A Church That Prays Together

CHURCH ARTICLE | Keith Sharp | Mountain Home, Arkansas

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The life of a Christian may be summarized in one word, “faith,” i.e., trust. The deepest expression of that dependent trust in God is prayer. The Lord once spoke a parable to teach “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Jesus spoke about a widow who persistently troubled an unjust judge until he finally granted her request. The parable emphasized the surety that a just and merciful Father will speedily hear His children. The Master concluded, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Faith is synonymous with prayer in this verse. When we pray, we have no miraculous proof that God hears us. We have only faith in the promises of His Word. Thus, prayer is the ultimate expression of our faith.

Prayer is central to the life of a disciple of Christ. Devout Christians with deep, trusting, unshakable faith “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

As prayer is integral to our lives as Christians, it is crucial to the activity of the local church. The first we ever read of a local church coming together, “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). After Herod had the apostle James killed by the sword and arrested Peter intending to kill him, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (Acts 12:5). When the angel of the Lord miraculously freed Peter, “he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying” (Acts 12:12). When Paul bade farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus for what is believed to be the last time on earth, “he knelt down and prayed with them all” (Acts 20:36). Is it any wonder that midweek services among the brethren used to be known as “prayer meeting?”

The apostle Paul wrote an inspired letter “to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). He earnestly exhorted them to pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” Ephesians 6:18-19).
I am humbled and honored when brethren in our worship assemblies thank the Lord for my lessons and pray on my behalf.

Several years ago, religious ads exhorted, “The family that prays together stays together.” It was a way of expressing that faith in the Lord is central to keeping a marriage together. But prayer with and for our spouses and children is an expression of the love that binds us together.

So it is with the local church, the family of the Lord (Ephesians 3:14-15). On the eve of His death, the Master commanded the disciples, “that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Thus, love for one another is the first and primary attribute of disciples of the Master.

And that love is expressed and deepened by prayer with and for each other. One man who has now moved and one who is still here are known for praying for the members of the congregation who have troubles by name. Sometimes the prayers are lengthy. Several years ago, one member asked me about their long prayers. I defended and will continue to defend them in this practice. The apostle John exhorted Gaius, “Greet the friends by name” (3 John verse 14). Most of the sixteenth chapter of Romans consists of greetings by name. Those are expressions of personal love and concern. When we take the time in our common prayers to remember one another by name, we express the love that binds us together as family in the Lord.

“Pray without ceasing” is a command directed to us individually. Still, we should and must pray with and for each other to deepen our mutual love and invoke the blessings of God. We will thus remain unified as the family of God.

______________________________
October 2021 | GROW magazine