Reflections on Ignite!
YORKSHIRE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION & FRESH STREAMS
DAY OF PRAYER & FASTING 2024
The YBA, in partnership with Fresh Streams, held a day of prayer and fasting, wonderfully hosted at Rothwell Baptist Church on 26th September 2024. Alongside all our sister Associations on the same day, we prayed for our Baptist Movement, especially in its mission including the Everyone Everywhere initiative.
Following the day, we were grateful to receive the following reflections from Rose Austin, secretary of Middleton Park Baptist Church in Leeds and from Dave Criddle, minister with Pathway Church in Sheffield.
Rose writes: It was a wonderful time, firstly getting to know new people and then praying for each other. It’s good to know we are all vulnerable, with many different types of issues, on our own we are very weak but we have an almighty God who loves us with an everlasting love. He calls us His children and He loves to hear our voice. Throughout the day we had several really powerful periods of prayer, it was beautiful. We have continued to pray for our young adults in our prayer meeting this week.
As we were praying for young adults at the Ignite event I saw a picture of a plant shooting out from the dark soil, I believe God will honour our prayer time and bring a revival. I also saw another picture of a flower growing in the middle of a wall, in-between the rocks in the wall. I think it will be tough but we will see fruit, we need to keep devoting ourselves to prayer. We were encouraged to pray for each other and to remind each other that we are praying for each other. Prayer changes things and if we keep praying and encouraging each other the next Ignite will be so wonderful.
Dave writes: It was brilliant to be part of the Ignite prayer and fasting day! A pleasure to pray alongside others (those in the room, others across the YBA praying in unison from a distance, and our wider Baptist family in other Associations). I found the mixture of styles and ways of praying really helpful in guiding our prayers through the day. It was brilliant to be led in prayer for young adults by a young adult, to be welcomed in the YBA team’s regular rhythm of weekly mid-day prayer, and to pray for those we know who don’t yet know Jesus. Particularly exciting for me was that before the day was over I’d received a message sharing an answer to one of the prayers I’d prayed - for many I am still praying and seeking God, but for that one it was beautiful to see God’s rapid response to our collective commitment to pray and hunger for Him.
We thank Rose and Dave for their reflections, and look forward to more opportunities to pray for and with each other in the coming months.
Contact Nike Adebajo, Regional Minister, for more information.
