Martin Voegelin is chair of the board of Mission Net, a Europe-wide movement mobilising and equipping young Christians to live a missional lifestyle and let their faith shine before everyone they encounter.

Mission Net is just over a month away from its second major Congress, bringing Christians from across Europe to Erfurt, Germany, for four days of worship, prayer and study over the New Year.

The final phase of preparations is always the busiest but even though time may be short, Martin firmly believes there is one task that cannot fall off the list of things to do - prayer!

“Due to the widespread misunderstanding of prayer as a Christian duty and obligation Christians in Europe are often hindered from living a prayerful lifestyle today," he says.

"With 1,000 different activities and opportunities to distract us, we often fail to benefit from the luxury of stopping for a moment to pray.

"And as prayer ceases, so too do the answers to prayer - our relationship to God becomes ineffective and boring.”

As Chair of the Mission Net board, Martin is keen to maintain a culture of prayer between the board members in spite of the substantial geographic distances between them.

And despite their varying schedules, they frequently exchange personal prayer requests and give each other mutual encouragement amid the inevitable joys and struggles.

When they do get the chance to be together, whether in the physical or virtual, meetings aren't complete without some time out to pray.

“We are accountable to each other to keep the line to God open and alive,” says Martin.

“If we value prayer life as individuals, incorporating prayer into our meetings will come more naturally and easily.

"Our dependency on God’s guidance and intervention is also made clear. Without prayer, Mission Net would not be missional – it would just be another interest-network and neither glorify God nor have a spiritual impact on Europe.”

Of course, he is always grateful when anyone wants to pray on behalf of Mission Net, but all the more so if the young delegates heading to Germany next month take time to pray for fellow participants and everything God might inspire in them through the Congress.

"Pray for participants from your country and from your church, friends you want to motivate to participate.

"But remember," he says, "prayer is primarily a relationship, not an activity.

"It is about being in the presence of God – sharing intimate fellowship with the Creator of the universe. God is seeking fellowship with you!"

His hope is that, rooted in a life of prayer, Christians will be impacted and in turn, impact Europe.

“Let Jesus come into each situation and let him act in and through you - it is a lifelong learning process!"

"My hope is that Jesus would be seen more clearly through our lives and actions in Europe and wherever He is sending us as a result of the Mission Net congress and movement.

"This will transform us and make as agents of transformation around us - Jesus in us and through us.”

Find out more about Mission Net at www.mission-net.org