All About 24/7

How did 24/7 Start?

24-7 prayer started by accident in September 1999, with a bunch of young people in Chichester who got the crazy idea of trying to pray non-stop for a month.  God turned up and they couldn't stop til Christmas!

Then, at a meeting in no other place than Central Hall in Southampton, the prayer room 'virus' was released to spread and has since reached many nations, denominations and age-groups. Hundreds of non-stop prayer meetings now link up on the web to form a unique chain of prayer.

What does it involve?

Participating groups pledge to pray 24 hours a day for a week or more in a dedicated prayer-room. They then 'carry the baton of prayer' for that period. The week is split up into 168 hour long slots that people sign up to fill and come and spend with God in the prayer room. Although that prayer week will finish (probably!), the prayer just passes  from location to location in a never ending flow linked up by the Worldwide Web. Right now someone, somewhere is praying 24-7.

What's happening in Southampton?

In Southampton a community has been growing around the concept of 24-7 prayer. We believe that God is calling his church, the ONE church in Southampton to join together in prayer for our city. We believe that it is by faithfully and persistently being with Jesus in prayer that His transforming power will transform us to change the landscape of our city. We feel a renewed excitement for God’s specific purposes for Southampton; there are no Christians here ‘by accident’ in this city, God has put us here to be part of His bigger picture, and the potential for what He will do if we lay down our agendas, look to Him and work together as intercessors, worshippers, evangelists and friends - the one church in Southampton – is INCREDIBLY exciting. We are looking to establish a rhythm of 24-7 prayer weeks that will happen throughout the year in Southampton. People sign up to pray for at least an hour each, and pass on the 'prayer-baton' like a spiritual relay race. We believe that mission is birthed in prayer, and if you fancy the challenge of spending a whole hour alone with God, or even with friends seeking his heart for the lost – then sign up!

Continual Prayer

Bold, persistent prayer is effective. First it changes us. Then it changes the world. Jesus told stories to encourage us to "cry out day and night" (Lk 18) and to persist in prayer.

• Pentecost came to a prayer room.

• Paul urged the Thessalonians to "pray constantly."

• The early church "joined together constantly in prayer." (Acts 1-14)

• Celtic Monks at Bangor Abbey in Ireland prayed continualy for 200 years. A young Celt called Ciaran formed a community in Clonmacnoise near Dublin back in 547AD. Sadly Ciaran died after just 7 months but the community prayed for about 1000 years and sent out missionaries all over the world!

• The pope decreed continual prayer in certain locations in the 15th century.

• In the 18th century, a small community of Moravians began a 24-7 prayer meeting that lasted for over a hundred years, mobilised 3000 missionaries and converted John Wesley!

• Many revival centres today see 24 hour prayer as a necessity. 

"I HAVE POSTED
WATCHMEN ON YOUR
WALLS O JERUSALEM;
THEY WILL NEVER BE SILENT
DAY OR NIGHT. YOU WHO CALL
ON THE LORD GIVE YOURSELVES
NO REST, AND GIVE HIM NO
REST TILL HE ESTABLISHES
JERUSALEM AND MAKES
HER THE PRAISE OF THE
EARTH," ISAIAH
62:6+7

Is It Working?

24-7 Is truly making history! But don't take our word for it, here is what people are saying:

"We left the prayer room at 0435 madly and passionately in love with Jesus." (Teenager)  

"The vision behind 24-7 is directly from heaven.
It just works." (Church Leader, Germany)

"For years I've been trying to get my young people to have a heart for the lost and a desire to pray. Last night I found 8 of them on their faces in the prayer room at 0200 weeping for their non-Christian friends. What's happening?" (Youth pastor, UK)

"It is so important we come together to pray at such a time as this. 24-7 is well positioned to do just that." (George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury)

Why? - This Is Nothing New

24-7 is not a radical discovery. In fact it's the oldest, simplest idea there is... that we were made to walk in intimate friendship with God. 24-7 is just a way of getting as many people as possible to lock themselves in a room with God for an hour and see what happens.  Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment is this...

"To love God."

That's it.

"I sincerely believe that we are now in the beginning stages of the greatest movement of prayer in living memory." (C. Peter Wagner)

"Our 24-7 week exceeded all expectations. It's been one of the most productive (yes - prayer is productive!) weeks I've ever known. People were saved. The lukewarm were ignited and unity made huge steps forward." (Ian, UK)

Why are we praying?

Because we need miracles more than we need strategies
Because the world is a vacuum waiting to be filled
Because the MTV generation is lost in space
Because we've seen the end of the movie
Because this is not the dress rehearsal
Because the poor are getting poorer
Because we're aliens in the world
Because we're too sensible
Because boredom is sin
Because He's
worth it

Intimacy leads to Involvement. Prayer births Mission.

If you want to meet with your Father and be part of a wider community that is seeking His purposes, then C'mon! Pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on you... 

Keep up to date with what is happening in the 24-7 prayer community Southampton by joining the Facebook Group.