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The church prayer meeting

Jonathan Fletcher explains how he encourages interest in the prayer meeting at his church

In speaking of a central prayer meeting for a local church we must begin by recognising that this is neither enjoined by Scripture nor normative from Scripture.

The heart-cry for a return to the well-loved prayer meeting of former generations may be just nostalgia. And it must be acknowledged that every situation is different, and what works well in one situation may be entirely inappropriate elsewhere, so what follows is inevitably personal, and the practical suggestions may be inapplicable in other settings.

It is also sadly possible to have a large gathering for prayer - which may be very encouraging - but which at the same time lacks urgency, passion and a willingness to go the next step and be part of the answer to prayer for more Sunday school teachers, creche-minders, or cooks for a holiday venture.

Learning together

We decided to major on a monthly prayer meeting, not because God bows to lobbying and is more likely to answer if 100 or so all try to bend his ear at the same time, but entirely for our own good. Very few of us would spend one and a quarter hours in prayer by ourselves - we need each other to keep at it. One of the ways we learn to pray is from each other, and it is wonderful for the younger members of the church family to hear the older saints at prayer. The central prayer meeting also gives us the opportunity to get a vision for the work as a whole, and also for the wider mission-field, with details that would be inappropriate in our 'open' Sunday meetings.

We settled for once a month - the second Wednesday of each month (the first week of the month too often clashes with Bank Holidays - January, June and September). The home Bible study groups meet the other three weeks, but all evening meetings are closed down in the prayer meeting week. Supper is served at 7.00pm for those who can get there between 7.00 and 7.30 (a different home group prepared the meal each month, which proves to be very beneficial for the group concerned).

The prayer meeting starts very promptly at 8.00pm and always finishes sharp at 9.15pm. Tight punctuality helps in our setting.

High profile

The prayer meeting is given a very high profile in the notices on the previous Sunday. It is made clear that we regard it as the most important meeting of the month by far. 'When we work, we work; when we pray, God works'. It is made clear that a certain amount of information will always be revealed first at the prayer meeting, and church issues which it would not be fitting to mention on a Sunday, will be mentioned and prayed for on the Wednesday. It is assumed that members of the parochial church council and home group leaders will automatically be present. By the same token, staff members avoid accepting any engagements, missions, or, if possible, holidays that clash with the monthly prayer meeting. This means that the staff example is to give the prayer meeting a higher priority than anything else. We usually say: 'If you believe in prayer, come. You'll enjoy it (which they do). If you don't believe in prayer, don't bother. On Wednesday, we'll know!'.

Praise and intercession

The pattern of the one and a quarter hours varies only a little. We begin sharp at 8.00pm with some singing. This will be a mixture of some new songs that we are learning, and some ancient favourites that, once again, might be inappropriate on a Sunday. To the surprise of some, we don't have any 'Word'. Rather, when we split into small groups, we encourage people to mention what they learned in church the previous Sunday - on the principle that 'expression deepens impression'. After four or five songs we split into groups of six or seven for a time of praise and thanksgiving. We seek to encourage people to leave intercession till later, though many find that impossible, but our desire is for the first quarter of an hour or so to be taken up exclusively with praise and adoration.

Mission

Our middle chunk is usually our missionary needs. The small groups revert to being part of one big group. A member of our International Council will have prepared a sheet with the latest news and needs of all those from the fellowship who are working in cross-cultural situations abroad or at home. In introducing the sheet, one or two needs will highlighted. The idea is to keep the talking to the minimum, so there is maximum time for praying. At this stage we are all together - which makes it harder for some to lead in prayer. We make it clear that we are not to be embarrassed by silences; that we want as many as possible to share in praying; that prayers are not meant to be long - but audible, brief, concrete (i.e. specific); and we suggest there's a slight pause before we move on from one country/missionary to the next, otherwise we find ourselves zigzagging from Mozambique to Paraguay and back again with bewildering speed!

Home needs

Our final chunk is usually back in groups again, and tends to concentrate on 'home' needs, sometimes with a specific emphasis, e.g. youth work; a forthcoming mission - but always with a focus on Sundays. People are encouraged to bring our church prayer diary, which contains blank pages for the second Wednesdays of the month. This enables people to write down the specific needs that are mentioned so that they can be prayed for again subsequently, and answers to prayer can be recalled for praise a month later. Just before 9.15pm we have our final hymn, after which the gentlemen stack the chairs and the ladies tidy the hymnbooks.

Jonathan Fletcher