Review of our vision

At the 24-7 Euro-Leaders Training in January 2020, the leadership team from Southampton House of Prayer had an appointment with two of the 24-7 leaders (Alan Emerson and Pete Ward) to discuss our calling and vision. 

We shared how since Belfast (October 2019) the vision for SoHOP has become stronger. Prior to that we may have summed it up as “we need to pray more so we see transformation in Southampton”.

Since the gathering in Belfast we would sum it up that “we are contending for prayer and revival.” We believe that our assignment is twofold - helping the church rediscover the central place of prayer, and praying for a new awakening in Southampton.

Exploring this with Alan and Pete, a new illustration of this was given:

• we exist to see the bride of Christ beautified in Southampton

  • illustration: as bridesmaids beautify a bride and help her look her best for the bridegroom, so we are to serve the church and help bring out her beauty and devotion to Jesus. There is a grace on us to call in and pray for the beauty of the bride.

• we are watchmen, keeping watch for what God is saying, with the ultimate goal of an increase in the presence of God in the city such that there is a new revival/awakening

They had prophetic pictures for us:

• bridesmaids surrounding the bride as she arrives at the church and steps from the car, fixing her makeup and dress, beautifying her. It is not about us (SoHOP) it is about the bride (the church) preparing herself for her bridegroom.

• thick weave of cloth: crossing and overlapping. We are crucial threads of what the Lord is weaving in Southampton. We are part of the tapestry that God is weaving here. Put us where you want us Lord.

Questions for us to consider

Alan and Pete left us with these questions to consider

• what is our charism (what gift(s) has God graced us with)?

• what capacity do we have?

• who is our cast of characters? What do they bring that Jesus can multiply?

Not a boiler room or ‘new monastic community’

For those who have read the 24-7 books, it is helpful to make the point that we are not a “new monastic community” as we read about in Punk Monk (the story of the Reading 24-7 prayer community). 

Our current understanding is that SoHOP is holding a spiritual space in the city, rather than a physical space. We hold the values of prayer, mission and justice, but we are not a community that is grounded in a locality. We all come from church communities around the city and in those contexts are seeking to live out the 24-7 values. SoHOP is more of a voice to the church.

However, we hope that Christ-communities will spring up all over the city, and that these will earth the 24-7 values of prayer, mission and justice in their locality. We dream of the day when every resident of Southampton is less than a mile from the nearest prayer room!

Further discussion on watchmen

• we keep watch for the Body of Christ in the city

• we are watchmen for the hidden treasures of God in our city

It is important to avoid the presumption that SoHOP are the watchmen for the whole city in terms of being on guard for the whole city. That is over-playing our role. We are helping the church rise up to this. The Body of Christ in all its fullness will eventually watch for the city. We will be praying for the city, yes, but we do not over-emphasise our position.

There is a 24/1 in development in Lordshill - the prayer community at Lordshill Church are recognising their call to pray from Sunday evening to Monday evening each week. This is an example of a local prayer room, gathering local Christians to keep watch in their part of the city.

Richard Pitt 9 March 2020

Next actions

Some of our current thoughts on how to respond to this:

• Capacity – don’t try to do too much, as in don’t organise too many events. But realise that we are a praying community and perhaps have unused capacity there. Revisit rhythms of prayer, and perhaps have some topics that we pray for each day?

• Cast of characters – at community meal… share the vision as it is now. Explain about cast of characters and concept of God giving grace to us for particular things. Ask each person to write on a card what they think God has called them to do, put in them to do etc. Try not to think about what we are currently doing as SoHOP. Think about what grace God has put in you. Think about others in the group and write down cards for them, pointing out what you think God is calling them to do and what grace is on them. 

• Next theme – Keeping watch. Elements of waiting for God to move, praying persistently until he moves. Watching for the church, beautify the bride.