Do You Want Your Church to Pray--Or Not?
Prayer and Discernment in Churches--a Pastor, Staff, Board function only?
Do You Want Your Church to Pray—Or Not?
I once consulted with a Messianic Jewish congregation experiencing conflict. A group of Hebrew Christians left the congregation. They did not embrace the full beliefs and practices of Messianic Judaism.
The elders and congregational leader—the title for the pastor—felt this resolved their underlying conflict. It did not. It continued to simmer. I was asked to help them address a lack of unity.
They were at a crucial time. They gathered for worship in rented space. Now they were working with two other denominations to construct a building they would primarily use on Friday nights and Saturdays.
Each group must raise the money needed to construct the building. The Messianic Jewish congregation had trouble raising their share.
Consulting with a Christian group I had not encountered before, I spent time learning about them. Their theology, ecclesiology, missional approaches, worship, discipleship, and cultural practices were all important to understand.
In terms of their governance, the three elders and the congregational leader had all authority. They made decisions, announced them to the congregation, and carried them out.
The controlling manner in which they did this failed to develop deep ownership throughout the congregation. Getting congregational participation and volunteers to come forward in support of the ministry was difficult.
A goal for my consultation was to help them with a solution without violating their polity and culture. I had trouble figuring out what to recommend.
The control of information was a key issue. The elders and congregational leader felt they were God’s intended leaders, and they did not owe the congregation details. They only wanted followership.
For example, the congregation said they did not know enough about the proposed building to know if they wanted to help fund it or not.
My breakthrough was when a member told me, “They will not even tell us enough information about the building project that we know how to pray appropriately. To undergird it with God’s spiritual empowerment by the fervent prayers of the congregation.”
I took this viewpoint to the congregational leader. I asked him, “Is it permissible for the elders to withhold information about the building project so that the people do not even know how to pray appropriately?”
He got it. He took this idea to his elders. They got it also.
They changed their policy on what and how they communicated information and matters for prayer to the congregation. They also gathered them for prayer about the proposed building.
Soon the congregation was talking with great excitement about the new building. Raising their part of the financial support became much easier.
A Perspective
In my life and ministry, I have personal clarity on the role of churches and prayer. Everyone ought to have enough information to pray appropriately about God’s leadership for opportunities and challenges.
Prayer has the ability for churches to draw on God’s empowerment and be embraced by great Kingdom opportunities. God’s empowerment can take churches far beyond what they can see and do with their own efforts.
Prayer has the ability for churches to receive God’s guidance and be embraced by solutions to challenges. God’s guidance can lead churches through difficult situations by showing ways forward the church cannot see without His spiritual guidance.
Formal leadership patterns, decision-making processes, church documents created by humankind stand in the way of prayer by the whole church body. These can be a control strategy rather than a spiritual empowerment strategy.
I wonder if God shakes his head with frustration about the non-spiritual, institutionalized, formal decision-making processes created by humankind. These often hinder the congregation hearing His voice with great clarity.
This happens when pastors declare they are the leader, and the church membership are the followers. Or when churches move to become staff led. Or when churches whose heritage is not necessarily one of being elder led, transitions to an elder led system.
Leaders may hide their desire to control the church behind their personal interpretation of scripture and convince their church they are right.
Reflections from George
The Benefits of Whole Church Praying:
Even if according to the bylaws of a church the pastor, deacons, elders, board, or other formal groups have the authority to make and implement many decisions, it is a wise thing—spiritually and culturally—to ask the whole church to pray.
Especially when a church vote is necessary according to the bylaws, it is a wise thing to ask the whole church to pray on significant decisions before they vote.
At times praying is a casual request a week or two before a vote with details of what they will vote on. At other times the significance of what they are asked to vote on begs for a longer and more formal spiritual discernment process.
Asking the church to pray has numerous spiritual and cultural benefits.
Spiritual Benefits:
First, it reaffirms that God is the true leader of the church, and you are asking for guidance.
Second, it teaches the church to pray not only individually but also in community.
Third, it affirms the church is an active spiritual community where each person is invited to engage in spiritual discernment.
Fourth, it supports the principle of the priesthood of believers. Having leaders pray is not always enough—especially on significant decisions.
Fifth, it may clarify God’s calling on the lives of people and how they ought to express God’s leadership in and through their church.
Cultural Benefits:
First, if a formal prayer process is used—such as small groups—it provides an opportunity to draw closer to one another. To gain from the spiritual practices of others.
Second, when many people in the church are praying, it builds a stronger support for the actions. A deeper feeling of ownership and empowerment develops among the church membership.
Third, it helps people know they matter to the leaders and within the church family. It makes church membership and participation more meaningful.
Fourth, it illustrates how intentional actions live out God’s empowering vision.
Fifth, it helps more people feel they can be deeply involved in the church. At least regarding the issue or change they are voting on.
What is your answer? Do you want your church to pray or are you afraid that spiritual discernment by the congregation might lead to a different outcome?
Your Reactions:
When do you ask your church to pray and participate in a process of spiritual discernment concerning church decisions and spiritual strategic directions?
When do you choose not to ask your church to pray and participate in a process of spiritual discernment concerning church decisions and spiritual strategic directions?
What are your criteria for choosing one or the other?