The Nickel Prayer Defense

Supporting pastors by prayer

The Big Idea

The one thing that Pastor’s request from their congregation more than any other is prayer support. The Nickel Payer Defense is a simple way to remind men to pray for their pastor by name five times each week. A nickel is used as a tangible reminder to the men to pray. Each Sunday, when a man hands his pastor a nickel, it becomes a reminder of the prayers which have been lifted up on his behalf by the man who presents it.

Execution

At two of our three Iron Sharpens Iron Conferences I shared the concept with men as follows:

“Men, this Iron Sharpens Iron Conference is an equipping conference. We want to put tools in your hands to help you walk with Christ and be more effective leaders in your home and church. I want to take a moment right now and give you a simple resource that you can take with you when you leave today.”

“How many of you have ever played football?”

“How many of you have ever watched football?”

“OK, Have you ever heard of the Nickel Defense? Yes, many of you have… You understand the concept of the Nickel Defense… It’s a prevent form of defense. Your are trying to keep the other team from scoring. You want to protect your endzone so you take out a defensive lineman and put in an extra defensive back giving you a defensive set with five, rather than four, defensive backs. Hence the name, Nickel Defense.”

“Now, let’s use this idea of a Nickel Defense as a reminder for us to pray for our pastors.”

“How many of you are pastors in the audience?”

“Is it important for the men in your church to pray for you?”

“Would you like to know specifically that more men are praying for you?”

“Here’s what we’re going to do?” (I typically call a pastor forward at this point to stand with me on the stage.) I hold up a nickel and say to the men, “Guys we’re passing the collection baskets filled with nickels among you right now. I’d like for each of you to take out a nickel and hold on to it, and here’s what I want you to do.”

“Between now and Sunday, I want you to hold this Nickel in your pocket and be reminded to pray for your pastor, by name five times. You could pray that he would be protected from Satan, that he would hear form you during his sermon preparation time, that he would have the wisdom necessary to lead the church, that he would be protected as he confronts challenging situations in the church and community. The bottom line is this, lift him up in prayer, by name, five times during the week.”

“Then, when you see him on Sunday, shake his hand and tell him that you’ve been praying for him and give him the nickel." (At this point I demonstrate by giving the nickel in my hand to the pastor that I’ve called to the stage.)

I tell the men that they are now on the Nickel Prayer Team and they are defending their pastor with prayer. Then I say, “Our theme song for the Nickel Prayer Defense is John Fogerty’s song, Centerfield. Whenever you hear this line from the song, ‘Put me in coach, I’m ready to play, today….’ You should be reminded that you are part of the Nickel Prayer Defense and they are to be praying for your pastor.”

Details

Other than what I’ve stated above, be reminded that you need to have the nickels ready in the baskets for distribution and the audio clip from the song Centerfield ready as well. Remind the men that this is not a one time deal. They can and should do this every week. They can also use the strategy to pray for others as well. What would it look like if a father gave his children a Nickel each week as a reminder of the fact that he was praying for them by name?

Stories

One man who attended a conference with two other men from his church have recruited seven others. They hold each other accountable and now ten men are praying for the pastor by name five times each week. Ten men give the pastor nickels each week.

I don’t even say anything to my pastor about it now, I just shake his hand before the worship service and hand him my nickel. He knows what it represent. There are some mornings when he tells me he’s already received a number of others.

One man who attended the conference has challenged the men from his Sunday School class to join him on the Nickel Defense Team. The pastor of that church told a lady in her congregation that he’s keeps the nickels from him men stacked on his dresser so he’s reminded of the prayers of his men each morning and evening. The stack is growing. I hope it continues.

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