Community Prayer

The idea of praying with other followers of Jesus can be intimidating. In fact, the closest that many people come to praying with others is in listening to a pastor pray during a Sunday morning service. The reluctance of God’s people to join in community prayer is foreign to the New Testament. Throughout the New Testament we observe God’s people engaged in and encouraged in community prayer.

Prayer is simply communication with God. Prayer in community is simply communication with God together. In his book, Together in Prayer, Andrew Wheeler writes, “Consistent, ongoing prayer for life-change is simply not a part of the experience of most small groups; and yet, such prayer may be the single most empowering thing that a small group could do to develop Christlike character in its members.” (p. 18)

In his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul instructed that God’s will for them was to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances...” (1 Thes. 5:16-18). We have so individualized our spiritual lives that we lose site of the fact that this command was written to the Christian community called the church. God’s heart for us is that we would seek him with others as well as on our own.

We become frustrated with the lack of life-change in our lives. The struggle we face with guilt, and trying, and more guilt, and more trying until we finally decide to give up all together is very real. We get together in a group with fellow followers of Jesus and we talk about our problem in trying and failing, and then we go home and try it again. We never think of bringing God into our conversation, allowing what he might have to say guide our transformation.

Authentic prayer that is based in Scripture prayed in the context of Christian community leads to life transformation. Prayer in community was a normal part of life for the church described in the New Testament. It should be normal for our lives as well.