Start a G@P Group

Before you Begin

  • 1

    Start with prayer. Ask God for an outpouring of his blessing on the prayer group.

  • 2

    Seek God’s guidance as you prepare for the initial meeting for.

  • 3

    Decide the date, time, and location of the first meeting.

  • 4

    Decide who to invite. Consider inviting grandparents from your church, workplace, family, friends, and neighbors.

Host an Initial Meeting

  • 1

    Open with prayer and a short devotion.

  • 2

    Discuss why you want to start a G@P group.

  • 3

    Decide upon the following:

  •       Meeting place and how often to meet.
  •       Time for the meeting to begin and end. We recommend an hour to 1½ hours.
  •       Structure for the meeting, i.e., devotionals and who is responsible for the next meeting.

Meeting Format

G@P groups are as different as the grandparents and the grandchildren for whom they pray. Some groups meet in homes; others meet in churches. Some share food and fellowship; others don’t. Our most unique G@P group is made of two sisters who pray over the phone on Monday mornings before they go to work.

If you have never led a Bible study or prayer group, here are some recommendations:

  • Be faithful in meeting on time and on a regularly scheduled basis with a commitment to spend at least one hour in prayer (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly).
  • Refreshments are optional.
  • When meeting in a home, decide ahead of time how you will handle the phone and doorbell during the meeting. The prayer time should be uninterrupted.
  • Agenda and suggested time frame:
    • Welcome & Fellowship (5-10 min). Casual greeting, refreshments (optional), and initial connection.
    • Opening and Focus (5 min). A brief, opening prayer to dedicate time to God.
    • Devotion (10-15 min). Short devotion or scripture.
    • Sharing Requests (20-30 min). Go around the group to share, but keep it brief to maximize prayer time. Designate a “scribe” to record requests.
    • Prayer Time (30-45 min). Use various methods (see below) to pray for the collected requests, praise, and specific topics.
    • Closing (5 minutes). A final prayer to thank God for the time together and to celebrate answered prayers.
Bring to the Meeting

  • A notebook for names of all children and grandchildren in the group, prayer requests, and answers to prayer.

  • Photos of your family to share with the group are optional.

Prayer Time
  • Start the meeting with praise, thanksgiving, and acknowledging God for who he is (such as Creator, Great Physician, the One Who Sees, Love, Mercy, etcetera).
  • Share praises from previously shared prayer requests.
  • Share prayer requests. Then pray as guided by the Holy Spirit. Keep prayers short and simple. This encourages everyone to participate. God speaks during silent times; God hears the sincerity of your hearts. Members should be brief when sharing their requests to ensure there is plenty of time for prayer.
  • Keep focus on praying for grandchildren and their parents; minimize discussion of prayer requests for other people.
  • Please remember that the prayer requests are confidential and should not be discussed with others because of privacy and confidentiality issues.
  • Remain flexible to follow the Spirit’s guidance. Silence is okay.
  • People should pray as they feel comfortable. This will help those who are new to praying with others not to feel pressured.
Prayer Methods
  • ACTS Model: Adoration (praise), Confession (personal/group), Thanksgiving (gratitude), Supplication (needs).
  • Conversational Prayer. Praying like a conversation with God rather than long, comprehensive prayers.
  • Popcorn Prayer. Short, one-sentence prayers on one topic, allowing anyone to pray in no particular order. Praying one sentence at a time can create a more interactive environment.
  • Praying Scripture. Reading a Psalm or Bible verse and turning it into a prayer.
  • Prayer Exchange. Have different people pray for someone else’s request.
Closing

Give thanks for answered prayers and end with the Lord’s Prayer.

Frequently Asked Questions

You only need one other grandparent. Remember that Christ said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).

Theoretically, no. Many groups find it beneficial to limit their size to 8-12 members, then split into two groups if the initial group exceeds that number.

This decision should be determined by your group. Some G@P groups meet weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly. The most important thing is that the group meets on a regular schedule.

The structure should be determined by your group. G@P groups vary as much as the grandparents who form them. Some begin with a fellowship, while others start with a brief devotional. Some even have a potluck dinner, whereas others gather solely for prayer.

Meetings take place in homes, at churches, over Zoom, etc. Ultimately, the decision rests on what is comfortable for your group; however, we advise selecting a location with minimal distractions.

One hour is the recommended time limit, unless you are having a meal. Limiting the length of meetings keeps people from going off topic.

Grandparents need to give a verbal commitment. While situations arise and emergencies occur, grandparents should attend as many meetings as possible.

There is no monetary cost. Christian Grandparenting Network requests that groups contact us with the facilitator’s email address and the group’s meeting times. Please contact Christian Grandparenting Network’s Prayer Coordinator, Terri Sherrow ([email protected]).

G@P groups provide a safe place for grandparents to share openly. We recommend ensuring privacy in the following manner:

  1.   Each group needs to stress that whatever is shared within the group is confidential; whatever is shared within the group, stays within the group.
  2.   Any grandparent concerned about privacy issues should refrain from referring to his or her grandchild by name. Instead, “my grandchild” or “my grandchildren” should be used.
  3.   Relationships will form as the grandparents pray together. Privacy becomes less of an issue with groups that have developed trust among their members.
  4.   Grandparents need to pray only for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Restricting prayers for extended family members, neighbors, and friends reduces privacy issues.