Let us pray, Church
It is time to get real serious about prayer. If our churches don’t pray, we have lost the battle already. If we want to see something spiritually significant happen in our congregations, we have to lead them to the green pastures and still waters of prayer. Let them know that even in the dark valleys, the Good Shepherd offers His ear to His people.
The pastoral prayer
C. H. Spurgeon wrote that some of his deepest prayer times were while leading his congregation. Pastors, don’t give up this great privilege! Not only are you leading the way into the presence of God as a shepherd should, you are also modelling to your church family: “This then is how you should pray.” Other elders, deacons and staff can certainly lead the pastoral prayer at times, but the norm should be the Senior Pastor leading the way to the Chief Shepherd.
Other congregational prayers
A gathered service often has multiple moments of petition: the invocation, the communion prayer, the benediction, etc. These shorter prayers are also ways to lead and model prayer. They are a prime opportunity to incorporate other members into your worship service. Some may not be comfortable with spontaneous prayers in front of a crowd. Consider encouraging them to write them out, or at least have some notes. Maybe give them a resource such as The Valley of Vision.
Invitational prayer
Many churches use the end of the service for an altar call. This is also an opportunity to invite members and attendees forward who need prayer for something going on in life. I don’t do this weekly, but it is a valuable tool to have in the tool belt of structuring worship services. Consider inviting your elders and perhaps some key female leaders forward to assist in praying for people on a given Sunday. People will almost certainly come forward for prayer.
Weekday prayers
With the advent of social media, this has never been easier. A week is too long to go without some time gathered physically or virtually to spend in the throne room together. Without question, the best practice to come out of the pandemic for my church is our Weekday Noon Prayer. There is a faithful core that hardly misses a day, Monday through Friday. I would attribute any of our fruitfulness during this season of ministry in large part to this prayer time.
Prayer at meetings
This shouldn’t be a rote ritual, done as a sort of habit before or after committee meetings. But it can be a way to clarify the distinction between mere business and a church meeting. What better way to shed the perspective of worldly wisdom than by spending time with the Wonderful Counselor. Ask the Lord to guide, bless, and empower your meeting. Every so often, end with an extended time of prayer. It’s a reminder that God is always the guest of honor at the meeting.
Seasons of prayer
Once in a while, lead the church in a season of prayer: a week, a month, 40 days, etc.. Teach on prayer, encourage fasting, and get people praying. This might be before a major decision for the church, or in preparation for a new ministry. It may be a way of addressing subtle issues creeping up in your church such as political divisiveness or to end a spiritually dry season.
Family devotional prayer
Your spouse and kids should not get the leftovers. They deserve a main course! End the day with a short devotional with your family and pray together. Life happens, and not every day ends this way, but work hard to make it a practice. Let your family know that being a Christian isn’t a job for you; it is your life.
Private prayer
The sweet hour of prayer calls us from a world of care. We shouldn’t expect fruitful ministry, unction in the pulpit, and God-centered worship if we ourselves don’t spend time with God alone. Virtually every pastor feels a tad guilty for neglecting private prayer, and I am no exception. But savor these times, and try not to go long without them.
Recognize answered prayer
Glory in answered prayer. Boast about it to the church! And show the congregation what persistent prayer looks like when that is what is needed. God is a prayer-answering God.
Let us pray, church.
Rick Harrington is a pastor at First Baptist Church - Haverhill in Massachusetts. He is the author of the books "How to Find a Church: Seven Steps to Becoming Part of a Spiritual Family" and "The Weight of Preaching: Heralding the Gospel of Grace". You can follow his writing on his blog The Lamp Post.
