Pray KNCSB

Only those who pray prove that they are God-dependent. Each of us who prays prove to ourselves that we are not self-sufficient. Each church that prays prove its desire not to be self-dependent.

Once upon a time, Southern Baptist churches gathered on a week night to pray and pay attention to their personal walks with God in a group setting. It seems this is less so today than it used to be. Sure the whole church was not present on the day of the week designated for the church to pray but there was a sense that the church must pray corporately. Is this true of us today? I know we are busy. I know life has become more complex. All the more reason corporate prayer is necessary. Does it seem strange to you that a fresh call for the church to gather to pray has become necessary?

Blessed is the pastor who teaches and models to his people how to pray. Prayer is taught. Jesus taught his disciples to pray. However, he did not tell them about prayer when he taught them. He actually prayed in their hearing and thus modeled (taught by example) the way to pray. Church leaders must regain that sense of caring for souls as one of the major aspects of their work.

If you are reading this prayer of the week it’s because you are interested in prayer. Perhaps you are shepherding a flock of God’s people. Perhaps you lead a small group or class. Perhaps you sit on a committee. Or …

It is not sufficient that you bathe your own personal life in prayer. The church of the New Testament gathered regularly to pray corporately. At the head of the gathering was the shepherd of the flock leading, teaching, modeling how to pray.

Prayer is the single most important thing we do. The reason for making such a statement in such a matter of fact way is because only in prayer, modeled from the Word of God, do we have the means of knowing God and knowing what God expects of his people.

So how about it? If there is no regular corporate prayer time in your church, talk to your pastor (it may be self-talk) and spearhead one. If you have the freedom to do so, gather your small group together for the sole purpose of praying. By doing so, you are expressing to God, in the surest way possible, that you depend on him as a church. By modeling your need to depend on God and less on yourself, you would be walking in the shoes of every “saint” that ever lived and living in imitation of our Lord and savior Himself. By teaching the need for corporate prayer and modeling how to pray in the presence of others you would be following the example of every God-fearing people group and every New Testament church.