Comments on: I like the Prayer List http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list ...dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:12:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Edie http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-112623 Edie Fri, 06 Jul 2007 02:36:50 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-112623 Why doesn't the church just set up guidlines for the congregation? Its just that simple. Right before prayer list time, the minister/rabbi/priest/etc can say: We turn now to Prayer Request time. Rememember only to mention the name of the person you desire prayer for and their city, or if you prefer to keep it more private, you may say only their initials and their city. Then....an appointed person (or a monk etc) can go around with a microphone, and the one by one the congregation members who desire prayer can say "Please pray for "Suzy" in "Springfield" .....and the rest of the congregation can follow with "Lord hear our prayer" or some such similar thing, and they move to the next person. It keeps it on task, and short n sweet. I mean, if one has faith, then one knows that God already sees the issue at hand, and doesnt need all the details, right? This way the flock is guided by the rod. (spare the rod and spoil the congretation?) Namaste, Edie Why doesn’t the church just set up guidlines for the congregation? Its just that simple.

Right before prayer list time, the minister/rabbi/priest/etc can say:

We turn now to Prayer Request time. Rememember only to mention the name of the person you desire prayer for and their city, or if you prefer to keep it more private, you may say only their initials and their city.

Then….an appointed person (or a monk etc) can go around with a microphone, and the one by one the congregation members who desire prayer can say “Please pray for “Suzy” in “Springfield” …..and the rest of the congregation can follow with “Lord hear our prayer” or some such similar thing, and they move to the next person. It keeps it on task, and short n sweet.

I mean, if one has faith, then one knows that God already sees the issue at hand, and doesnt need all the details, right?

This way the flock is guided by the rod. (spare the rod and spoil the congretation?)

Namaste,
Edie

]]> By: chad http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-109297 chad Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:49:44 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-109297 Yeah, our little baptist church is mainly elderly and the prayer request time on Wednesday night sounds like a role call through a medical textbook. This summer at Asbury we are doing prayer time during every service. We give 5 broad categories (for the school, the community, those around the world in need, for those in prison, and for peace around the world), and allow people to raise requests during the specific time. After giving each topic around 2-3 minutes for prayer we all close with "Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers". We found it to be a good time of prayer, to encourage people to lift up requests, but to keep it solemn and not turn into a rabbit hunt. Yeah, our little baptist church is mainly elderly and the prayer request time on Wednesday night sounds like a role call through a medical textbook.

This summer at Asbury we are doing prayer time during every service. We give 5 broad categories (for the school, the community, those around the world in need, for those in prison, and for peace around the world), and allow people to raise requests during the specific time. After giving each topic around 2-3 minutes for prayer we all close with “Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers”. We found it to be a good time of prayer, to encourage people to lift up requests, but to keep it solemn and not turn into a rabbit hunt.

]]> By: Anna http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-108628 Anna Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:14:37 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-108628 Our prayer time always includes both a silent time for our personal intentions, (beyond the list read aloud) and frequently for those who have no one to pray for them. Our prayer time always includes both a silent time for our personal intentions, (beyond the list read aloud) and frequently for those who have no one to pray for them.

]]> By: Jeffrey http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-108444 Jeffrey Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:58:18 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-108444 As a Pastor I too have been frustrated at times with "the open prayer time." We do not currently do this in out Church right now, but I miss it at times. One thing that we recently started was a time of prayer at the end where 5 or 6 people lift up prayers that pertain to this body of believers. As Christians we need to be more sensitive to our corporate time which should include more time for prayer apart from the Pastor. There is such a push for Church growth in our country it can make any leader sick. If any Church truly wants to grow spiritually it will have to learn to get on its knees together with some regularity and call upon God for all things. Pastor Jeff http://insidechurch.blogspot.com/ As a Pastor I too have been frustrated at times with “the open prayer time.” We do not currently do this in out Church right now, but I miss it at times. One thing that we recently started was a time of prayer at the end where 5 or 6 people lift up prayers that pertain to this body of believers.

As Christians we need to be more sensitive to our corporate time which should include more time for prayer apart from the Pastor. There is such a push for Church growth in our country it can make any leader sick. If any Church truly wants to grow spiritually it will have to learn to get on its knees together with some regularity and call upon God for all things.

Pastor Jeff
http://insidechurch.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Heidi http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-108226 Heidi Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:30:19 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-108226 Great post. It is a hard one to work out 'nicely' because it is true that many will just go on and on but to not have any opportunity for praying out loud or even just verbally naming your prayer requests is hard and feels weird. I also prefer just praying for our requests as opposed to the question, "any prayer requests?" and then people 'talk' their requests and then the pastor 'prays' them.... Great post.
It is a hard one to work out ‘nicely’ because it is true that many will just go on and on but to not have any opportunity for praying out loud or even just verbally naming your prayer requests is hard and feels weird. I also prefer just praying for our requests as opposed to the question, “any prayer requests?” and then people ‘talk’ their requests and then the pastor ‘prays’ them….

]]> By: Buddy Randolph http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107688 Buddy Randolph Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:54:56 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107688 IM, I jsut started reading some of your blog I enjoy it. I passed it on to my son he is a Bible student at Southeastern Bible College in Wake Forest. He has a blog you mite be interested in it is scotrandolph.blogspot.com. About Prayer request my church(it is non-denominational, but with American Baptsit and Southern Baptist heritage)puts a list in the bulletin, but we also have a fish bowl which we put names in and each Sunday during worship we go and pick a name out(the ones that chose to)and pray over it for a few minutes, then the Pastor prays for them. As you said there is more invidvidual prayer on Prayer nite(for us it is Tuesday). Also you info said you are from No. Central WV, where?If you don't want to put it on your blog send it to me.I am from Harrison Co. GOD BLESS BUDDY IM, I jsut started reading some of your blog I enjoy it. I passed it on to my son he is a Bible student at Southeastern Bible College in Wake Forest. He has a blog you mite be interested in it is scotrandolph.blogspot.com.
About Prayer request my church(it is non-denominational, but with American Baptsit and Southern Baptist heritage)puts a list in the bulletin, but we also have a fish bowl which we put names in and each Sunday during worship we go and pick a name out(the ones that chose to)and pray over it for a few minutes, then the Pastor prays for them. As you said there is more invidvidual prayer on Prayer nite(for us it is Tuesday).
Also you info said you are from No. Central WV, where?If you don’t want to put it on your blog send it to me.I am from Harrison Co.
GOD BLESS
BUDDY

]]> By: Nathanael http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107459 Nathanael Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:11:55 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107459 Michael, Great post. The church I grew up in had a "Prayer Request and Testimony" time during the worship service where any male adult could stand up and share a request or a praise for that week. And though there were times it was drawn out and tedious and redundant (especially to us kids) it kept the rest of the body up to date on the goings-ons of each others lives, even to the point of "Brother Rodrigo's piles..." (too funny!) But it only worked because we were a smaller body of about 125 people, including kids. We met in a one-room chapel. We were a family. In larger congregations, the prayer request insert in the bulletin is a great idea. I love your list below the question "What does our prayer list say about our church?" You spelled it out very well. You definitely brought back some memories... Michael,
Great post. The church I grew up in had a “Prayer Request and Testimony” time during the worship service where any male adult could stand up and share a request or a praise for that week. And though there were times it was drawn out and tedious and redundant (especially to us kids) it kept the rest of the body up to date on the goings-ons of each others lives, even to the point of “Brother Rodrigo’s piles…” (too funny!)

But it only worked because we were a smaller body of about 125 people, including kids. We met in a one-room chapel. We were a family.

In larger congregations, the prayer request insert in the bulletin is a great idea. I love your list below the question “What does our prayer list say about our church?” You spelled it out very well.

You definitely brought back some memories…

]]> By: Isaac http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107295 Isaac Mon, 25 Jun 2007 08:27:22 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107295 One Episcopal parish I worshipped in for a while in college would have something along the lines of "for all who are sick, espescially..." then read the names on the prayer list who were sick, without the details. At the end of the list the intercessor would say "Are there others?" and a wave of quiet mumbling would rumble through the nave, each person quietly and privately naming before God the person they were praying for. Much more uplifting and edifying than "Lord, we just come before you now to pray for Brother Rodrigo's piles..." which is an actual prayer I actually heard in an actual church service. One Episcopal parish I worshipped in for a while in college would have something along the lines of “for all who are sick, espescially…” then read the names on the prayer list who were sick, without the details. At the end of the list the intercessor would say “Are there others?” and a wave of quiet mumbling would rumble through the nave, each person quietly and privately naming before God the person they were praying for. Much more uplifting and edifying than “Lord, we just come before you now to pray for Brother Rodrigo’s piles…” which is an actual prayer I actually heard in an actual church service.

]]> By: gib http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107038 gib Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:24:00 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-like-the-prayer-list#comment-107038 great post... great post…

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