The case study below highlights the challenge of guiding a church's prayer life. For help with planning prayer services for your congregation, see our newest download.
The Case
"This church hardly ever prays together," complained Joan, a 40-something church leader. "The only times for congregational prayer are during the services and 30 seconds before our committee meetings." An older man named Bill also chimed in, "Whatever happened to our midweek prayer service? The pastor dropped it five years ago, but that should be the lifeblood of our church."
As the conversation continued, there was a clear consensus among church leaders that Grace Church desperately needed a church-wide prayer awakening. Unfortunately, the traditional model of the midweek prayer service wasn't working anymore. So all the church leaders looked to Pastor Mark to either revitalize the midweek prayer time or jump-start corporate prayer another way. But Pastor Mark, who longed for a prayer awakening in the church, didn't know where to start. Sadly, the deep longing for prayer left Pastor Mark feeling defensive and burdened with yet another program to organize. And the church leaders felt disappointed with Pastor Mark's apparent lack of spiritual leadership.
What Would You Do?
- Who is responsible for the prayer life of the local church? What is the pastor's role? The lay people's?
- What would you recommend as a good starting action for this church board?
What Happened
Pastor Mark gathered the leaders who were passionate about corporate prayer. "Let's be honest," he confessed, "some of you are much more gifted than I am in the areas of intercessory prayer and in administration. We all desire an awakening of prayer in our church. But if it's just up to me, it's not going to happen. Some of you have the passion and the gifts to pull it off. We must release you to pursue the ministry that God has already placed in your heart.
"But there's just one condition," Pastor Mark continued. "We have to think outside the box. If the midweek prayer service doesn't work, let's find something that does. Be flexible and creative."
Joan and her husband took up the challenge. They enlisted another couple and started dreaming about what a prayer awakening would look like at Grace Church. Along with Pastor Mark, they also carefully prayed about specific events. Then the two couples organized semi-annual prayer vigils, a weekly prayer focus for the church bulletin, a day-long workshop on personal prayer, and other events to ignite a spirit of prayer at Grace Church. As a result, prayer moved from the margins to the center of church life.
Taken from Prayer & Awakening
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Comments
How true it is that often corporate prayer times can be dead, boring and a seeming waste of time. But they need not be. In fact, the complete opposite is true. They should be the life of a church. If prayer is truly centered upon seeking the face of God rather than putting in your time and tredging through a prayer list, the time spend will awaken His people. Prayer, just like any other Christian activity can be done in the flesh or in the Spirit. Jesus obviously preferred the latter. Time and again throughout scripture God extends His welcome for His people to come and seek Him. May we draw respond with no other agenda than to know Him, with whole dependence upon The Spirit of God. That is how the Church began. He is indeed worthy to be sought.
And on a side note, the prayer level of a church will never rise above that of its leaders.
I would suggest reading "Fresh Encounters" by Daniel Henderson. It is a powerful book on how to lead the church in corporate prayer.
Posted by: Clark Crebar | September 10, 2009 8:46 AM
Prayer is a vital part of a churches life. If prayer is weak so is all other parts of the churches ministries. Without prayer their is no involvement of God.
Programs and ideas can spark people to begin praying, but it can not be crux upon which a person relies. Yes, there are some who are called to intercession and have no problem praying for an extended period of time. But prayer is a result of a relationship with Jesus. It is spending time with him. It is laying aside all other things that get in the way of spending time with him.
I have found that the lack of prayer shows a lack in relationship with Jesus and or a heart of unbelief and or a refusal to let go of things of this world and grasp onto what God has for us.
Posted by: LS | September 10, 2009 9:35 AM
Prayer is literally the glue to our church. It's what sustains us as believers! I think prayer should be at LEAST once a week. As a worship leader I tell members of the worship team that prayer is the most important service of the week. Prayer is where we move the heart of God. We had times where no one wanted to come to prayer but that doesn't mean prayer services should end. That just points at how sad the life of the church has gotten. When we are too busy or just don't feel like going to prayer. Corporate prayer is powerful, effective and necessary. Without prayer a church will perish. This is a really interesting article and I think the church finally took steps in the right direction. I don't mean to sound condescending at all I just get really upset that prayer often gets pushed to the back burner of the Christian life when it is literally our lifeline.
Posted by: Natalie | September 17, 2009 12:20 PM