All streams of Christian renewal have different traditions, customs and guidelines, that arise out of many different theologies in prayer ministry.
The Dunamis Project is no exception. We must act only in ways that honor, respect, and affirm one another. To this end, we use the 7 Effective Habits for Prayer Ministry Teams.
We want to acquaint you with what might be called the Dunamis Style of Prayer Ministry. Our understanding of the ways in which we affirm prayer ministry to be done as a part of The Dunamis Project is crucial in the unique personhood of all God’s people, and diligently work to preserve these principals.
Our style of prayer ministry may differ from those with which you are familiar with or may have used in other settings.
We believe that all of the specifics with which we concern ourselves find themselves grounded and rooted in the same reformed perspective as does our teaching.
The scriptures affirm that knowledge is never just an abstraction; it is also experiential. Putting it another way, the practice of prayer ministry is never separated from the teaching of ministry.
Our teaching and practice of prayer ministry have some distinctive characteristics that set them apart from other streams of Christian thought.
We hold as crucial the unique personhood of all God’s people, and diligently work to preserve this principle.
This means that in prayer ministry, we must act only in ways that honor, respect, and affirm one another.
1. Prayer ministry is best done in small ministry teams, Luke 10:1.
Scripture teaches this principle, and experience teaches that teams of two to four persons normally are the optimal ones.
Larger teams often are fertile grounds for confusion.
Several people all feeling “led” to minister in different ways at the same time cannot operate in any sort of spiritual unity.
2. Ministry teams have only one leader or point person, Exodus 7:1.
One team member serves as the leader or point person within a ministry team.
The Holy Spirit often works through all members of the team, but only one member leads ministry and makes ministry decisions.
This provides clear direction and avoids diversion of focus.
3. Prayer ministry teams always respect the dignity of people, Romans 13:7.
This dignity is preserved more easily when men minister to men, and women to women.
Prayer ministry teams with mixed sexes are also effective.
In those cases, persons of the sex opposite to the one receiving ministry may be asked to excuse themselves to allow “personal” ministry matters to be effected.
4. Prayer ministry may be effected through the laying on of hands and anointing, Hebrews 6:1-2; James 5:14-15.
There is Biblical precedent for these practices, but there is none requiring either.
There are many times when the laying on of hands may cause undue anxiety on the part of the one seeking prayer.
When either practice accompanies prayer, it should always be done in a polite, proper, decorous and respectful manner, and with permission of the person seeking ministry and healing.
5. Ministry should always done with permission, Mark 10:51.
We affirm the necessity of receiving permission before moving into any ministry.
This means that we move forward in a trust relationship, within bounds which are comfortable to the one seeking prayer.
Always ask for permission to touch the one seeking prayer.
Always ask for permission to move ahead in a particular area of ministry.
6. Prayer ministry is always effected within the authorized limits set by the one in spiritual authority, Matthew 21:23.
All ministry is conducted within the limits set out by the Dunamis leadership.
Oftentimes, particular kinds of ministry are discouraged because the Biblical and theological foundations for these kinds of ministry have not yet been set into place by the Dunamis teaching team.
Participants may have had prior experience in specialized kinds of ministry, but until they are introduced in the teaching, we must insist that participants refrain from any specialized ministries.
The ministry of deliverance is not to be effected except under the express and specific permission and authority of the Dunamis leadership.
7. Ministry is learned in an atmosphere of mutual accountability, Mark 6:30.
The best way to learn about ministry is by doing it, and a part of learning is to discover some things that usually are helpful to do and some things that usually are helpful not to do.
Learning involves doing, and doing often involves making mistakes.
So, we are all responsible to each other and need to talk about what happened or didn’t happen through us, as well as what happened to us and questions that arise.
This is why the Debriefing Sessions are an essential and crucial ingredient of The Dunamis Project.
