and alcohol use, teenage pregnancy, “sexting” and racism. We need to lift up this young generation to God in prayer.

Our children are dealing with the spiritual forces on a day-to-day basis. Your prayers could be a catalyst for bringing about the future well-being of our children.

Praying for your local schools creates a bond within the community. People need a good cause to rally around. Too often we see people criticizing administrators, teachers, and other school employees.

In the church we often say, “If you want better ministers in the church—pray for the ones you have.” If this is true in the church, it can also be true in the school. Instead of seeing people being critical of the schools, wouldn’t it be great for parents and citizens to support their schools in prayer? If we want better teachers and school leaders, we should begin by praying for those we have.

By supporting and praying for our schools, we can mold and shape an entire generation. We can bring a transformational spiritual element to the very center of where young hearts and lives are shaped.

Here are a few prayer concerns that are important in praying for your local schools:

• Pray for the principals, administrators and teachers by name. Remember, all of our educators have families and responsibilities of their own.

• Pray for the staff who help carry out all of the responsibilities of operating the school (lunchroom workers, librarians, custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, etc.).

• Pray for the school board and all leaders who make decision impacting the schools and the community.

• Pray for the health and safety of all the children.

• Pray for the children to have strong families and support from their parents in the education process.

• Pray for the financial and volunteer-support needs of the school.

Imagine the possibilities if you and a few friends made a commitment to pray each morning—at the time school is beginning. You could be a part of what God is doing to nurture young lives in your community. You could make a difference!

— Chris Crain, Pastor, North Valley Church, Margaret





Read more: stclairtimes - Clergy Corner Back to school is time to pray

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North Valley Church is a remarkable place and God is moving and growing us every day. We are closing out our Strengthening Our Roots Campaign and want to give you an opportunity to "catch up" on your commitment. If you haven't been a part of this giving opportunity, we also want to encourage you to join us. This video provides just a glimpse of who we are.

North Valley Church exists to lead others toward connection with God and community with other believers.

On a regular basis, people ask me how I pray. I must confess that I feel inadequate to answer that question. I always feel like I should pray more. With the pressures of work and raising children along with the other factors that make life busy, my prayer life suffers. In spite of my deficiencies in the discipline of prayer, I have learned something of value.

In the midst of the squeeze of life and my lack of focus, one simple tool has helped my prayer life more than any book or sermon on prayer. This tool is an acrostic of the word “acts.” The components of a healthy, balanced pattern of prayer are found in this simple word. Each letter of the word “acts” gives us an essential ingredient in understanding prayer.

The letter “A” of the word acts stands for adoring. When we pray, regardless of our posture or location at the time of prayer, we should take time to thank God for who He is. Jesus taught us to do this in the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus prayed, “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.” Take a moment to adore God as you begin your prayer.

As a father, I am a little disappointed when I come home from work and open the door to endless requests from my children. Kids will be kids. I know that. However, it is nice when I am greeted and welcomed with a “Hi Daddy!” or just “Daddy!” It is important that we take a moment to greet God in our prayers before we dive into our endless grocery list of requests.

The letter “C” of the word acts stands for confessing. The older I get, the more I understand how imperfect I am. When I compare myself to others, I am not that special. I am not a great man. When I compare myself to God, I have no hope except through the grace of Jesus Christ. Our failures that go on in our lives—without confession—build walls between us and God. They also build walls between us and our family and other significant people. We have to keep moving those failures out of the way through confession.

Jesus taught us to confess our sins. Jesus prayed, “Forgive us when we sin as we forgive those who sin against us.” Jesus had never sinned personally. However, Jesus taught us that powerful prayer comes from the heart of a humble individual who is willing to admit his mistakes.

The letter “T” of the word acts stands for thanking. A grateful heart is a happy heart. Nothing is more shameful than someone who lives their life with a sense of entitlement. We cannot be so naïve to think that any good that we have received in life is only because of our own efforts. I am reminded of the story of the rancher inspecting the fence around his property. The rancher saw a strange sight. At the very top of one of the fence posts stood a turtle. Before putting the turtle back down on the ground, the rancher said with a chuckle, “I know one thing for certain. You didn’t get to the top of that post by yourself.” Our gratitude acknowledges that we understand this important principle.

The letter “S” of the word acts stands for supplicating. Supplication is an older term that simply means to ask for what you need. Jesus taught us to do this by praying, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Jesus also reminded us that “we have not because we ask not.” Asking God to supply our needs, whether they be health or financial, is essential. We should also be praying on behalf of others who need our prayers.

I hope this simple word “acts” helps your practice of prayer as much as it has mine. It is hard to keep a balanced prayer life. In this busy world it is difficult to find time to pray. However, prayer may be the most important thing that we ever do.