Building The Body By Gary L. McIntosh And Phil StevensonSample

Day Seven

Teach Us to Pray

Scripture: Luke 11:1

Church fitness does not come solely by human action. It is not that organization is not important, but fit churches carry out ministry in dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit. 

In a similar manner as focusing the sun’s light through a magnifying glass, fit churches use focused prayer to experience God’s divine empowerment. Divine empowerment for ministry happens as a church targets prayer toward growth barriers, difficult problems, and conflicts that threaten to undermine the unity of the congregation. While all churches no doubt pray to some degree, fit churches use a strategic prayer strategy that trains and empowers people of prayer. 

The twelve disciples only asked Jesus to teach them one thing—to pray. Luke recorded, “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1). They never asked him to teach them to preach or to plan or to do countless other things thought to be necessary for ministry. 

The disciples asked about prayer because prayer was an integral part of Jesus’s life. The Bible records more than twenty-five prayers in Jesus’s ministry. Jesus prayed in the morning, afternoon, evening, and late at night. He prayed before major decisions, when giving thanks for nourishment, and during crises. He prayed privately while alone in seclusion, with small groups of people, and publicly with many watching. Jesus gave us an example that divine empowerment comes through prayer.

Fit churches tend to practice a good mixture of the following approaches to produce a healthy prayer climate: corporate intercession, planning for prayer, prayer training, an intercessory prayer team, a pastor of prayer ministry, and staff prayer partners.

One of the best questions leaders can ask about their churches is this: When all is said and done, what will be said about what was done? This question forces you to evaluate what you are doing. It’s an excellent question for church leaders to ask and answer while building the body. The answer you provide will determine the actions you take. 

Spend some time praying for your church to see God’s divine empowerment and grace.