TN154 Prayer sessions that engage

First published on this website in April 2024

Synopsis

Earlier sets of Training Notes cover innovative ideas for leading church intercessions, writing prayer diaries, and organising prayer in business meetings. Here now is fresh thinking on new ways of structuring a church meeting for prayer. There are four ideas.

First, pray through a church prayer diary, or weekly printed prayer topics on service  sheets. This helps those who find praying aloud intimidating because the topics give ideas and possible wording for a short prayer.

Secondly, use a daily newspaper. Give each person a news or comment page from that day’s edition and let them choose one headline and opening sentence which it is then quite easy to turn into a prayer. Necessary instructions are provided.

Thirdly, print out a list of local streets/roads in geographical groupings, consider church members who live in each set of roads and pray for them and for their witness to neighbours and others. Or pray for the schools and organisations based in those roads.

Finally, use prayers recorded in Scripture (passages are suggested) for a richer and deeper way of praying than the more feeble words we often use.