13th Aug 2025

How to pray 'the Examen'?

Over the last month or two, there have been multiple times when someone has mentioned the 'examen' from the front as a helpful spiritual practice in our lives.

If you are unfamiliar with it, the examen is a centuries old Christian spiritual practice popularised by St Ignatius. It is a simple yet powerful form of structured prayer and reflection meant for the end of our day. The format is flexible enough to also be used at any time to prayerfully reflect on any season or circumstance as needed.

With the examen being somewhat flexible and adaptable, there are many small variances if you look online for 'how to pray the examen'. Broadly speaking, there are five movements in the prayer:

1. Become aware of God's Presence and Love

   Start by finding a time and place to slow down and be still in the Presence of God towards the end of the day. Become attentive to His love for you, and invite the Holy Spirit to help guide your prayer.

   
   

2. Review the day with Gratitude

   Look back over your day and give thanks to God for the connections, opportunities, gifts, joys and blessings you experienced (both big and small).

   
   

3. Pay attention to your Emotions

   Look back over your day and pay attention to your emotions and responses throughout it. Consider what these emotions may reveal and what God may be communicating through them.

   
   

4. Focus on one aspect of the day to Pray Into (repent of short-comings)

   Was there specific moment that stands out as significant to your discipleship journey? Perhaps a moment where you either withdrew or drew closer to God and who He is calling you to be. Many who practice the examen use this part of the examen to repent of the ways we fell short, and to receive God's forgiveness afresh.

   
   

5. Look towards Tomorrow

   Close by considering what tomorrow holds, and express your desire to live more fully in God's will. Ask for God's guidance, wisdom and peace for the day ahead.

As you could imagine, the examen model of prayer can be as short as a few minutes or as long as you give space for reflecting and praying. Ultimately, the power is not found in the examen itself (that is just a scaffold). The power is found in the praying, mindfulness and reflecting together with God.

Last Sunday we talked about the transforming power of including practices of ongoing repentance in our Christian walk/run, and the examen is a great example of such a practice. If you have never given the examen model of prayer, we encourage you to give it a go!

For a great 2 minute video example of what praying the examen might sound like, check out the video found at https://www.jesuits.org/spirituality/the-ignatian-examen/

Mission Update: News from Nita Finger

The Jesus Film Project has produced five videos with the audio in the Ngakarimojong language and there was a launch event in Moroto. Nita said they are a useful tool for discipleship. The team is attempting to plant congregations in Timorok and Nataparakwangan, where they plan to do Bible storying in place of a sermon.

Here you see one of the story-cloths (pictures), that goes with the telling.

Nita recently took a brief relaxing holiday, staying by the Nile River – yes, that Nile – and including a visit to some very, very old rock art she’d been waiting years to see.

Nita, who was part of the NVBC family for several years, is now part of Africa Inland Mission (Australasia) team working with the Karamojong people group. You can learn more about Nita’s work here. Or talk to Dianne Wicks. And watch for her prayer points in The Harvest.

Prayer Seminars

We have two amazing prayer workshops coming up which we encourage you to rego for here.

Session 1 (Aug 23) is open to anyone desiring to learn, be equipped and inspired to have a vibrant personal prayer life.

Session 2 (Aug 30) builds on the foundation of Session 1 and is open to anyone desiring to be further equipped and stretched in how to pray for others in person.  

Spotify Playlist

Our worship team have created a Spotify Playlist of our regular Sunday Songs to be a blessing. Feel free to use for your own personal encouragement and devotions during the week, and to help become familiar with the songs we often sing together when we gather on Sundays. Playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ksmDy5kClAayjsBu5QuDV?si=d0dcdf0fe97e4bf6&pt=5159a9dcb35a5590648c933fd9762ba9

This Sunday

This Sunday we continue our 'Taking Ground' series. We will look at the topic 'Embrace Your Calling' with Craig Corkill preaching AM + PM.

Welcome Lunch

Sunday Aug 31

If you have joined us recently, we'd love to invite you to lunch. These are a relaxed time of getting to know one another over a shared meal together. RSVP here.

Combined Churches Worship Night

Sunday Sept 14

The Coast Baptists (network of Baptist churches across the central coast), continue to have a heart of unity and shared mission in the Central Coast. Join us here at NVBC as we host a combined churches night of dinner, worship and prayer.

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