Making it Work: How to Help Your Group Pray in One Accord

God's plan for us involves much more than just living a disciplined Christian life. He wants to draw us into spiritual intimacy with Him. by Eddie Smith In the computer world there is a techni!ue called "morphing." #his term refers to the ama$ing ability of computer graphics to seamlessly dissolve one image into another. "%orphing" is the best way I've found to describe what I see happening when true corporate prayer occurs& a group of people gather discover together the Holy Spirit's assignment for prayer and approach God's throne as one person. #he focus moves seamlessly from individual identities to corporate interdependency. 'raying with many different groups in recent years I have learned that this process doesn't just happen. (e must prepare ourselves for true corporate prayer))otherwise it will slip into the more common form of individual prayer in a corporate setting. #he following are some guidelines I've learned from e*perience about the essentials of true corporate prayer. Can you pray effectively without them+ ,f course. -ut these ideas will help you sustain corporate intercession over an e*tended period of years because they ma.e it more dynamic and e*citing. / one)hour wee.ly prayer meeting might consist of 01 minutes of worship followed by 21 minutes of intercessory prayer. Start on time and finish on time. 3ailure to start on time rewards those who are late punishes those who are on time and doesn't ac.nowledge that you are .eeping an appointment with the 4ing of .ings5 Ending on time .eeps busy people involved and shows that you respect their time. 4eep conversation to a minimum. #his is a time to tal. to God not to man. 6on't allow chitchat to eat away your prayer time. #hose who desire fellowship can remain afterward. %usic 'lay !uiet worship music 7recorded is fine8 as people arrive. 9p)tempo music has its place but this is the time for music that will !uiet your hearts draw your focus to the gracious 3ather and welcome the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit as you move through worship and into intercession. Instrumental music is preferable during prayer as song lyrics might distract you. / s.illed improvisational pianist can add Spirit)sensitive accompaniment to the prayer time. #he Setting -ody dynamics are important so prepare the room to facilitate corporate prayer. 3or a group of 1: or less we have found that arranging chairs in a circle wor.s best. / carpeted area is nice for those who want to .neel. -ut carpet s!uares on a bare floor will wor. too. 4eep the lighting soft and pleasant by avoiding harsh fluorescents. 3inding the Holy Spirit's /ssignment

/s you begin several people might pray before the ;ord establishes the focus for the evening. #hese prayers are important as they allow the group to listen for the Holy Spirit's anointing on a particular subject. Signs that the ;ord is touching a subject may appear in the form of increased fervency or spiritual passion tears or higher volume. ;isten for these cues in your own heart. If you become emotionally stirred while someone else is praying about children for instance as. yourself "Is this a burden on my heart+" If so ta.e that cue and prepare to pray ne*t. /s the group continues to pray in this fashion it "$eroes in" on the topic the ;ord is revealing. It only happens however when each person is fully listening to affirming and agreeing with what is being prayed)) not trying to decide what to pray. 6on't be afraid of silence. It may be that God wants the group to reflect on what has just been prayed. ,r it may be a sign that you have prayed through one topic and the ;ord is about to reveal another one. #he Servant);eader or 'layer)Coach Corporate prayer times should not be left without a servant)leader or player)coach to set boundaries and oversee the process. Sometimes the ;ord will even lay the topic for prayer on the leader's heart in advance. ,r once the group has established a topic someone may suddenly shift to another one. #he leader's role is to gently and graciously interrupt and say "-ill let's continue praying for the children. I don't believe the ;ord is through with that subject yet." Consider selecting a person to record the progress of your prayer time. #his information can be used to debrief and learn from the e*perience. In the debriefing loo. bac. at who prayed what they prayed what seemed to stir the group and when the ;ord's clear leading appeared. It is e*hilarating for group members to see how they've prayed for the things on the 3ather's heart and this ma.es them want to stay involved5 Empowerments to 'rayer (ith your group learn about and try to implement the things that empower prayer& 'ro*imity. <esus said "3or where two or three come together in my name there am I with them" 7%t. 0=&>:8. #he word "together" implies physical connection. Have you ever entered a (ednesday evening prayer service to find people scattered randomly throughout the auditorium+ #hey have gathered but not together. -elieve me the enemy sees this and uses it to great advantage. It is therefore important to pray in physical pro*imity to each other. 9nity. God said "If as one people . . . they have begun to do this then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them" 7Gen. 00&?8. 9nity enables. <esus said "/ house divided against itself will fall" 7;.. 00&0@8. 6isunity disables. ,ur functional unity is based on our organic unity. Employ behaviors that promote unity and avoid behaviors that promote disunity. If you don't .now what these behaviors are let the group establish guidelines that provide a comfortable safe environment for all concerned. Sometimes individual liberty is e*alted above corporate unity. #he -ible indicates that this should not be 70 Cor. 02&1 0>8. Aemember& <ust because something is biblical does not mean it is always appropriate. >

How you pray in your prayer closet may be inappropriate in a corporate setting. ,r what you do in corporate prayer with your own congregation may be inappropriate in a multicongregational setting. If in doubt as. the leader of the group. /greement. Christ said "If two of you on earth agree about anything you as. for it will be done for you by my 3ather in heaven" 7%t. 0=&0B8. Cotice that He doesn't suggest that we will agree about everything5 I once invited a pastor friend to a pastors' prayer meeting. He agreed to come until I as.ed if he would invite the pastor whose church was across the street from his. "-ut he's from a different denomination " he objected. "I can't pray with someone with whom I disagree." I said playfully "(hy not+ /lice 7my wife8 and I disagree about lots of things but we still pray together5" (e can't agree about everything. -ut there are plenty of things we do agree on))and those are what we pray about. Clarity. (e cannot agree in prayer about something we can't hear. #his was 'auls concern about the use of tongues in the corporate setting& "How can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say '/men' to your than.sgiving since he does not .now what you are saying+" 70 Cor. 02&? 0?8. In order to truly pray in "one accord" 7/cts 2&>2 KJV) it's important to pray aloud and clearly. In groups of 1: or more a sound system is beneficial. (e typically put a spea.er's stand with a microphone at the front of the auditorium floor level facing the platform. 'eople are instructed to move to the microphone and spea. clearly into it as they are led to pray. #hey may lay their -ible on the stand to read a passage of Scripture if they wish. -revity. Generally spea.ing corporate prayers 7unli.e private prayers8 should be concise and to the point averaging 1)@ minutes and no more than 0: minutes. #here is no need to spend time e*plaining things to GodD He already .nows. /void this .ind of "preachy" prayer))simply as. God for what you need. Aeading a short poignant passage of Scripture))or praying the promises of Scripture))is also a good practice. It confronts you with the dignity power and potential of the (ord and brings focus in the midst of prayer. -eware however of reading long passages which more often results in boredom. Cothing can .ill enthusiasm for prayer more !uic.ly. /nointing. / sovereign empowerment of the Holy Spirit comes upon those who are led to pray. ,ne of the limitations I have seen in se!uential prayer 7i.e. ta.ing turns praying around a circle8 is that while it may be my turn to pray the anointing to pray may be on a person across the room. Instruct pray)ers to wait for a specific prompting of the Holy Spirit before they move forward to pray. #hey should .now precisely what they are going to pray about. In larger corporate prayer settings where someone is already at the microphone those who have been led to pray can be seated on the front row and wait for their turn. ,nce they've prayed aloud they can return to their seat to continue to pray in agreement. Growing into ,ne in 'rayer /s in other areas of Christian life together the more you pray together the more you learn about prayer and each other. /s some committed intercessory groups mature they become s.illful combat units. /s soon as they enter a room together the anointing for E

powerful prayer is there. %y prayer for you and your prayer group is Is. 1?&@& %ay God give you joy in His house of prayer5

#he Schedule 0: Guidelines for ;eaders of Corporate Intercession 0. -e Spirit led in order to lead in the Spirit. >. 'ray for wisdom ahead of time. E. 'repare the room. 2. Aeview the guidelines with the group. 1. 6iscuss how you will find the Spirit's assignment. ?. -e spiritually discerning. @. -e willing to confront and correct manipulators and monopoli$ers when necessary)) earning the right to do so by loving others always and graciously understanding the difference between impurity and immaturity. =. Aemember that corporate unity is a higher goal in this situation than individual liberty. B. /ffirm and encourage. 0:. 3inish each prayer time with an instructional debriefing.

/ccounting 01 Guidelines for 'articipants in Corporate Intercession 0. Come prepared to pray by stirring up your faith. >. Sit together. E. Spea. up5 ,thers cannot agree with what they cannot hear. 2. /void "preachy" praying and ministerial tones. 'ray simply and conversationally. 1. 4eep prayers concise clear and to the point. ?. 6on't read long passages of Scripture. @. 6on't pray as you would in your private devotionals or pray through your personal prayer list. =. /s. GodD don't e*plain things to Him. B. /void addressing others in the room under the pretense of prayer. 0:. ,nce you have prayed wait for other people to pray before praying again. 00. (hen in doubt about what to pray as. for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on your church and city. /ll other re!uests are fulfilled when that occurs. 0>. #ry not to pray too big or too small. 'ray for things the group can "get its faith around." 0E. 6on't be afraid of silence. It's sometimes golden. 02. ;isten to agree with and affirm each prayer. 01. Submit to pastoral guidance.