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A Call to Pray Expectantly

Written by Matt Moore on . Posted in News Blog.

By Matt Moore

No place in the Christian life calls us and causes us to feel the push and pull of discerning God’s will like prayer. Through it, we enter into the Holy of Holies, behind the curtain, to meet with the all-powerful God. And there He promises to meet with us. 

As a church, we are watching for the movement of the cloud. We are looking for clear direction from God regarding a variety of matters concerning our future. Our growth will not come from the schemes of man or the latest, greatest ideas for ministry—it will come on the heels of corporate prayer. There, we long to see Christ, meeting Him face to face. When the cloud settles, we follow. If His presence is not with us in power, we will undoubtedly trust in the arm of the flesh. 

Thankfully, our God is a God who hears and answers, so we can expect to hear from Him. What does expectant prayer look like? Spurgeon again writes of corporate prayer: 

If we are to receive [the Holy Spirit’s gracious influence] whenever we meet together in the Name of Jesus, for prayer and praise, we must sincerely desire it, confidently expect it, and go straight to God and ask for it. There is no need for us to go beating about the bush, and not telling the Lord distinctly what it is that we crave at His hands. Not will it be seemly for us to make any attempts to use fine language; but let us ask God, in the simplest and most direct manner, for just the things that we want for ourselves, or for others, or for His cause and Kingdom. Then let us remember our Lord’s words, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24); and at the close of the meeting, let us go on our way rejoicing, and thankful for what we have received…. We should seek out the promise which applies to that particular case, plead it before the Lord in faith, expect to have the blessing to which it relates, and then, having received it, let us proceed to the next duty devolving upon us. 

Spurgeon, Only a Prayer Meeting, 23–24. 

Confidence. Pray without doubting. Believe that God hears and answers. 

Simplicity. Speak plainly. Ask boldly. Go straight to the throne of grace. 

Rejoicing. Leave prayer with gratitude and joy, knowing He has heard. 

So let us pray expectantly as we join together with one voice on January 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM. 

A Call to Pray Aloud 

Written by Matt Moore on . Posted in News Blog.

By Matt Moore

During His earthly ministry, how did Jesus face trials with divine power? On His knees, wrestling in prayer. The disciples often heard His prayers—both public and private—as recorded throughout the Gospels. 

But what effect does praying aloud have? Have you ever considered the impact of your prayers on fellow saints—or the impact of theirs on you? When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He gave them a template (Matt. 6:9–13). Notice the language: 

“Our… us… us… our… us… us…” 

The Lord’s Prayer is communal. It assumes believers often pray aloud together. May we learn to pray aloud with Jesus, just as His disciples did. For a local church, praying together should feel as natural as breathing in the same room. 

John Onwuchekwa, Christian author and speaker, explains: 

Prayer is oxygen for the Christian. It sustains us. So it follows that prayer must be a source of life for any community of Christians. It is to the church what it is to individuals—breathing. Yet many of our gatherings could be likened to people coming together merely to hold their collective breath. (Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church, Crossway, 2018, 23) 

The importance of corporate prayer cannot be overlooked. If you feel any hesitation to join the saints in prayer, resist it. 

As Spurgeon urged: 

Persuade all the brethren to pray aloud. If the younger and less-instructed members shrink from the privilege, tell them they are not to speak to man, but to God. Assure them that it does us all good to hear their groans and ineffectual attempts at utterance. For our own part, a few breakdowns come very sweetly home; and, awakening our sympathies, constrain us to aid the brother by our more earnest wrestlings. (Only a Prayer Meeting, 20) 

Through Christ, our Mediator, we are ushered to the throne of God. Now seated at the right hand of the Father, our Intercessor invites us to face the next challenge—a new year—with power through prayer. 

When I hear you pray, I am lifted nearer to heaven. When I hear you pray aloud, my heart aligns with God’s perspective so I can do His will on earth. That supernatural effect, multiplied through corporate prayer, prepares us to be a local church that advances the gospel with courage and confidence. 

So let us hear one another’s prayers as we join together with one voice on January 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM. 

A Call to Pray Boldly 

Written by Matt Moore on . Posted in News Blog.

By Matt Moore

In 1 Kings 18, the prophets of Baal made quite the spectacle—shouting, cutting themselves, and begging for a god who never came. Elijah watched and waited. And when they were finally finished, Elijah prayed.  

He drenched the altar with water, offered the sacrifice, and called on the Lord. It was a bold request—a confident request. He asked the Lord to prove that He was the one and only God. And the Lord answered with fire. The false gods fell silent, and the enemy’s show of strength crumbled. 

As the book of James reminds us, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16, emphasis added). Elijah was just a man with a nature like ours, but he prayed bold prayers. And God answered.  

Isn’t that what we long for? To see the living God move in undeniable power? Yet how easily we settle for counterfeits—counterfeit prayers, counterfeit signs, counterfeit revivals. Let’s reject the imitation and return to the real. Perhaps God would respond to real prayer from His people with real awakening among His church before a watching world. Revival cannot be far when the saints pray together. 

Our prayers and praises rise like fragrant incense before God through Christ our Lord. So, let’s take full advantage of that gift. Why not lift petitions that reach beyond the ordinary—prayers that stretch toward eternity? Hear what Charles Spurgeon has to say about praying boldly in this way: 

Let us not degenerate into formality, or we shall be dead while we think we live. Let us not waver through unbelief, or we shall pray in vain. The Lord saith to his church, “Open thy mouth, wide, and I will fill it.” Oh, for great faith with which to offer great prayers! We have been mingling praise and prayer as a delicious compound of spices, fit to be presented upon the altar of incense through Christ our Lord; may we not, at this time, offer some special far-reaching petition?  

Spurgeon, Only a Prayer Meeting, 9–10. 

The one true God will not be manipulated, but He will keep His promises. And we have something Elijah didn’t have: a better altar, a better sacrifice, and a whole congregation made righteous in Christ. So why limp between two opinions (1 Kings 18:21)? Why remain double-minded and unstable (James 1:8)? What holds us back from boldly approaching the throne of grace? 

Jesus declared His house (the church) to be a house of prayer (Matt 21:13). May this be true of Harvest DeSoto. And may it be unmistakable as we gather on January 3, 2026 at 5pm to pray together. 

A Call to Gather in Corporate Prayer

Written by Matt Moore on . Posted in News Blog.

By Matt Moore

There are 650 prayers listed in the Bible. About 450 of them have recorded answers. More than 20 times, Jesus left the disciples and crowds to pray alone with His Father. We cannot deny that prayer is a central focus in God’s Word, yet many local churches—including ours—face a persistent temptation. 

We believe we can engineer a Godward experience and advance Christ’s kingdom through our own creativity. And when that happens, corporate prayer is sidelined. When congregations see sparsely attended prayer meetings, it reveals something deeper—a neglect of God that runs through many churches. What we need is not just more meetings, but a shared, Spirit-driven burden to pray together. 

Charles Spurgeon writes about the importance of prayer meetings and corporate prayer: 

“It is good for us to draw nigh unto God in prayer, and specially good to make up a great congregation for such a purpose. We have attended little prayer-meetings of four or five, and we have been glad to be there, for we had the promise of our Lord’s presence; but our minds are grieved to see so little attention given to united prayer by many of our churches. We have longed to see great numbers of God’s people coming up to pray, and we now enjoy this sight. Let us praise God that it is so. How could we expect a blessing if we were too idle to ask for it? How could we look for a Pentecost if we never met with one accord, in one place, to wait upon the Lord? Brethren, we shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general till the prayer-meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians.” 

C.H. Spurgeon, Only a Prayer Meeting, repr (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2022), 9. 

As we approach our first Corporate Prayer Time on January 3, 2026, my aim is to draw our hearts toward this very priority. Harvest DeSoto must embrace the great task of prayer as one body. Our vision to “move with confidence” depends on our willingness to unite before the throne. If we hope to see God at work, we must pray and move with Him… pray and move with Him… pray and move with Him. 

So I’m calling you, saints, to elevate corporate prayer to a higher place. Spurgeon rejoiced to see “great numbers” gathering to pray; I long for the same at Harvest DeSoto and beyond. I suspect you desire to pray more—personally and corporately—so now is the time. What will it take for us to see prayer as essential to our mission, as vital as disciple-making or expository preaching? I don’t know yet, but I want to find out. What might God do in and through us if we devote ourselves to prayer (Acts 2:42)? 

I’ll look for you on January 3 at 5 p.m. as we seek to be a people who pray—and so move with confidence as we follow the cloud (Exod. 40:36–38). 

An Invitation to Harvest Catechism 

Written by Stephen Roberts on . Posted in News Blog.

By Stephen Roberts

I enjoy a well-organized closet and well-ordered bookshelf. I’m nerdy like that. Now, I can’t guarantee either would be considered tidy according to your standard of organization. But I can reach in the closet, even with the light off, and grab my favorite shirt or jacket. When I’m studying, I can go to my bookshelf and find the right book for the task at hand.  

In a way, that is how I view catechism. When I need to remember a core biblical doctrine, I can reach into the closet of my memory and retrieve glorious truth. When I need to remember, “Who is God?” I remember the catechism I have memorized that God is the one and only true creator and ruler of everyone and everything. 

Catechism in Church History 

The church all throughout its history has used catechisms to teach core biblical doctrine to children and adults. We see this idea in the New Testament, including the original Greek words from which we get the English term, “catechism.”  

In Galatians 6:6, Paul encouraged the audience: “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.” The Greek word that is translated “taught” and “teaches” is katecheo. It is used in two grammatical forms “the one who is taught” and “the one who teaches.” So, what is being taught? Paul says that the “word” or logos, is taught and shared. Many times in the New Testament, logos is a term used to generally refer to the Scriptures or the message of the gospel.  

The teachings were not just lessons in a textbook. They were Scriptures and truths about God that were meditated on, committed to memory, and repeated to the church body over and over again. What we now refer to as “catechisms” are ways in which the early church partook in discipleship, committing the truths about God to memory by proclaiming the logos repeatedly. This practice was a core part of discipleship in the early church, and it continued throughout church history.  

Catechism at Harvest DeSoto  

Our goal and hope are to shape the minds of our children with this same truth. We want to cultivate a routine of recalling the core truths of our faith through the practice of catechism. Why? Because we believe holding these truths in our hearts is the best way to combat the temptations of the world around us.  

As we process all the data and information that comes at us in this world, we are equipped to see it through the interpretive grid of Scripture. Even when it feels like the information in our world is ever-changing, we strive to train our children to be rooted in truth that doesn’t change. 

At Harvest DeSoto Church, we are curating a catechism based on the New Hampshire Confession of Faith. Each article will have three questions related to the content. There will be a brief answer to memorize and Bible verse that grounds that truth in the Scriptures. Additionally, there will be shorter answer for the younger kids and a longer answer for older students. Each month at the Bridge, we teach about the biblical doctrine laying out the foundation for the catechism question. 

As we pursue to instill God’s truth in the hearts of our children, we invite you, parents, to join as a family to make catechisms a part of your family discipleship. Each month at the Bridge we will send home a discussion guide to continue the conversation about the teaching based on a catechism question. These will help you continue having meaningful conversations and family activities that encourage your children to memorize and engage in this month’s catechism. 

In addition to this, we will have small cards with the question, the answer, and a Scripture to memorize. Whether you use these in the car, around the dinner table, or anywhere else, our prayer for these resources is to help you use them as a tool to memorize God’s truth together as a family.  

We invite you to participate in our Family Ministry event, The Bridge, on the first Sunday of every month at 5 p.m. Check out our blog “Why Family Ministry Matters” to read about our vision for Family Discipleship at Harvest DeSoto. 

Why Family Ministry Matters

Written by Matt Moore on . Posted in News Blog.

By Matt Moore

At Harvest DeSoto, our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ, but what role does the family play in this mission? In recent decades, many churches have seen younger generations drift from active faith. While there are many contributing factors, one consistent reality is that the long-term faith of children is most often strengthened when discipleship takes root at home. 

At Harvest DeSoto, we believe Family Ministry plays a vital role in our mission to make disciples. We believe God designed families—not church programing alone—as the primary environment where faith is nurtured and passed on. 

That’s why Family Ministry at Harvest DeSoto seeks to come alongside parents and families to equip, encourage, and support them in leading their children to know and follow Jesus. 

Parents as Primary Disciple-Makers 

Scripture gives parents the sacred calling to lead their children spiritually. In Deuteronomy 6:4–9, God instructs parents to teach His Word diligently and weave His truth into everyday life. 

Our Family Ministry recognizes that no one has more lasting spiritual influence on a child than their parents. But that doesn’t mean parents walk alone. We want to equip families with tools, teaching, and community so that faith can flourish both in the home and within the larger body of Christ. 

As a church family, we share this calling together — encouraging parents by cultivating a culture of discipleship that spans every generation. We believe all are called to help in the raising and admonition of children in the church family. All people participate in discipleship, from the cradle to the grave. 

Marriage: The Foundation of Family 

Before there were families, there was marriage. God created marriage as a living picture of the gospel — the relationship between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:22–33). 

Strong marriages provide a foundation of safety, grace, and stability for the next generation. Family Ministry begins here: helping husbands and wives grow in Christ, love one another well, and extend that love to their children. 

Even when families face hardship or brokenness, the gospel speaks hope. Jesus redeems and restores what is fractured, and the church comes alongside to support and strengthen homes in every season. At Harvest DeSoto, we have multiple focused ministries that help support men, women, and their marriages. From our men’s discipleship program (As the Man Goes) to our annual marriage conference, we believe in cultivating healthy marriages that penetrate into healthy parenting. 

The Home: A Daily Discipleship Environment 

Every home is a classroom for faith. It’s where children see grace practiced, hear truth applied, and learn what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. 

We know every family looks different, and all face unique challenges. That’s why Harvest DeSoto’s Family Ministry aims to help homes become places where God’s Word is central, prayer is natural, and love is evident—even in the ordinary rhythms of life. 

When struggles or needs arise, the church steps in as a spiritual family, surrounding each home with encouragement and care. One way we strive to live this out is to spend regularly praying for and hearing the prayers of our church family. We want to cultivate an environment where families can be vulnerable about their needs, and our church family is ready and willing to intercede on their behalf. 

The Church Family: A Community of Faith 

Through faith in Jesus, we become part of something larger — God’s family, a family of families. John 1:12 reminds us that those who believe in Christ are given the right to become His children. 

This new family is a rich, intergenerational community. Older believers invest in the younger. Singles and couples without children become mentors and encouragers. Children and students grow up seeing faith modeled in the lives of people who love and serve Jesus. This means that even if you do not have biological children, you have a role to play in family discipleship. All people in the Family of God are instructed to love, care for, and raise its members in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  

While age-specific ministries can be valuable and meaningful, they work best when they remain connected to the broader life of the church—where worship, learning, and service happen together across generations.  

A Unified Approach to Discipleship 

Our Family Ministry is guided by two core values: disciple-making and missional living. Every event, class, and gathering flows from these priorities. 

We want to see children and students come to know Christ, grow in His Word, and live out their faith — not in isolation, but as part of a community of believers who love and serve together. One of the ways we live this out at Harvest DeSoto is through our monthly family discipleship event, The Bridge. At the first Sunday of every month, children of all ages come together to share a meal, hear a Bible lesson, and spend valuable time in age-specific discussion groups. We also provide guides to equip parents to continue these conversations at home through lessons, family discussion questions, and engaging activities for kids.  

This is just one of the ways that we at Harvest DeSoto practically live out our calling to equip families to disciple their children well. We invite all people to participate in this mission with us because after all,Family Ministry is not a separate track of the church’s mission; it’s a vital expression of it. 

Let’s Grow Together 

Whether you’re married or single, raising children or not, you’re part of a family — God’s family. At Harvest DeSoto, we’re committed to helping one another live out the gospel in our homes and relationships. 

If you’d like to learn more or get connected to our Family Ministry, reach out to connect@harvestdesoto.org. Together, we’ll continue growing as disciples — one home, one generation, one heart at a time.