The excerpt below was extracted courtesy of Megan Hill Praying Together’s book Faithful Editor.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that I made this whole book just to write this chapter. The first two parts of the book, Why We Should Pray Together and The Fruits of Praying Together, are essential. It is the necessary biblical reasons to force our conscience and force us to act; but now, considering how, we will deal with something that I consider particularly important, the aspect of prayer with the brothers and sisters that has enriched my soul the most and which I believe is the most vital in the lives of the saints, although perhaps also the most forgotten: the local church in prayer.
- Here I will make two comments: the substantial prayers of the elders in public worship and regular prayer meetings in the life of the church.
- To make things easier for you.
- I will also address two practical questions: first.
- How to pray as someone else leads the prayer.
- And second.
- How to direct prayer while others pray.
Brothers and sisters, in the words attributed to Martin Luther: “Are we going to pray?In the church, with the church and for the church ?.
As a teenager, I lived in the Scottish Highlands for a few months and loved it with a congregation of the Free Church of Scotland. I remember how surprised I was when, on that first day of the Lord, the pastor began to pray and the whole church stood up and stood firm during prayer. When I joined them, I realized I was participating in a group in action. We weren’t sleeping. We don’t passively hear anyone else pray, no, we’d love to work and fight. We were the church and we prayed together.
If we want a local church that prays together (and we do!), the elders must offer substantial prayers in public worship. We have already seen in the scriptures that collective prayer is clearly a priority for God’s people and that this prayer is repeated many times. occupies a prominent place in public worship (Is 56. 7; Mt 21. 12-13; 1 Tim 2. 8). In the service of the Lord’s Day, does the Church meet as a visible congregation?God’s covenant people worship together so that everyone in worship, God speaks to man (through the reading and preaching of the scriptures) and man speaks to God (through chants and prayer). We stand before the throne not as isolated individuals, but as a united people, a single nation, an interconnected and interdependent body. When we pray in public worship, we speak to our God with one voice (see Acts 4:24-30).
With that in mind, our Saturday prayer with the church must have substantial content. Do pagans use vain repetitions? (Mt 6:7), but God’s people must pray for more important issues. Scripture invites us to say great prayers together: praise (Ps 34:4), confession (James 5:16), and thanksgiving (Ps 100:4). We must also intercede for the civil authorities. (1 Tim 2:1-2), by ministry and missions (Mt 9:37-38), by the salvation of all men (1 Tim 2:1. 4), by the sanctification of God’s people (Col 1:9-12), and by the comfort of the afflicted (Jacq 5. 13-18). When the Church prays, she presents all the interests of Christ and the Church before the throne.
There must be considerable time devoted to prayers. It is not possible to pray for everything that God asks us to pray in just thirty seconds. In addition, it takes time for the heart of the entire congregation to engage in prayer. The church is not helped when someone begins to pray and quickly ends with an “Amen”, ignoring the fact that there are people in the pews still trying to prepare their souls. The Puritans said, “Pray until you can pray,” which means that prayer is not a quick, irrational rite that you should put on your to-do list. It is a real communication with the living God. Therefore, the church must be prepared to pray fully and deliberately. For the sake of the glory of God, for the sake of the kingdom of Christ, for the sake of the mature believer, the little child, and the curious visitor, pray. Pray until everyone can pray. If we truly believe that prayer is the privilege and glorious duty of the gathered church, we are prepared to dedicate a significant portion of public service to praying together.
Third, our substantial prayers with the church in public worship must be led by an old man. By that I mean that one of the main duties of the elders in the church: the shepherds of Christ’s flock is to be the voice of the congregation in prayer. To be clear: prayer is the right of every man, woman or child who belongs to Christ. An old man’s position in the church before God in prayer is no better than that of the weaker or younger believer. He will not be cared for, more promptly and lovingly than any other son of the king. Nor is the old man the mediator of the Church. Your prayer is not what catches the Father’s attention; we have only one mediator, the man Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:15), and he is the counsel of all the redeemed. The elder is the main servant of the congregation, he is before them, giving voice to his prayers, and he is at his side, encouraging them to join their hearts to the common call.
Throughout the history of redemption, the leaders of God’s people have always had a privileged responsibility to pray publicly. Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, Ezra, and Daniel prayed as the voice of the covenant people and are examples of the Church leaders of our time; Moreover, just as the Apostles should focus: on the prayer and ministry of the word?(Acts 6. 4) and, as well as non-apostolic pastors, such as Timothy and Epafras, subsequently prioritized these Same roles in serving the Church of the first century, our elders also have a special duty to lead the local Church in prayer.
When I refer to prayers led by the elders, I mean that usually the elders should not read the written sentences; they must use their own words to pray. Historically, impromptu prayers in public worship are more common in many Protestant traditions, including Presbyterian, Congregational, Baptist, and Methodist churches. The basis of these “free” prayers, still appreciated in many churches today, are the various prayers we see in the scriptures, the universal practice of the Church for hundreds of years after Christ and after the Reformation, and the belief that only free prayers can adequately meet the various needs and specific circumstances of the church. The entirely biblical language, shaped by biblical priorities and based on biblical promises, is more appropriate for the elders to exercise their love and teach the specific church for which they are responsible.
In their letter to the Church of Thessaloniki, Paul, Silvano and Timóteo report: “We always thank God for all of you, mentioning them in our prayers and, incessantly, reminding us, before our God and Father, of the strength of your faith, the disinterest of your love and the strength of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ?(1Qs 1. 2-3). Likely, the elders of my own church mention us intimately before the Lord. Each week they confess our common sins, remember our specific tribulations, ask for our needs to be met, and cry out for more holiness. They often quote the names of people and situations in prayer; they always pray for us with brotherly affection. They guide us in the hard work of prayer, not for our own benefit, but for love. When you pray with them, is the assembled church trained in all areas of life?grow in the knowledge of God and himself, grow in faith, and learn to pray with these mature brethren.
Brothers and sisters, we need substantial prayers led by elders in public worship.
When prayers mix. Almost all Christians affirm the centrality of prayer for a healthy Christian life, but for many, prayer is often a challenge that requires intense personal commitment and self-discipline. However, as Megan Hill points out in Praying Together, our normal approach to prayer goes a crucial element: others.
Although personal prayer is important, God created the church to be a community of believers who pray together regularly. By exploring the rich biblical teaching of what it means to gather before the throne of God with one voice, Megan Hill establishes a theological basis for collective prayer and offers practical advice to make it a reality in our homes, communities, and churches.
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