What is the missing ingredient in the post-pandemic church? Why are many churches slow to rebound and reengage in ministry and meaningful discipleship? I assert that corporate prayer is that missing ingredient. When Jesus Christ drove out the moneychangers from the Temple in Jerusalem, he quoted Isaiah, “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13). Perhaps the decline of the church’s influence in culture runs parallel to the decrease of corporate prayer in churches.
The renewed focus upon prayer in the gathered church may be the most critical way to restart the church after COVID. The pandemic has revealed many problems and systemic issues in churches that can only be remedied through faithful prayer. R. A. Torrey, a powerful preacher and proponent of prayer in the early twentieth century, said, “Prayer will bring blessing, definite and rich and immeasurable blessing, to the church; praying will do more to make the church what it ought to be than anything else we can do. Prayer will do more to root out heresy than all the heresy trials that were ever held. Prayer will do more to straighten out tangles and misunderstandings, and unhappy complications in the life of a church than all the councils and conferences that were ever held. Prayer will do more to bring a deep and lasting and sweeping revival, a revival that is real and lasting and altogether of the right sort, than all the organizations that were ever devised by man.” Torrey’s words may bring insight into your church’s need for prayer and renewal.
Here are seven commitments that your church leadership should make to rediscover prayer.
1. Decide to make corporate prayer a primary focus of the church and its ministries.
2. Mandate that prayer is a prerequisite for every ministry in the church. “We don’t do anything in our church without praying for, about, and through the issue.”
3. Schedule prayer as an intentional part of all ministries, small groups, leadership meetings, and church worship services.
4. Pray for people to be saved by and enter a discipleship relationship with Jesus Christ.
5. Develop a dependence upon prayer and the Word of God as the primary means of guiding and growing the church.
6. Create a sense of normalcy concerning praying prayers of repentance and confession of sin. Pray with authenticity.
7. Establish prayer to the One True God as a priority in the lives of the church leadership. The leaders must support a culture of prayer in the church.
John Franklin in And the Place Was Shaken outlines three desires that God has in the prayerful, gathered church: 1) God wants to reveal himself to his people. When God does reveal himself, people will glorify God and learn to be like him. 2) Prayer and the revelation of God through worship and the Scriptures results in people moving toward God’s plan and joining him in his mission. 3) God wants to build his church and minister to and through his people—resulting in true fellowship and transformation. Franklin states simply and beautifully the proper focus of a church.
Here is a practical guide to a “God-Centered Prayer Time” you may use in your church. The format is composed of five segments. Lifeway shared this guide for a prayer worship service in a manual titled Transitional Pastor Ministry:
Focus on God (10 minutes): God desires people to have an intimate relationship with him. Begin the time of prayer with God by highlighting one or more realities about God: who God is, what he can do, what he likes or dislikes, the reality of his presence, his purposes, etc. Use the Bible to share important truths about who God is.
Respond from the Heart (10 minutes): Give the people an opportunity to respond to the truths shared previously. When people focus on God, the redeemed heart will desire to respond as the Holy Spirit guides in surrendering personal agendas, expressing faith and dependence, seeking repentance, offering praise, speaking honestly, sharing thanks, etc. Allow time for people to respond in prayer.
Seek First the Kingdom (15 minutes): Lead people to seek God’s plan for themselves and the church. Use this time to encourage an outward focus on what God wants for his people. Pray for missions, evangelism, impact in the community, serving the lost, reaching out to the homeless, etc. Pray for projects and ministries that God is using in your church.
Present Your Requests (15 minutes): Pray for the needs and concerns in your family, community, and church. Pray for the sick, marriages, financial needs, crises, bereaved, hurting, etc.
Close in Celebration (5 minutes): Closing out the season of prayer will remind people that God provides the answers and resources. You can use different means to respond to the Almighty God who provides, loves, strengthens, and guides. You may sing, clap, read the Bible in unison, say an encouraging word to one another, etc. When God is present, his people will want to respond and rejoice in him.
Perhaps you may use this guide for a special evening of prayer or to serve as a basic outline for church prayer gatherings. Adjust and build on the idea to help enhance group prayer in your church or small group. A leader may facilitate the entire experience or assign responsibilities to other leaders or smaller groups.
May each church find strength and power in prayer in this time of rebuilding and reengaging in ministry.