Pastors Edge

In my last article, The Need for Revitalization, I described the urgent need to breathe new life into the declining church in North America. It should not surprise you that the first component in Church revitalization is vertical rather than horizontal. In other words, consultation on church matters should always begin with God.  Ed Stetzer, in Come Back Churches, reports that the most important ingredient in church revitalization is a healthy prayer ministry.  Prayer is more important than campaign-planning, staff personnel, or ministry paradigms.  And, this is good news!  Not every pastor has the resources to build a new facility or hire A-players, but every one of us can teach our people to pray. 

Church-revitalizing prayer is more than the Wednesday night gathering of the faithful to review who is in the hospital.  It is passionate intercession before the throne of God so that the Holy Spirit can reign in the lives of His people.  There are at least three steps in developing this kind of prayer ministry.  First, the pastor must preach and teach in a way that develops a hunger in the congregation to pray.  Did you know that the pulpit can be a place of prayer? Your pulpit can be a lectern from which you disciple your flock to a vibrant prayer lifestyle. Second, the pastor can provide prayer maps that dissimilate information on what to pray.  Third, the pastor can develop an accountability system that holds people accountable.

Your first step in developing a praying congregation is to preach and teach on the subject of prayer.  Most people in the pew today are spiritually illiterate and spend only a few minutes each week in prayer.  Why don't they pray? They have never been taught the fundamental principals of prayer.  As their spiritual leader, it is vital that you educate God's people on both the principals and power of prayer.  Preach, teach, and (most importantly) model living a life consumed by prayer.  If you don't make prayer a priority in the pulpit it will never be a priority in the pew.  Ask God to give you the words to say to wet your congregation's appetite so they will hunger for prayer.

The next step is to provide people a practical road map they can use when they fall on their knees to pray.  Churches that have outstanding prayer ministries provide sheets of paper that list specific items they want their people to voice to God when they pray.  Lists include prayer request for the pastoral staff, for the small group leaders, for the outreach of the congregation, and for various items in the community.  Each line of the prayer request has a corresponding scripture verse that the people can read as they pray so that they are, in fact, praying the scriptures.  I like the idea here, but the methodology may be outdated. Why not use your website as a prayer portal? You could post prayer maps online that could be easily accessed during a lunch break or other down time in one's schedule. This can serve two purposes:  Your people will know what to do during their sweet time of prayer and they will be learning God's word.  The key is to update your list regularly.  The time and effort that is placed in developing the prayer map will be a signal to your congregation that this is an important part of your church's culture.

The final step is to recruit your people to join prayer communities.  This is a critical step in developing a prayer ministry that will last.  Develop a system so that everyone can join a prayer group that meets regularly.  Develop a detailed structure for these meetings, so that they aren't simply fellowship times.  Be creative.  One pastor in North Carolina has recruited teams to pray during every worship service.  Some pastors have recruited shut-ins; they meet by phone to pray.

Prayer produces results. When your staff and your people buy in to that, God will confirm it every time. When prayers are answered in a big way, shout it from the rooftop. In your sermons and even emails, keep reminding the church that their God has heard their prayer and refuses to remain silent.  Your church members will tell their unsaved neighbors about the amazing things that God is doing, and the skeptics in your community will be convinced that God is duty bound to answer His people!

A God-honoring, community-building, rooftop-shouting prayer ministry is the first step in Church revitalization.  Why not begin breathing fresh spiritual life into the souls of your people by leading them into passionate prayer? Make this a priority and then sit back and let God amaze you.

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