Sunday Mornings Are for Discipleship—Praying

 

Over the last several weeks, we’ve posted on thinking about Sunday mornings as opportunities for discipleship. We began seeing why we should be discipleship-oriented on Sundays, then moved to see what that could look like in welcoming others, speaking God’s words, and singing. In this article, I want us to think about how we can pray on Sunday mornings. 

 

Prayer in the Christian Life 

The Christian life is meant to be a life of prayer. Early Christians understood this well.  Read Acts and it’s hard to go a chapter and not read something about the church or an individual believer praying. Someone has said that prayer is like breathing for the Christian; it should be so natural that we barely think of it, yet without it we would die. In fact, it seems like one of the evidences God gives Ananias that Saul was genuinely converted is his praying (Acts 9:11)!

 

Others in church history have seen the necessity of prayer. Spurgeon said that any success in ministry he saw came from people praying for him. Many years ago, New York saw a great revival, which resulted in thousands of conversions. And it began with a few businessmen meeting to pray for the city.   

 

Yet, Christians in this present culture seem to struggle with prayer. I don’t know the reason why. Maybe it’s a variety of reasons?  Is it because prayer requires faith and we are very quick to be self-sufficient?  It is because prayer appears to mere talking when we want to be doing some “practical” or tangible, something that shows immediate “results”? It is because we simply aren’t seeking the Lord as we should, while being satisfied with Christianity-lite? It is because we don’t think we need it, even though all of life is spiritual combat?  Or is it because you feel like no one has ever really taught you to pray?

 

Whole books have been written on the why and how of prayer, so we cannot delve into all of this here. Yet, if this is an area where you simply feel unequipped, please seek out another member or an elder and ask for help. Speaking for myself, I’d be happy to recommend a book or give some practical advice.  Even more, I’d love to get together and just pray together. 

 

Prayer in Church Life

But don’t feel like you have to master prayer before you can pray. Even the smallest of prayers, when offered in faith, are effective and encouraging. Specifically, praying with others in the context of the Sunday gathering can be a means of disciple-making, that is, helping others grow in maturity in Christ. “How?” you may ask. At least two simple ways. 

 

First, your prayer for a person can be the means by which God brings change in their life. 

 

Second, your prayer for a person, in their presence, can be means of teaching them how to better live as a disciple.

 

Consider that before and after the service, there is a lot of conversation. That’s great, but what are you talking about? If it’s about difficult circumstances or spiritual things, we may often say, “I’ll be praying for you.” But how often have we forgotten to do that?  So, why not just stop and pray right there and then? In the foyer, in the hallway, in the row of seats—just say ‘Let’s pray about that” and begin praying for that person’s need. That person would be immediately encouraged and they would be taught, by example, how they ought to respond to others in difficulty. 

 

What’s going to happen if we started do this? At least three things.  To begin, it would normalize prayer on Sundays. Why is there so little organic, informal prayer when over two hundred Christians are gathered together?  Why do we have so few members at our monthly prayer gathering?  Maybe it’s because prayer isn’t what we expect when we’re with God’s people. If that’s true, may God forgive us!  Let’s devote ourselves to prayer as the Spirit desires us to do (Acts 2:42).

 

Next, if we prayed for one another on Sundays, we would see more of God’s work in our lives. It may seem obvious, but it needs to be said: God answers prayer. Thus, Jesus gives us every encouragement to go before him and ask for the good things we need (Luke 11:9–13). His half-brother, James puts it more bluntly: “You do not have, because you do not ask” (Jas 4:2). Paul prayed to see God’s completed work come about in the lives of believers (Phil 1:3–6). Let’s pray for grace God desires to pour out. 

 

Finally, it would deepen our relationships. Talking to each other, spending time together, and having a shared experience and theology are all good ways for relationships to deepen. But nothing makes me feel loved and appreciated more than when someone prays for me.  It’s both humbling and encouraging. It says “I matter to this person.” How could I not when they are calling out to Almighty God on my behalf?  The best thing I can say to someone who asks how they can help is: “Pray for us” (1 Thess 5:25).

 

Prayer in All of Life 

Spurgeon is helpful again when he says, “We cannot all be leaders, but we can all be pleaders.” Every believer can have a part in the ministry of prayer.  That can always be in the prayer closet, with a church directory or prayer cards, or more. But the ministry of prayer can also happen in the trenches and on the frontlines, as it were. 

 

Lay aside any concerns of “not praying well” or making someone “feel awkward.” Pray now. And plan to pray on Sundays. In all of life, take up in the ministry of prayer.