PRAYER GUIDE ATLANTA 2020 GOALS FAMILY EDUCATION POVERTY JUSTICE K 1 K www.uniteus.org K 2
INTRODUCTION In 2008, Unite! churches developed the Atlanta 2020 Goals to reflect a picture of what kingdom change in Atlanta by 2020 in the areas of family, education, poverty, and justice could look like. The Atlanta 2020 goals were developed to give focus to the partnering as well as to join together with the public and private sector in seeing Atlanta changed. These goals were not intended to be comprehensive of all the issues in an Impact Area, but they were identified as a key outcome measurement(s) in each area. These goals are grounded in the spirit of Micah 6:8, Jeremiah 29:7, and Matthew 5:16 Micah 6:8 And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Jeremiah 29:7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf Metro Atlanta Goal Measure Family Education Poverty Justice Strong Marriages and Families Reduce divorce rate by 30%; decrease out of wedlock birth rate by 50% ATLANTA 2020 IMPACT AREAS All students have opportunity to graduate 95% Graduation Rate & 3rd Grade CRCT Families living self sufficiently Reduce by 50% the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch All children are safe No children in sex slavery or exploitation Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Metro Church Initiatives Ga. Family Council Marriage Initiatives Adopt a School Homeless and Other Initiatives Street Grace Initiatives 3 4
This Prayer Guide can be used by groups, or it can also be used independently as a guide to personal prayer. Unite! was birthed in 2003 when several churches said in conversation over lunch, We are each doing some good things in the community. What if we were to do them together? It is now a movement of approximately 150 churches in metro Atlanta whose vision is churches partnering together for community transformation. There are Leadership Teams in different regions of the city and partnering takes place in the areas of Family, Education, Poverty, and Justice. These 4 areas are interconnected in many ways. Georgia Family Council reports: The likelihood that a student will end up in poverty is 8% IF that student Graduates from high school, Gets married after the age of 20 years old, and has children after getting married. But PRAYER: WHY PRAY? If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:7-8 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 We pray because it empowers us to fulfill our purpose to glorify God and accompany Jesus in His making all things new. We pray because it gives us comfort to trust in the One who can make a difference. We pray because God answers. If these three factors do not occur, then the likelihood a student will end up in poverty jumps from 8% to 80%. 5 6
FAMILY STRENGTHEN MARRIAGES AND FAMILIES Target Goal: reduce the divorce rate by 30% For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Ephesians 5:31 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world James 1: 27 Activity: Take one apple and one orange. Cut each in half. Arrange ½ apple with ½ orange and wrap together as one. Share the remaining halves as a snack. Prayer: Gracious Lord, ignite and redirect the desire for Your glory by restoring passion and intimacy in marriages. Father, enlighten males and females of all ages to marriage the way You intended it. Fill empty and broken hearts where spouses fall short. Comfort Your people with greater faith and dependence on Your love. Turn hearts to Your will, Father. Remind us of Your grace and the greater sacrifice of Christ. Enable us to forgive one another. Lord, may young people and married partners become followers of Jesus such that their Moving forward requires us to step back to basic math and dating and marriages become transformed. plain truth. The natural order of things states that 1+1=2. The Bible calls us to a higher order of thinking where two must become one. It simply means we need to reduce Resources: each part so that ½+½=1. Marriage involves self-sacrifice, UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Family compromise and faith in the One who showed us the way. 7 Think it s too hard? Jesus sacrificed all of Himself. 8
EDUCATION ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GRADUATE Target Goal: increase the graduation rates and 3rd grade level competency to 95%. Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 19:14 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 Imagine not being able to read the Bible. How would it hinder your relationship with God? Studies indicate that students who are not on grade level by 3rd grade are least likely to graduate high school. All children need to learn to read, write and manipulate numbers to communicate and function in society. School should be a safe environment that fosters the development of knowledge and skills including the opportunity to apply the Word in everyday life situations. Activity: Take a prayer walk around a school in your area. Reflect on life without an education. How would that affect family life, poverty levels and crime? Prayer: Pray that You will connect students with needs to those who can encourage and enlighten them to learn. School administrators Raise up more principals who are followers of Christ and bless those in leadership with your wisdom. Teachers Let your love flow through them and let their light shine such that students give glory to You. Parents encourage them to engage in their child s life and education. Resources: UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Education 9 10
POVERTY FAMILIES LIVING SELF-SUFFICIENTLY Target Goal: decrease the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch by 50% And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood. Isaiah 58:7 Activity: Take 2 small cups. Fill one water (or dried beans); the other leave empty. Make a scale using a ruler and pencil. Place each cup on an end of the ruler, using the pencil for support in the middle. Take water from the full cup and gradually add to the empty cup until they balance. Prayer: Increase the number of job opportunities at a livable wage for those in poverty. Increase freedom from the security of possessions. Enable those in plenty to seek balance and share with those in need time, talent, and treasure. Let us see that it is better to teach and equip them than to do it for them. Enlighten the poor to find their portion in You. Lead them to the water s edge to Your love and grace. Meet their needs physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. There are so many in need. There are so many in plenty. God May greater numbers of the haves and is the Provider and Creator of the ends of the earth. We are have nots come to know You. not called to give only on holidays. Each life has value and purpose whether in need or in plenty. We are called to be Resources: friends with each other and to learn from one another share, UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Poverty equip and empower so that we can get and stay out of poverty. 11 12
JUSTICE ALL CHILDREN ARE SAFE Activity: Light a candle and pray with compassion for the victims, with forgiveness for the perpetrators, and love for the brokenhearted families torn by this industry. Target Goal: no children in sex slavery or exploitation. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loosen the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6 Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. John 4:13 Atlanta ranks as one of the highest U.S. cities for child sex trafficking. Children, averaging age 14, are lured or taken to be sold as much as 10-15 times daily as a reusable commodity that fills a need for a high profit. We live in a self-centered world, a world lacking in compassion and commitment with a blatant disregard for life, love and respect. Failing to get involved allows it to continue. Prayer: Raise up the Body of Christ in Atlanta to free children from slavery. Let voices be heard around the world to raise awareness about young victims of human trafficking. Bless these efforts, connecting more victims and volunteers to the resources available. Protect and encourage Your armies in the fight for justice. Bring radical heart change for Christ to the victims and the perpetrators. Convict buyers and sellers of their greed and turn them from the worldly view of sex as just another source of temporary satisfaction. Resources: UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Justice 13 14
HOW TO GET MORE INVOLVED Find the ministries and organizations in your area of Atlanta that work with those in need and see how you can get involved. Go to your local public school and find out ways to get involved. Go to www.uniteus.org to get your church involved with Unite! and to see all the ways that churches and others are partnering. For information on Initiatives in the Family Area, go to UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Family In the Education Area, go to UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Education In the Poverty Area, go to UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Poverty In the Justice Area, go to UniteUs.org/pages/Impact_Area_Justice 15 16
UNITE! OVERVIEW Vision: Churches partnering together for community transformation. Strategies: ➊ Kingdom Prayer ➋ Churches Partnering in 4 Impact Areas Family, Poverty, Justice, and Education ➌ Kingdom Impact through the Channels of Cultural Influence Education, Government, Legal / Judicial, Healthcare, Business, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Non-Profits Values: ➊ Dependence on God: We believe that only God can change the hearts of people. We want to create avenues for people to pray together from various churches and to help facilitate a prayer movement in our community and city. ➋ Local Church: We believe that the local church is the primary vehicle for the expansion of His Kingdom. We want to help connect the people we minister to a local biblically based church and a Unite! church. ➌ Holistic Ministry: We believe that there is a Scriptural mandate to share the gospel as well as to live out the gospel by meeting the needs of those around us. Both word and deed are means to the building of the Kingdom. ➍ Collaboration: We believe that the most effective means of making a kingdom impact in Atlanta is within the context of relationships and partnerships between churches and with organizations and the public and private sector. 17 18