Prayer
What is the 21 Days of Prayer?
One of the great mysteries and joys of life is that our God is both infinitely glorious and relationally close. As followers of Jesus, we get to talk to and hear from the Creator of the Universe. This is the heart of prayer: a living conversation with a loving God.
But anyone that has prayed knows that it’s not always as sentimental as it sounds. Prayer can be hard, at times boring, and requires a consistent commitment. The good news is that it’s also less complicated than we may think. Just like the twelve disciples, we begin by offering a simple request, “Lord, teach us to pray”.
Our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting are designed to guide us in laying a foundation of prayer before forging ahead into this new year.
Why Do This?
As we structure our days around prayer and eliminate digital distractions, we are asking God to form us to become more like Jesus instead of passively allowing hurry, striving, and the cultural anthem of autonomy to deform us.
How do I pray?
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Find your “thin place” - your designated place to meet with God. (Mark 1:35)
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Keep it simple. (Matthew 6:7-8)
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Keep it real. Pray what you’ve got. (Luke 18:10-13)
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Keep it up. (Luke 18:1)
We encourage you to download the 28 Days of Prayer devotional and follow the daily prayer prompts laid out on each day. You can find those for download below.
Before you pray, you may find it helpful to set your phone aside in an effort to create a distraction-free environment or utilize a journal as a tool to write out your prayers and take note of the impressions God is laying on your heart and mind.
Daily Prayer Rhythm
In the Hebrew and early Christian tradition there has always been a daily prayer rhythm to pause and pray - morning, midday, and evening. We see this in the life of Jesus and with the early church. We want to recover this historic practice.
Each morning we want to begin the day with the Lord's Prayer and our daily prayer point. When we pray The Lord’s Prayer (found in Matthew 6 or Luke 11), we submit to the leadership of Jesus, allowing his prayers to guide our prayers. We have also created daily prayer points with scripture for our 21 Days of Prayer that reflects God's desire for us and our community and allows us to be unified together in prayer as an Ethos family.
Each midday we want to create time to pray for the lost. Ask the Spirit to bring to mind people who are far from God, and ask God to restore them to his fold, bringing them salvation.
Each evening we want to end our day in gratitude to God. As you review your day, from morning to evening, give thanks to God for anything and everything for which you are grateful.
Prayer Points
Since many will also be engaging in a digital fast and avoiding screens for the first hour of our day, you may find it helpful to print off these prayer points or grab the physical version at the In This Together table on a Sunday.
Prayer Events
The Digital Fast
The joy of missing out
What is the digital fast?
A temporary intentional break from digital technologies - smartphones, social media, streaming, news, and constant connectivity - to create space for God.
Why Do This?
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To quiet the mental clutter
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To deepen prayer and Scripture engagement
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To strengthen your attention and presence
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To reclaim rest from digital overload
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To re-center identity on Christ instead of online noise
What To Expect
The practice of fasting stands in sharp contrast to our digital, always-on lives. Because digital technology, especially smartphones, is addictive, you may experience some withdrawal in the first few days: nervousness, restlessness, irritability, or heightened emotions like anger, grief, or sadness. Often our devices distract us from unpleasant feelings, so when we remove them, those feelings surface.
The good news is that the benefits quickly outweigh the discomfort. As with any fast, the further you go, the more you become aware of the Holy Spirit’s leading and God’s nearness. Many people immediately report better sleep, improved posture, clearer focus, less tension, more peace, renewed imagination, and a deeper appreciation for the physical world.
This fast is an invitation to a better way of living. Instead of asking, “Can I really do this for 21 days?” ask, “What do I want God to do in me over the next 21 days?” The first question focuses on endurance; the second focuses on transformation. Knowing your “why” will help you persevere and carry healthy digital habits forward.
So stay with it. Trust the process. This is for your good and your growth.
Suggested Core Practices
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Choose at least the following baseline commitments for the entire fast:
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No social media
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No entertainment streaming unless purposeful with family or friends
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No unnecessary notifications
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Phone stays out of bedroom
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No screens for the first hour after waking
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No screens for the last hour before bed
Join us as we do less, more intentionally.
How To Begin
Make your smartphone dumb. Move anything off your phone that you can do on your computer or laptop.
1. Think about your apps in terms of “distraction” vs. “utility.” Ask yourself, “Is this distracting me (or supposed to distract me) or is this something useful?”
Examples of distraction: email, social media, news apps, games, a web browser, video, and shopping apps.
Examples of utility: phone, text, calendar, airline apps, building/garage access, camera, weather.
2. Eliminate screens for personal use and enjoyment.
Examples: gaming devices, streaming services, cable television, etc.
3. Limit digital technology to work apps during work hours on your work devices. Commit to no work outside of work hours.
Use the times you’d typically reach for your phone as a prompt to pray and thank God and encourage others.
Join us as we do less, more intentionally.
Fasting
What is the purpose of fasting?
The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out. It also enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God and prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives. Remember, your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
Types of Fasts
COMPLETE FAST
In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option. (Consult your physician when entering a complete.)
SELECT FAST
This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.
PARTIAL FAST
This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.
SOUL FAST
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.
Teaching on Fasting
We want to continually expand our minds and understanding of the way of Jesus. God wants us to love him not only with our hearts, souls, and strength, but with our minds as well. In the 7 minute video, Pastor John Mark Comer shares three reasons for practicing a fast.