praying hands

Prayer should be an important part of everyday life for believers, and the best motivation and guide for this is the reading of the Bible. When our thoughts are focussed on God and his will for us, we can turn the Bible’s teaching into prayer for ourselves, our families, neighbours and friends.

But praying together with other Christians—one to one or in groups—can be a particular encouragement, as we hear others relating to God in prayer and say ‘Amen’ to their concerns.

Praying together as congregations is important for the spiritual life and growth of individuals but also as a means of edifying the church. Relationship issues, goals for ministry and concerns about the health and welfare of other people make us look beyond our own personal needs to God’s purpose for the church.

We should use biblical models for our prayers, taking care to understand them in their biblical and theological context (e.g. Mt. 6:9-15; 9:38; Eph. 3:14-21; 6:18-20; Col. 1:9-14; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; Heb. 4:15; Jas 1:5-8; 5:13-16; 1 Jn 1:8-10). We can also learn from liturgies and other books of prayer that reflect biblical patterns and concerns.

 

Learning to pray together

Opening prayers and praises

Prayers in preparation for the ministry of God’s Word

Intercessory prayers

Concluding prayers and blessings

Helpful prayer resources

Prayer Templates (Service Builder)

Click here for a prayer template