Corporate prayer is more than a time when we get together to refresh our spirit and soul. It is more than a time to fellowship with other believers. Times of corporate prayer in church is designed to be the heart beat of the church. Nothing truly happens in the power of the Lord that is not first bathed in prayer. Prayer is so much more than just talking to God – it is the breath of the believer and the hope of the church. Without prayer, churches will choke out, and die. We must not be afraid or ashamed to pray, for it unleashes the power of God in our lives and in our community. We need to make an effort to come together and pray for the needs of the body, and for wisdom to serve the Lord that we love. Not satisfied with your prayer life? Expose yourself to others who pray, and learn how to they pray As you read your Bible look at the prayers outlined in Scripture and model your prayers after them. Remember to make prayers person, and don’t just repeat prayers as if the power is in the words, the power of prayer … READ MORE

We see that the early church met regularly and often to practice corporate prayer. In the Book of Acts we see the church meeting to pray to understand the will and plan of God (Acts2:1ff); for boldness and courage to preach the Word of God in the community and to make it real in our lives (Acts 4:23-24); To set aside leadership for the work God needed them to do (Acts 6:3-6); To intercede for others in need (Act 12:5ff); and to understand the purpose of God (Acts 13:1-2). With all these things in mind, why is it that we continue to devalue the power and importance of prayer. As followers of Christ, We need to join together to pray for the wisdom, strength, and direction that the Lord gives to those who seek it from Him (James 1:5). We need to always remember that Jesus said that “He would build his church” (Matthew 16:18), and that organism is corporate not individual. As the church was founded, it was essential for the church to be viewed as corporate over individual, as all people had all things in common. The church is about us, not me! We need to keep that … READ MORE

We are told in Hebrews 4:16, that because we have a high priest (Jesus) who understands our weaknesses we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Learning to pray is a process. We teach it to our children as we pray with them at meals, as they go to bed at night, and when we have family devotions together. We teach each other as we pray as a church for the needs of the body. We must understand that “prayer is more caught than taught!” Prayer to the church, is what breathing is to the body. Our body as a whole moves about and functions because we breath without even spending time thinking about it. As believers, our time in prayer should be a natural part of our lives. We should devote time to praying for one another and uniting our hearts and minds in one accord as we come before the Lord. Unfortunately, we have abdicated our right, and the church as a whole is choking on the process. We trivialize prayer, thinking of it as the last thing we do. The reality prayer … READ MORE