It’s often been said that the prayer meeting is the “power-house” of a church – so if we all know that then is it really necessary to speak about whole-church prayer?
- In truth, in every single church I know, the prayer meeting is not as well attended as you might think.
- Also, I don’t know any Christian who thinks their prayer life is as healthy as it could be.
Most Christians would like their prayer meetings to be a spiritual power-house, though many of them would also like not to have to go themselves. You end up with a lovely big car powered by a lawn mower engine. Hardly a power house.
So let’s see the church as Christ sees her.
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church Wirral in February 2025. You can find more in the series in our Sermon Index.
Gather for prayer
In Matthew 21:13, Jesus quotes Isaiah to say that the temple was to be a “house of prayer”. This church is to be that now.
The book of Acts shows how significant events in the church are linked to times of prayer, whether by one person or everyone:
- In Acts 1:14 we’re told They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women…
- And then, in Acts 1:24 when they needed to replace Judas to have 12 apostles, Matthias was chosen in prayer.
- They were already all together for the day of Pentecost.
- And there’s a famous description of the early church in Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer – “devoted”, notice.
- Peter and John were on there way to pray in Acts 3:1 when persecution began, and on their release in Acts 4:23-31 the church gathered to pray for boldness to continue.
- When the first 7 deacons were selected in Acts 6:1-6, the apostles laid hands on them and prayed.
- Stephen’s dying words were a prayer for his persecutors in Acts 7:60, and then in Acts 8:1-2 evangelism exploded as the church fled under more persecution.
- Acts 10:9 has Peter praying on his roof in a critical moment in the growth of the church: The gospel to Gentiles.
- In Acts 13:1-3, the leaders at Antioch were worshipping and fasting when God set Paul and Barnabas apart for missionary work.
- Then in Philippi there’s an emphasis on prayer as Lydia, the slave girl, and the jailor were saved (Acts 16:13, 16, 25) – the first European Christians.
The point is that major steps forward in gospel work were always accompanied by prayer, and worked through people who prayed.
Priority of prayer
No wonder Paul puts prayer as a church’s priority in 1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone…
If you ever read about revivals down the years they all start with people praying.
Our own experience of God’s recent blessing here in Bromborough can be traced to a prayer meeting on 6th Feb ’22.
It’s worth saying that although gathered prayer is clearly meant to be utterly normal for a church, there isn’t a command for it: The gospel goes to people in every culture. Slaves don’t get to choose whether they can go to a prayer meeting. Likewise there’s grace for those who are in oppressive regimes like North Korea, and grace for those who are simply ill or housebound.
But gathering to pray with other Christians is what normal, healthy Christians should do.
Not gathering is sometimes inevitable in life, but that should be the exception.
So prioritise. In your weekly diary there are usually some immovable items: Make the prayer meeting one of them.
See the church as Christ sees her:
- Some of his people gathering to pray; some unable to.
- But others who are just out of the habit, who don’t see the point, or just can’t be bothered, watching TV.
- He condemned the church at Sardis for having a reputation for being alive but being spiritually dead. Great Sunday worship, but lacking true time with God. Disconnected.
You really must gather for prayer.
Gather to God
Prayer is, above anything else, time with God. It’s why Jesus prayed: He loved to be with his Father.
It sounds obvious to say that we’re to gather to God in prayer, but we need to be deliberate about it.
When Christ wrote to the church at Laodicea he said he was standing outside knocking to come in – while the church were presumably having a nice time inside without him.
Approach God with awe
Ephesians 2:18 says For through him [Christ] we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
- The privilege of prayer is astonishing.
God is infinite in his holy perfection, beyond comprehension in every aspect of his being.
- He is your creator, with the right and the might to command
- You’re a created being, and your very existence is subject to God’s will.
- And what do you do? You sin against him, as if you knew better than him.
- So he sent Jesus, the eternal Son – for whom and through whom everything was created, one with the Father from everlasting to everlasting – to become human.
- Jesus came to die to take the punishment your sins deserve.
- And you can turn to this God and ask his forgiveness, and he will forgive.
- You’re credited with righteousness by Christ’s work – so you have access through Christ to the Father.
- And as he gives you the Holy Spirit to dwell in you, you now pray to the Father through Christ in the Spirit!
The eternal triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) has enabled you to pray and is active in your prayers so that you will be heard. Approach him with awe!
Approach God with boldness
Since God enables such prayer by his own will – rather than by your own sense of worth or deserving, you can approach with boldness. He calls you to pray!
Hebrews 4:16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Delight in God himself
You’re not going to the corner shop for groceries; nor are you going to a cash machine. Prayer isn’t even like going to a powerful genie to have your wishes granted. Prayer is time with God. It’s time with your Father, through Christ, in the Spirit. A time to revel in who he is, and to enjoy his company.
If you think of prayer as just ‘asking for things’ then you’re not thinking enough about who you’re coming to.
Rejoice in his sovereignty
Gary Wallis preached here a few years ago and helpfully pointed out the 5 answers that God gives when you pray: Yes; No; Not yet; Do it yourself; You don’t need to know that.
God is perfectly wise and knows the best good for your prayers. But more, he actually binds his sovereignty to our prayers. Would we have grown as a church, if we hadn’t gathered on that February evening 3 years ago? It’s a redundant question, because the Lord knew we would meet and was preparing things in the lives of his people to bring them here.
Prayer is a lively activity, to a personal God. We never, ever ‘say’ prayers. We pray.
See the church as Christ sees her: Personal, loved, intimate. Gather to God.
Pray for one another
The apostle Paul opens his letters by saying how much he prays for the churches he’s writing to.
- E.g. 2 Thess 1:11 …we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling.
And he includes prayers for the churches in his letters:
- E.g. 2 Thess 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father… encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.
Paul also asked for prayer from the churches
- E.g. 2 Thess 3:1 …pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored…
James encourages you to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another (James 5:16), reminding you that The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
It might seem obvious that you ought to pray for one another, but it’s still good to ask why we should: See the church as Christ sees her. When everyone here prays regularly for everyone here, it’s a display of whole-church care. Every member of the body praying and caring about every other member.
Again, it’s not an optional add-on for certain ‘really spiritual’ Christians – it should be totally normal for you.
Getting organised
So get access to the church prayer list and use it every day:
- It’s either on PrayerMate or the Church App (press the ‘heart’ in the bottom right corner).
- You’ll have four lines each day of people or families to pray for in this church.
- Pray for one another.
But also think about what you’re praying. Think about what Paul prays for in the churches: Spiritual growth, increasing knowledge of God, a depth of love, encouragement etc.
- He certainly did pray for people who were ill etc, but not so as to neglect the spiritual realities.
- So pray for one another’s spiritual health; do it often.
And get to know the church – these people in this room.
Know the names on the church prayer list enough to pray meaningfully for everyone. We are still small enough.
Also, so that we can pray for you, raise things of joy or concern to you at the prayer meeting. It’s so encouraging to hear your brothers and sisters pray for you. You might think your ‘thing’ isn’t as important as other people’s. But that doesn’t make it not worth praying for. And if your concern is simply too painful or sensitive for a larger group, meet with 1 or 2 or 3 others, and pray. You will grow in Christ and in love as you do so.
Pray for the lost
If we cared for the unsaved as much as we ought then our prayers and prayer meetings would be consumed with it.
When Paul thought about his Jewish countrymen who had rejected the gospel of Christ, he said I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood… (Romans 9:3)
He’d go to hell himself if he could for them. No wonder he prayed and asked others to pray for his ministry among unbelievers.
And you might recall Jesus’ own grief and tears over Jerusalem who rejected God (Luke 19:41): As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it.
The thing is, the church is described as a ‘kingdom of priests’. A huge part of that is that we are to intercede with God for the unbelieving people around us. It’s part of who you are, part of what you were saved for. So pray for the outreach of the church. You might not be directly involved in all the activities, but you must take your responsibility to pray seriously.
God binds his sovereignty to you your prayers, so pray!
Pray for boldness and effectiveness for yourself and everyone.
That’s what they prayed for in Acts 4 and the building shook!
In your own prayer life, have a selection of specific people for whom you are praying: Family members, work colleagues, neighbours.
So pray every week for visitors to the church: On top of that, pray that people would be saved, knowing God’s forgiveness and adoption and blessing. So also pray for baptisms, and church growth, and more witnessing.
Christ’s own compassion
See the church as Christ sees her.
- He loves sinners enough to come and die to save us.
- Does he see the same compassion and love in his body (the church) as he has in his own heart?
- Does he see grief and concern in you for the people of this community?
- Pray for the lost.
Summary
- Gather for prayer. It’s utterly normal for all Christians in the New Testament. Don’t be weird. Worse, don’t be sinfully lazy. You’re not answerable to me; justify your nonattendance to Jesus.
- Gather to God. Remember who he is, and gather with awe, confidence, and delight. Rejoice in his sovereignty; he will answer, and he will answer well. He binds his sovereignty to your prayer
- Pray for one another: In detail, with both material and spiritual concerns.
- Pray for the lost: As a kingdom of priests, with Christ’s compassion.