40 Ways to Pray for the 2019-2020 School Year

As we approach the start of a new school year, one of the most important ways you can partner with what God is doing through Bama Wesley in the new year is to join us in prayer for the year ahead. Beginning July 13 (40 days before classes begin), we invite you to join us in praying for students, the campus, and Wesley’s staff and leadership as we prepare for the year ahead. Below are some suggested topics, including a schedule of significant events to pray for during the rest of the summer.  

  1. Freshmen students
  2. Transfer students
  3. Returning students
  4. Graduate students
  5. Students who are away from home for the first time
  6. International students
  7. Students taking summer classes
  8. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Arts and Sciences
  9. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Communications and Information Sciences
  10. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Business
  11. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Education
  12. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Engineering
  13. Faculty, staff, and students in the Honors College
  14. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Human Environmental Sciences
  15. Faculty, staff, and students in the College of Nursing
  16. Faculty, staff, and students in the School of Nursing
  17. President Bell and others in the university’s administration
  18. Students living on campus
  19. Students living off-campus
  20. Other campus ministries at UA
  21. Students considering a change in major
  22. Students facing insecurity in their housing, food, and other similar circumstances
  23. Students facing physical or mental health concerns
  24. Students who feel lonely or isolated on campus
  25. Greek organizations on campus
  26. Other clubs and groups on campus
  27. Local churches who will serve college students
  28. Parents
  29. Students who will participate in a Phoenix, Ember, or Spark Group
  30. Bama Wesley’s worship services on Monday and Wednesday evenings
  31. Bama Wesley’s Worship Team
  32. Bama Wesley’s Fellowship Team
  33. Bama Wesley’s Discipleship Team
  34. Bama Wesley’s Outreach Team
  35. Bama Wesley’s Administration Team
  36. Bama Wesley’s Communications Team
  37. Bama Wesley’s Ministry as Career program
  38. Bama Wesley’s Interns and student staff
  39. Bama Wesley’s Executive (Pastoral) Staff
  40. Week of Welcome

Significant Events

While everything listed above can (and should!) be prayed for during the summer, there are some significant events between now and the first week of classes that you may want to consider praying for specifically.

DateEventPrayer Focus
July 15 – 16Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
July 17 – 18Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
July 22 – 23Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
July 24 – 25Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
August 7 – 9Early Move-InStudents participating in early move-in activities
(Sorority Recruitment, Million Dollar Band, Alabama
Action, Outdoor Action, Health Action, Camp 1831,
Biology Boot Camp, student athletes)
August 13 – 15Wesley Intern RetreatWesley’s staff and leadership
August 14Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
August 15Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
August 16Bama Bound SessionFreshman and Transfer Students
August 16 – 18Move-InStudents who will live on campus
Parents
August 19 – 23Week of WelcomeWeek of Welcome
Freshman and Transfer Students
Wesley’s staff and leadership
August 21First Day of ClassesStudents’ first day of the new year
August 23 – 24Back to School RetreatStudents Wesley has reached during Week of Welcome

The 11th Hour (TJL 5.6)

This week, you’ll read an assortment of verses commonly used to discuss suicide.  Read these as you continue to think about Judas, and the possibility that God gave him grace.

Wednesday                                                                 Matthew 27:1-9

Judas tried to make things right, but it was too late. The chief priests would not be dissuaded from their agenda of killing Jesus. Guilt-ridden and overwhelmed, Judas gave up. But think about it… where could Judas turn? The other 11 disciples would certainly reject him, even though Jesus always urged love and forgiveness. And, if Jesus truly were God’s son, Judas couldn’t turn to God, right? Killing the Son of God is something you don’t come back from. Judas didn’t have the benefit of seeing Jesus rise from the dead. Thus, the only difference between us and Judas is that we have a resurrected Jesus to pray to. What do you think would have happened if Judas had seen the risen Christ?

The 11th Hour (5.5)

This week, you’ll read an assortment of verses commonly used to discuss suicide.  Read these as you continue to think about Judas, and the possibility that God gave him grace.

Tuesday                                                                         Romans 8:38-39

These two verses declare that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Nothing. That means that there is always hope. A few years ago, I (Wade) counseled the family and friends of a young man who committed suicide. They were certain that, even though the boy professed faith in Christ and had a connection to his local church, he went to hell. There was no hope. Obviously, they were devastated. This instance revealed something about their perspective of God that was troubling to me: God would abandon someone who needed him most. Think about it. Would the God who promises to never leave us nor forsake us, especially in our darkest hours, leave someone who fell victim to temptation during their worst hour? I can’t with clear conscience say that God would ever do that, especially in light of the verses today. Nothing can separate, so there is always a possibility of redemption.

 

The 11th Hour (TJL 5.4)

This week, you’ll read an assortment of verses commonly used to discuss suicide.  Read these as you continue to think about Judas, and the possibility that God gave him grace.

Monday                                                                         James 3:13-17

For those who struggle with depression, suicide sometimes feels like the only way out. Today’s passage, not ordinarily used for suicidal issues, reveals a duality of wisdom. Some “wisdom” does not come from heaven but is “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.” However, wisdom that comes from God is pure and reflects the fruit of the spirit. Discernment between these two wisdoms is key. How do you tell whether or not the wisdom you hear in your mind and heart truly come from God? 

The 11th Hour (TJL 5.3)

Some have said of Judas and many who commit suicide, “If he were really a Christian, he wouldn’t have done this.”  The verses today offer two perspectives. In one, sin is unchristian. In the other, sin is something that even Paul continued to struggle with. So the question remains: can a Christian struggle with sin? I think we can all answer yes to that. So could Judas, or any Christian, have a moment of weakness and fall prey to suicidal thoughts and actions? The only difference between this sin and others is that there is no way to repent from suicide, as its consequences are permanent. Some have said that if there is no confession, then there is no grace. But what do you say? Does the same apply to people who die untimely deaths without confession or repentance of sin?

The 11th Hour (TJL 5.2)

This week, you’ll read an assortment of verses commonly used to discuss suicide.  Read these as you continue to think about Judas, and the possibility that God gave him grace.

Friday                  1 Corinthians 3:10-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Some have used these passages as evidence that there is no hope for those who commit suicide. However, a closer look at the context of these verses shows that these words refer to 1) the destruction of the theological foundation of a person’s life, and 2) the defilement of one’s body through impure acts (immorality). Have you ever heard these verses used to relate to suicide? Why do you think people would use them for that purpose?