Instead of attending our home church this morning, my husband and I decided to visit another congregation – a relatively new and fast-growing church not far from our home. The style of worship was what’s generally categorized as ‘contemporary’ (a two-fold order: praise singing, coffee break, drama/preaching).
The sermon was the second in a series of sermons on the subject of prayer. It was accessible and engaging; we were challenged to see prayer as an integral part of our relationship with Jesus Christ, and to practice prayer in a disciplined and deliberate manner every day. I especially appreciated the speaker’s encouragement to think more broadly about the emotional scope of our prayers—to expand our prayer language beyond simply asking God for things (thanksgiving, adoration, lament, petition, anger, etc.).
The sermon was the second in a series of sermons on the subject of prayer. It was accessible and engaging; we were challenged to see prayer as an integral part of our relationship with Jesus Christ, and to practice prayer in a disciplined and deliberate manner every day. I especially appreciated the speaker’s encouragement to think more broadly about the emotional scope of our prayers—to expand our prayer language beyond simply asking God for things (thanksgiving, adoration, lament, petition, anger, etc.).
As much as I appreciated the sermon, I couldn't help but be struck by how little prayer there was in the service itself. Over the course of the 7 5 minutes we spent together, less than four minutes were spent in corporate prayer. There was a brief opening prayer, a prayer of adoration leading to intercession, and a brief closing prayer.
In his book, Preaching and Leading Worship, William Willimon suggests that leaders and pastors should regularly ask themselves: “What are we teaching our people about prayer through our prayer on Sunday morning?” He goes on to tell this story:
“Not long ago, one of my parishioners told me that he was being harassed at work by an unscrupulous supervisor. The supervisor wanted to see the man hounded out of his job, so he did everything possible to humiliate him and make his life miserable. ‘I hate him. I am afraid that one day at work he will push me too far and I will pick up a wrench and bash his brains out,’ the parishioner told me.
We talked about his feelings toward the supervisor, and I suggested that he might pray each morning before going to work, asking God to help him endure this man’s attacks. ‘I never thought about prayer,’ he said. ‘Oh, yes. Jesus urges us to bless our enemies and pray for those who persecute us,’ I added. ‘I never heard us pray for enemies on Sunday morning,’ he said.
It hit me. What had this man learned about prayer on Sunday morning? Had he learned that prayer was a spiritual resource, an integral part of everyday life, and essential aspect of our relationship to God?....The Anglican Book of Common Prayer contains prayers for enemies, rain, national leaders, the birth of a child, peace, humility, and all the other nitty-gritty concerns of life. In so doing, it helps to make our prayer truly common prayer – a common part of the common life of the people of God. This is the goal for our prayer on Sunday morning” (3 9 -4 0).
We talked about his feelings toward the supervisor, and I suggested that he might pray each morning before going to work, asking God to help him endure this man’s attacks. ‘I never thought about prayer,’ he said. ‘Oh, yes. Jesus urges us to bless our enemies and pray for those who persecute us,’ I added. ‘I never heard us pray for enemies on Sunday morning,’ he said.
It hit me. What had this man learned about prayer on Sunday morning? Had he learned that prayer was a spiritual resource, an integral part of everyday life, and essential aspect of our relationship to God?....The Anglican Book of Common Prayer contains prayers for enemies, rain, national leaders, the birth of a child, peace, humility, and all the other nitty-gritty concerns of life. In so doing, it helps to make our prayer truly common prayer – a common part of the common life of the people of God. This is the goal for our prayer on Sunday morning” (
For more thoughts on the role of corporate prayer in worship, see Rising Up Against the Disorder of the World: When the Church Unites in Prayer.
