Here are the thirty wonderful prayers from the book Five Things to Pray for Your Church that your church will receive in PrayMore and get to pray together.
“But you are a chosen people … a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9).
Thank God that he has chosen to show his wonderful grace to you and your church family. Thank God that those who are in Christ are new creations—a whole new “race” (or nation) of people. Pray that members of your church would increasingly act like the holy people God has declared you to be.
Thank God for the leaders that “Christ himself” has given your church, “to equip his people for works of service…” (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Pray that your church (and your leaders) would see your leaders in the same way that Paul does—not there to do everything themselves, but to equip all of Christ’s people to do his work. Ask God to give your leaders wisdom in discerning the areas where members need equipping most, and how best they can do that.
“… until we all reach unity” (Ephesians 4:13).
Pray that your church’s unity would not come from being similar types of people in the first place, but that it would be a deeper kind: “unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God”. Thank God that through the gospel, such unity is possible!
“They devoted themselves … to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
It’s sometimes said that a church’s prayer meetings are like a spiritual barometer. So what’s the reading on your church’s barometer? Ask that a culture of prayer would permeate your church, and that God would make you into people who delight in coming together to pray.
Thank God that he has made your church his “special possession” (1 Peter 2:9).
Thank him that you can be assured of his love, whatever life throws at you. Pray that this would give your church a great sense of security and confidence—pray that you would not fear what others might think of you or do to you.
The first believers “sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:45).
Pray that your church would also be sacrificial in your generosity—always ready to meet each other’s material, emotional and spiritual needs. Pray that you would be willing to give up your time, money or convenience to ensure that others have what they need.
“Love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
Thank God for being patient with your church. For all your failings, he continues to treasure you! Pray that your church would love one another with the same patience—that you wouldn’t get annoyed when people seem slow to change or don’t do things the way you’d like. Pray that your love would overflow in acts of kindness towards each other.
“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul” (Psalm 19:7).
Thank God that he has not left us guessing, but has provided his perfect, trustworthy word so that we can truly know him. Pray that as your church gathers around the Bible, you would have your souls refreshed as you encounter the living God.
“It keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5).
You’re going to hurt others, let them down, and make bad decisions—and your brothers and sisters in Christ will do that to you too. Thank God that he keeps no record of your wrongs; pray that as a church, you wouldn’t either. Ask for grace to repent quickly, forgive quickly and move on quickly.
Thank God that his radiant word gives “light to the eyes” (19:8).
Thank him that by the power of the Holy Spirit, the pages of Scripture show us who Jesus is and what he has done. It is by being taught the truths from God’s radiant word that people are changed—so pray that teachers in your church would remember this. Ask God to use their words this week to enlighten many eyes.
“I am a debtor…” (Romans 1:14).
Sometimes people feel that evangelism is something best left to the “experts” or church leaders. But we’ve been given so much in the gospel of Jesus Christ that every Christian is indebted and obligated to share it. Pray that every member of your church would feel that burden to proclaim the gospel—shaking off apathy and being filled with compassion for the lost.
“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7)—so pray that your church would be full of them!
Pray that people in your church would not give “reluctantly or under compulsion”, but joyfully, out of gratitude for all God has given them. Pray that a culture of cheerful giving would take root in your church: that you would give generously not just to the church itself, but also directly to one another as needs arise.
Others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ” (2 Corinthians 9:13).
Praise God for the obedient giving that the gospel has brought about in your church. Then pray for those responsible for spending this money, asking that it would be spent wisely, for gospel purposes. Pray that as these resources enable more people to hear the good news, those people would believe it and in turn praise God too! Pray for some specific people or projects that your church supports financially.
We’re to serve others “in view of God’s mercy” (Romans 12:1)—motivated by the grace he has shown to us.
Spend some time reflecting on and thanking God for his mercy. Then pray that you’d offer the whole of your life as an act of “true and proper worship” in response to what he’s done for you—serving at great cost to yourself, just as God gave so much to you at the great cost of his own Son.
“Let us draw near to God…” (Hebrews 10:22).
Often a guilty conscience or a feeling of inadequacy makes us want to run a mile from other Christians. Thank God that Christ’s death and resurrection has the power to completely “cleanse us”. Thank God that you can draw near to him “with the full assurance that faith brings” (v 22). Pray that next time you mess up, you would be quick to repent and receive forgiveness, and be restored to your church family.
encourage them to use those gifts well.
Thank God for the wonderful diversity of his church: a body “with many members” where we all “have different gifts” (Romans 12:4-6).
Think about some specific people in your church, and thank God for the way he’s equipped them to serve his people. Pray that you’d value the talents and skills of others: that you’d remember to show your appreciation and encourage them to use those gifts well.
Hebrews tells us to “consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). Consider that now!
Ask God to renew your attitude so that you meet with your church family not to be entertained or only to be fed with God’s word, but with the intention of spurring others on. Or perhaps you feel that you’re doing lots to little effect; ask God to use your words and example to bear fruit in the lives of others.
Paul tells us to “be completely humble” (Ephesians 4:2)—just appearing humble won’t cut it.
Pray that as you look to Christ’s humility, the Holy Spirit would make your heart more and more like his. Pray that this would work its way out in the things you do and the way you treat people at church.
Thank God for the “covenant of life and peace” he has made with this person (Malachi 2:5).
Thank God that through the new covenant of Christ’s blood, your leader is at peace with him and has been given the gift of eternal life. Thank God for the way that, in view of the gospel, your leader gives their time, effort and talents in the service of your church.
Then pray that your church leader would…
“He walked with me in peace and uprightness” (Malachi 2:6).
Our church leaders are not immune to temptation; in fact, ministry brings its own set of challenges. So pray that your leader would walk uprightly. Ask God to give them strength in their daily fight against sin, and enable them to lead with humility, love, patience and gentleness. Pray that they’d walk uprightly in their family life too.
Small groups should be an environment where Christians can “admonish” one another (Colossians 3:16).
Pray for a group culture of intimacy and honesty; that as you share your lives together, you would hold each other accountable, lovingly point out sin, and earnestly warn one another against wrongdoing. This is hard; but pray you would love one another enough to have these difficult conversations.
Pray that the faith your young people profess on Sundays would be worked out in the way they act and speak on every other day of the week (1 Timothy 4:12).
Ask God to strengthen them to resist the temptations they face at home and school. Especially pray for resolve to pursue sexual purity.
Pray that the children of your church would “put their trust in God” (Psalm 78:7).
No amount of Sunday-school lessons or Bible-club sessions can make a child a Christian—this only happens by God’s grace. So ask him now that children in your church would “put their trust in God”. Spend some time praying this for specific children you know.
“They … examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).
Faith that’s built on the strength of someone’s personality or the charisma of their preaching will not last. But God’s word is truly powerful. Pray that as non-believers encounter Christ in the pages of Scripture, they’d be compelled by the historical evidence and drawn by his character.
Their widows were being overlooked…” (Acts 6:1).
We serve a God who hates injustice, oppression, division and poverty; praise God for this aspect of his character! Thank God that this particular ministry plays a part in his big plan to make the world right again. Pray that it would be effective in delivering justice to the marginalised and help to the suffering.
“Just as the LORD promised, he has…” (Joshua 14:10).
Pray that like Caleb, the elderly in your church would be excited and encouraged as they look back on how God has fulfilled his promises to them. Pray that they would have great confidence that, with “the LORD helping” them (v 12), they will one day be brought through to the better promised land—the wonderful heavenly country.
“We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
Serving God cross-culturally can bring a barrage of discouragements: health problems, difficult team relationships, spiritual attack or a seeming lack of fruit. Pray that your mission partner would be encouraged, knowing that they are not trying to please local partners or their sending church, but God—and that their continued faithfulness is what delights their Father.
Thank God that though your churches may look and feel very different, “you share in God’s grace” (Philippians 1:7).
Thank God for the link between your two congregations. Pray that there’d be no hint of rivalry or jealousy between you, but only increasing affection (v 8).
If this church faces persecution, pray that they’d “rejoice inasmuch as [they] participate in the sufferings of Christ” (1 Peter 4:13).
Pray that they wouldn’t be surprised by suffering, but confident in Christ’s love for them, knowing that he suffered on behalf of all his people so that one day we will suffer no more. Wherever this church is, they’ll definitely be suffering from the general effects of the fall: illness, pain, relational conflict, and so on. Pray that, no matter how bad they feel, these Christians would remember that they are “blessed” because “the Spirit of glory” rests on them (v 14).
Whether they’re in a far-flung country or a local council estate, pray for a specific “unreached” group:
Thank God that the news of Christ’s kingdom is “good news” (Matthew 9:35).
Praise God for the way that Jesus proclaimed it in “all the towns and villages”—no matter where or how people live, the gospel is universally good news. Thank God that he wants all nations and all types of people in his kingdom.
