http://www.tendaysofprayer.org/

Matthew 9:15 - And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkC2LpPmfHM&feature=youtube) to watch our video on the origins and purpose of the “10 Days”.

What’s the Purpose of 10 Days:

Revealing Unity:

Revealing and advancing the unity of the Body of Christ 10 Days is intended to bring together Christians from many different traditions, denominations, and ethnicities of a region to seek God together. While a larger body of believers can’t meet as a city or region daily or weekly, an annual season of joining together is attainable. Since the unity of the church is in Christ, the 10 Days is “uniting the Church with Jesus at the center”. Praying for and with one another leads to loving one another more. Ultimately, unity is nothing more or less than love or one another!

Seeking Maturity:

Awakening, strengthening, and purifying the Body of Christ

1. 10 Days is a time of focusing our attention on God and “unplugging” from the world, even from good things like food, work, or recreation

2. It’s like a spiritual overhaul, an extended time of letting God check “what’s under the hood”. Often, this can result in incredible personal transformation

3. God wants the Church to be a “pure and spotless bride!” 10 Days is an opportunity for God to move us into that identity as never before

4. Often, God uses these seasons catalytically to launch us into new acts of service

Desiring Christ’s Return:

“Eagerly waiting” (Romans 8:25) for the return of Christ

• While longing for Christ’s return is a basic concept in Scripture, it’s something that has not been a focus for many of us

• Jesus is not coming back to “marry” a Church that’s indifferent to his return. He’s coming back for a Bride that’s “eagerly waiting” for Him

• The return of Christ can be controversial and we’re not promoting a specific theological perspective on this issue. The simple fact is this: Christ will come again and his followers are to “long for and hasten” his coming (2 Peter 3:12)

Major Themes:

Consecrated Time:

Many of us have experienced the power of a Christian camp, a prayer retreat, or another set-apart time to seek God. The 10 Days is designed to usher many Christians within a given geographical area into this type of experience together. The result is an acceleration of God’s activity as many people and groups have transforming encounters with God within the span of 10 Days. These gatherings, where God’s presence is manifest and many lives are touched, have the potential to spark the transformation of entire communities.

Mourning:

”Mourning” is a major focus for the 10 Days. This word, which sounds so unattractive, really means this: learning at a heart level what we’re missing and what we’ve lost so that we can receive it.

Truth be told, our hearts and minds are often far from aligned with God’s will and purposes. Not only that: most of the time we’re not even aware of our glaring need. To mourn is to recognize our own poverty apart from God’s grace, to turn away from our own futile ways, and to posture ourselves to receive more and more from our generous Father. It’s mourning in hope, longing for the promises of God, aligning our hearts with God’s priorities so that we might see them come, on earth as it is in heaven.

There are three kinds of mourning that we emphasize (Learn more about mourning):

• Personal: God starts with us as individuals, revealing to us how much He loves us and what Christ has won for us. This enables us to throw off false mindsets and begin to have “the mind of Christ” where we see things as God sees them, not with eyes of the flesh. The Holy Spirit is the leader of this process and it’s His presence that enables it. The Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-12) are key to understanding this type of mourning.

• Intercessory: Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9 is a clear example of Intercessory mourning, where Daniel petitions God to return the Israelites to Jerusalem as He had already promised to do. This type of mourning is on behalf of others and because of God’s promises. We pray God’s prayers and promises, “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done” recognizing that around the world there is incredible darkness and suffering affecting real people unless He comes. This time is an opportunity to receive God’s compassion for other people.

• Longing for Christ’s Return: The Bible concludes with a cry for Christ’s return, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” 10 Days is an opportunity to let our hearts feel the weight of His absence so that we can long for His coming.

Fasting: Participating ministries will extend an invitation to 10 days of fasting (Sept 4-14 2013). We recommend that believers consider a Daniel Fast (vegan fast) or a liquid fast for the 10 Days.

Ongoing Worship and Prayer is the heart of the 10 days. Believers are invited to devote this time to corporate worship, prayer, and waiting on God together. These expressions of humility and dependence invite a response from God who “humbles the proud, but exults the humble.”

Evening Gatherings are the most visible part of the 10 days. Each night, a different group of congregations and ministries will host a gathering of worship, prayer, and communion in a different location. If you attend night-to-night, you’ll get to see the fundamental unity and incredible diversity of Christ’s body in your region, and probably make some new friends in the process.

Many Cities: The vision for this time is for many cities/regions to come together at the same time each year. Find out what cities are doing the 10 Days.

Fall Feasts: 10 Days occurs during the Days of Awe on the Biblical calendar, beginning with the Day of Trumpets and ending with the Day of Atonement. These feasts are an important part of our common Biblical tradition. Many believe that the fall feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles) symbolically point to the return of Christ.

Acts of Reconciliation: 10 Days is an ideal time for the Body of Christ to do something together for their community. This may include various acts of reconciliation: corporate action intended to reach out to or bless a particular part of the community that may be estranged. Possibilities include evangelism, a financial gift, sharing a meal together, reaching out to an estranged group, care for the poor, or an apology to groups or individuals that have been offended.