Rockford Prayer Group

Aiden knew he should not try to do it alone, so he engaged other FCA huddle members through a group chat. Momentum grew as others heard about the prospect to pray together at their school before the day began. They wasted no time and got started. They started praying in the lunchroom, but there were soon too many people coming to fit where they were, so they moved into a classroom. The classroom got too full (yes, a classroom at a public middle school got too full of kids praying!), so they had to move to the gym. 

Within a very short time, this prayer group grew to thirty to forty kids meeting daily to pray together. Daily. Let that sink in just a bit. Thirty to forty middle school students meeting every day at their school to pray. Each week they picked a verse to guide their prayer time that was relevant to whatever was going on around them at the time, and then they came together and simply prayed. They prayed for each other, their school, and the world.

Aiden was excited that so many Christian students came to pray. The prayer times were meaningful, and he could sense that there was power in what they were doing. But what really impacted Aiden was the others who came. Students who did not attend church at all attended the prayer time and were soon attending youth group. “It’s a really good feeling that you are introducing Christ to people and they are listening,” said Aiden.

Coach Julie Lingo is the huddle coach for FCA and the physical education teacher at Rockford Middle School. She has paid close attention to the group and is continually impressed. “It is all student-led. It meant so much to me that our FCA leaders stayed the course with before-school prayer and our monthly FCA huddle meetings. They understood the importance of prayer in our school at the end of our FCA meetings and before school every morning.  What a testimony from a group of eighth grade boys!”

At the end of the day, are there reasons to be concerned for the next generation? Absolutely. So much is vying for their time, attention, and hearts which can lead to confusion and chaos, but it can also lead them to God. “For it is God who works in [them] to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). God has not stopped drawing hearts to Himself, and He so often uses young people to carry out his vision in the world.

“In this day and age, the more we can get a solid foundation with these kids, the stronger their faith; and Lord willing, that faith and relationship with Christ will carry them into high school and beyond,” concluded Coach Lingo.

FCA is reaching people with the gospel of Christ every single day through people like Aiden and his friends. Middle school students. High school students. College students. Coaches. FCA staff. All with one focus to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ.

Please pray for Aiden and others all around the world to be able to stand firm, keep following Jesus, and continue shining a light for Jesus in their schools.