This morning I’m bringing to the subject of prayer – and this time the need for corporate prayer. I’m writing about it for three reasons:

  1. In Acts, corporate prayer is on par with preaching and teaching as a priority in a healthy church.
  2. Praying together as a church is a vital key to maintain unity
  3. Even given the importance that the NT places on prayer, we’re not very good at committing to it.

So, read Acts 6 and you’ll see that praying together was a priority for the early church. Go ahead and read it, then come back …

  1. The context of this chapter is about serving God and serving others. Verse 1 shows that there is a problem with serving and so in verse 2 the apostles discuss what ministries they must do and the ones they can delegate to others. As a result of looking at the priorities that God has for the apostles, in verses 3-4 7 men are appointed as “servants”.
  2. The announcement in verse 4 shows us that prayer is a priority not only for those in leadership but also for the local church. If you want to be a leader in God’s church you have to first be a pray”er” in God’s church.  Notice that in verse 4 there is a little word that appears before “prayers” … “the”. That shows us that this doesn’t mean prayer in general but something more specific and important.
  3. Interesting, every time we see the church praying before Acts 6 we see the apostles leading those prayers (check out 1:14, 24; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31). Not one reference points to their own private prayer time but the people of God praying together.

So, we pray. Every Sunday morning before church, we pray. We pray together that the Word of God might do its work in our hearts and those who hear. Check out the calendar to join us each week.

 

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