Training Students to Pray: CAST
Many of us have learned the ACTS method of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Obviously, this isn’t following a biblically-commanded framework, but it does provide structure that’ll keep us from only praying one type of prayer. Over the past few years, I’ve modified ACTS to help students CAST their prayers instead. I’ve personally found this to be more approachable for a few reasons that I’ll share as we consider the different elements below.
Teaching students how to pray is obviously an incredibly important part of discipleship. But it’s something we aren’t always sure how to do. The ACTS method of prayer has served youth workers well for a few decades, but I also believe there’s something to gain by mixing up the order by teaching students to CAST their prayers before the throne of grace.
Confession
We are called to confess our sin and to seek repentance. This is an essential part of prayer that reminds us of our need for gospel grace and it keeps us humble. We come to God as beggars.
In my own experience and in conversations with teenagers, this is a natural starting-point to prayer. This kind of self-reflection sets me in a humble posture and invites me to cast off the guilt and shame of my sin, and to be renewed in the joy of my salvation.
Adoration
Now that I have confessed my sin and been refreshed by the gospel, adoration and praise is a natural response. Prayer is an act of worship. It is praising God as God. We do not need to grovel. Instead, we draw near with confidence as dearly loved sons and daughters.
This is a time to consider the attributes and character of God. He is holy, sovereign, loving, compassionate, patient, and omniscient. He also hates sin and hypocrisy and idolatry. When we pray but skip over prayers of adoration, it can be easy to forget the weightiness and significance of prayer as communion with the almighty God who is over all creation.
Supplication
I’ve always thought this to be an awkward and formal way to say “prayer requests,” but who am I to argue with everyone else who’s learned it this way. I simply explain it to students as, “Asking God to supply for your needs and desires.” Sometimes, people can overcompensate from supplication-only prayers by not bringing their requests before the Lord at all. That’s unnecessary. God is our Father in Heaven who delights in giving good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11).
It’s important to give students space to offer prayers of supplication. So much of their lives assumes that life is a matter of chance, this is a faith-building opportunity to equip students to remember God’s providential care for his children. They are not nagging or bothering God, and he’s not too busy taking care of people with cancer to listen to their “smaller” requests.
Thanksgiving
A thankless Christian is an enigma. Remembering the faithfulness of God to provide in specific, real-life ways leads us to be thankful Christians. There are so many reasons to give thanks to God! Ending with thanksgiving rather than supplication closes our prayer time with joy and gratitude, rather than stress and burdens.
How often have each of us prayed, seen God answer that prayer, and then moved on to the next thing while hardly even recognizing that God just answered our prayer? Personally, I know this has been my own story far too often. I know I’m not alone. When youth leaders keep a list of prayer requests from their small groups and then circle back to ask for updates, it can be a powerful way to prompt prayers of thanksgiving.
