Brisbane's Citywide Prayer Breakfast

The Brisbane Lord Mayor's Prayer Breakfast is an annual prayer gathering of Christian pastors, leaders and associates, including leaders from the civic administration, business community and state government.

The Lord Mayor's Prayer Breakfast is now in its 7^th year. I was a member of the original group of key church leaders who met with the previous Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman, to discuss this citywide prayer breakfast concept. The prayer breakfast became the initiative of the Lord Mayor and this small group of key church leaders. The Lord Mayor agreed to host the prayer breakfast for the church to gather and pray for the city, state and nation. This breakfast has since become an annual feature of the Brisbane City Council and Brisbane church calendar, as it represents the gathering of church, civic and community leaders from all denominations and backgrounds.

The breakfast seeks to:

- call on our God and Father for His grace, mercy and blessing upon the people of the city, state and nation...

- encourage the church to pray for those who govern and give leadership in the community...

- motivate the church to reach out in love, hope and care to their fellow citizens...

- inspire the church in its witness and mission.

It is our belief that as we gather together in Christ's name, we will be greatly encouraged in our faith through participating in the breakfast. It's good to pray at all times and also alone; but there is a specific place for corporate prayer on occasions like this.

We see it as a privilege that the church can gather freely in our nation and to call on our God and Father in corporate prayer and we should never underestimate the power and impact that it has on all spheres of authority and influence.

Over the years we have witnessed at these breakfast's not only inspiring and challenging speaker's, but people making new friends and networking with others across denominational lines, business and a variety of community groups. Opportunities have arisen to network with others outside the breakfast, leading to cooperative missional activities for the good of the kingdom.