• Welcome everyone and particularly any newcomers this week.
• Remind each other of the vision of CIS and the purpose of the weekly group meeting. (Consider using CIS videos and resources to keep this fresh each week).
• Remind those graduating to fill in this form using a non-university email address so Christians in Sport can stay in touch with them after they leave university.

1. In pairs look back on your week of sport and discuss how last week’s group meeting helped you. Follow up with anything people asked for prayer about.
2. In pairs share prayer points for the week of sport ahead and spend time praying for each other.

Some weeks pray more widely for other clubs and teams in your university which are not represented in the group. Alternatively, you can also use the CIS prayer diary to pray for the whole mission of CIS.

You might also want to use this slot to discuss and plan your evangelistic event for the term and pray specifically about it.

Intro

As Christian students worshipping Christ and witnessing for him in our university sports club this session will help us consider how we approach God in payer.

Read

Psalm 86:1-12

Reflect

How does knowing God’s character help you approach him in prayer?

Explain

Through sports highs and lows we often turn to the people we know, trust and appreciate when we want to celebrate or commiserate. Knowing their character helps you to be honest and real with them.

This can be true of how we approach God in prayer. In Ps 86 notice the way David turns to God in prayer. He is not shy in giving his thoughts, feelings and desires to God; “hear”, “guard”, “save”, “have mercy”. How can he speak to God like this?...because he knows God’s character.

Verses 6, 8-10 help us see the greatness of God and his incomparable qualities. And it is on this basis that we can turn to him in prayer and tell him how we’re feeling.

Finally, notice where knowing God’s character leads David. After calling out to our great God his desires move to one of praise (v12). Knowing the truth of God’s character, speaking regularly to him in prayer and help us step out in praise, as enable us to glorify him in and through our lives as we live for him in our sports clubs and teams.

Discuss

1. How do you find being real with God in prayer? Does anything hold you back?
2. What encourages you about God’s character in this Psalm and how can you remind yourself of this more often?
3. Why do you think prayer and praise so intricately linked?

Pray

• Praise God for who he his
• Ask God to help you be honest with him about your thoughts, feelings and desires.
• Pray that as you call out to God in prayer this would move you to praise and give you opportunities to glorify him in your sports club today.

Update everyone on the key messages for the week. These might include:

• Sharing the student sign up link
• Promoting your evangelistic event for the term
• Reminding people about carol services and other events the group can make use of.

Encourage group members to sign up for Back Pages Online to stay up to date with the latest videos, blogs, stories, podcasts and prayer content from Christians in Sport.