Am I In The Church Where God Wants Me To Be?

Howdy saints. I've been following this website for a long time. greatly appreciate the messages and encouragements I find here. I'm throwing out a question that maybe someone might be able to help me get a definite answer for.
I've been part of a church where I live for about six years. My family and I moved to this city and felt good about fellowshiping here.

Very close to my heart is prayer for our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church. I'm able to post a world map at our church where I monthly post prayer requests for different areas of concern re:persecution. This has been a positive. But here's the ache I have.
For over two years I've hosted a monthly prayer meeting at my home specificially for the persecuted church. Most times no-ones turned up. Now and then one or two folk have come along and our prayer time has been very good.

How long do I slog out encouraging, reminding, promoting prayer for my persecuted brethren when it seems by and large, there's no interest, sadly very little interest from our churches leadership, and the congregation in general?

I'm one of those guys who doesn't like changing churches, but maybe there's signs I'm missing saying I need to go where there's a similar passion and vision to what fuels my heart.
Or maybe I should stay where's there's no like passion to be a channel through which God can touch hearts.

I'm writing this cos I'm sitting in my living room after another prayer meeting "no show", and I have to confess I'm feeling a little discouraged

Any pearls of wisdom out there as I seek God's direction in this?

Are You Ready to be Poured Out as an Offering? By Oswald Chambers

If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ””Philippians 2:17

Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer””to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, "I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, ‘Well done.’ ”

It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a "doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach you to say, "I know how to be abased…” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket”” to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted”” not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.

Yes, did God speak for you to go? I would continue to wait and pray. May God bless you brother and mightily for the work you are doing.

Otherwise, if you have no issues with the teachings of your place and you believe you are truly under anointed shepherds with no controversies, is fellowship also there...then i would not leave till there is confirmation.

To me it appears that it is your personal burden to pray for the persecuted. Yes the Bible commands us to do. But that is just one part of our command. You cannot expect your burden to be the burden of the Church.

The primary Burden of the Church is to raise up disciples. Not evangelism or even mission work. But to make those who are committed to the Church as a disciple of Jesus. All other are burdens of members of Church. The individual members can be evangelists, teachers, prophets, healers etc.

Ask God to show you brothers of similar burden (prayer for persecuted), in your Church and you seek to fellowship with them. May be you going to meet them, instead of expecting them to respond to you.

According to me, a Church is symbol of Body of Christ. So the same representation of Jesus body when he lived on this earth. When Jesus asked his disciples, whether do you want to leave as well, Peter answered them saying 'You have the words of Eternal life'. So this is our need as well from any Church. As long as there are words in the word that leads you to Eternal life, we are good to stay there. Nothing else is important.

I am sure your Church will have individual prayer meet. If not then ask your Church leadership to start one, because 'His House should be a house of Prayer'. In those prayer meet, you pray for your burden which is for persecuted Church.

Jesus said, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Where's your heart?
Where's there heart?

Do you hear Him?

Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay!

Pray and listen!

I did not take the time to read anybody else's posts so this may be a repeat and of no value. While home fellowships have a great deal of value I might think of having the prayer meeting at the church location you attend, people generally hate change even if it is just location change. What I would do next is open the prayer meeting up to a prayer wall with not only the persecuted saints world wide but also introduce needs closer to home. You may have to go it alone for a bit, it is hard work being the man behind the plow when as a farmer you prepare the field, but eventually the Lord will add numbers and orchestrate circumstances in peoples lives where they will join you. You may also want to erect a testimony wall of answered prayer to demonstrate the Faithfulness of God and show His response to your groups prayers. As for discouragement? That is part of our walk Brother, you must be on the right path. God Bless you. Bro DMiller

Thank you all for your comments
Encouraging corporate prayer in general is another source of angst in my life but as some of you have said, the main thing is am I doing what Jesus told me too do.
My logon name "nowhere else" comes from John 6 when Jesus asked His disciples "Do you want to leave me too" after He laid some serious stuff on the following, fast retreating masses!
I know the only path worth walking is in my Lord's footsteps even if it involves discouragement and frustration at times. So I guess I've answered my own question.
Also I've walked with Jesus long enough to not trust my own heart, and I'm not so arrogant to think every Christian must have the same burdens as me.
My greatest prayer for the western church, I'm in New Zealand, is that we would be revived with a fresh fire for God's presence and life. That His heartbeat would be our heartbeat.
That's why I'm thankful for sites such as this.
Be blessed my brothers and sisters.

As someone that has actually witnessed a church try and discourage people from having bible study groups at home, sometimes I wonder if all churches feel the same, but don't talk out loud about it. A lot of pastors don't want their sheep being taught by folks unless it's within the church walls, I know you stated prayer sessions, but my guess is they get the same support. I have seen church members go to church staff and ask about activities outside the church, that don't totally involve the church, they look down their noses at you.

by MrBillPro
sometimes I wonder if all churches feel the same, but don't talk out loud about it. A lot of pastors don't want their sheep being taught by folks unless it's within the church walls,

You didn't say this word but it's all about "control." And they can't control something about.

nowhereelse, years ago, I felt led to start a prayer meeting and I had it at the church, he gave me a key and everything but I can't remember him ever endorsing it from the pulpit and he never attended himself either. He let me put up signs and stand up and invite people but after 6 or 8 months the church folded and I stopped.

But I learned something (in the south), that people never go anywhere without talking to the pastor (covertly) first to get "his" opinion of what you're doing. And even if he is FOR your meeting, if it's not important enough for the pastor to attend, then not many others will attend either.

David Wilkerson said once (paraphrased of course), "If any pastor or person in leadership who doesn't attend our prayer meeting, they won't be in leadership long." He understood prayer and the importance of every person being there to pray.

Maybe you could change it to a "prayer" meeting where anyone with problems could come? Just a thought.

Many blessings with your prayer meeting and don't give up,
God bless,
Lisa