Comments on: The Evangelical Liturgy 18: The Prayers Of The People http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people ...dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:14:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: RonP http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516554 RonP Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:33:57 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516554 I just got back from a men's retreat where we did a really cool exercise in prayer. Present at the retreat were men from several different church fellowships in several different states, so there were a lot of guys that had never met each other before. The exercise involved pairing off with someone you didn't know and then interviewing each other (in a casual, conversational way) about each others' lives -- starting with basic stuff (What's your name? Where are you from? What do you do for a living?) and then working toward deeper spiritual matters about our personal journeys with God, what God has done in our lives in the past, what's going on now, what direction do we feel God might be leading us, and what kinds of things do we struggle with the most in our relationship with Christ. After the interviews, we each spent some time praying with and for each other using the information gleaned from the interviews. I'm not sure this would work too well in a typical church service -- certainly not one of the highly liturgical variety -- but in a mixed gathering with a more relaxed format, I thought it was an excellent way to practice meaningful prayer while breaking the ice and getting to know a new friend in Christ. I just got back from a men’s retreat where we did a really cool exercise in prayer. Present at the retreat were men from several different church fellowships in several different states, so there were a lot of guys that had never met each other before. The exercise involved pairing off with someone you didn’t know and then interviewing each other (in a casual, conversational way) about each others’ lives — starting with basic stuff (What’s your name? Where are you from? What do you do for a living?) and then working toward deeper spiritual matters about our personal journeys with God, what God has done in our lives in the past, what’s going on now, what direction do we feel God might be leading us, and what kinds of things do we struggle with the most in our relationship with Christ. After the interviews, we each spent some time praying with and for each other using the information gleaned from the interviews.
I’m not sure this would work too well in a typical church service — certainly not one of the highly liturgical variety — but in a mixed gathering with a more relaxed format, I thought it was an excellent way to practice meaningful prayer while breaking the ice and getting to know a new friend in Christ.

]]> By: Miguel http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516535 Miguel Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:47:43 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516535 Wow lotsa good stuff there. Thanks for the tips! Wow lotsa good stuff there. Thanks for the tips!

]]> By: RonP http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516474 RonP Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:28:58 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516474 I take it that by "prayer ministry" you mean some kind of prayer gathering or gatherings outside the normally scheduled church services. When it comes to that, there are, of course, lots of different things a church can do, but, personally, I've found that very small, very focused prayer groups are the most effective and meaningful. By small, I mean around five or less, and certainly no more than ten per group. I don't know how big your church is as far as membership or how many rooms you have in your facility -- but if prayer groups that small wouldn't work in your building all at the same time, you might consider cell prayer groups in homes at various times throughout the week. And I think it would be a good idea to make sure that every group includes at least one mature Christian who is experienced in and dedicated to prayer to serve as leader or facilitator -- that way the groups can function as a form of discipleship and training in how to pray and how to pray with others. Besides, a group of entirely inmature Christians will likely just make a show of praying and spend most of their time chit-chatting. As far as the gossipy thing, I don't see anything wrong with addressing that upfront and out in the open -- and the group leaders can also steer things back on track if they start to get too tedious or gossipy. I think learning to pray according to the elements of the Lord's Prayer -- not reciting it word for word, but following it as a model for good prayer -- is an excellent place to start. Some other cool prayer experiements I've participated in include corporate prayer focused on praise and thanksgiving, learning to pray thoroughly for each important issue before moving on to something else, prayer sessions that are part listening to what the Spirit might be saying and then praying out loud according to what you think you're hearing, and what I call the "hot seat", where people take turns sitting in a chair in the middle of a circle, share something they need prayer for, and then the rest lay hands on and pray for this person regarding this specific issue. If you should form prayer groups like I've described, I would advise church leadership not to try to micromanage everything that goes on in them -- but rather leave some space for each group to take on a life and direction of its own. And if what I've described here is a little too "out there" for your church, then feel free to disregard it and seek something more conventional. I take it that by “prayer ministry” you mean some kind of prayer gathering or gatherings outside the normally scheduled church services. When it comes to that, there are, of course, lots of different things a church can do, but, personally, I’ve found that very small, very focused prayer groups are the most effective and meaningful. By small, I mean around five or less, and certainly no more than ten per group. I don’t know how big your church is as far as membership or how many rooms you have in your facility — but if prayer groups that small wouldn’t work in your building all at the same time, you might consider cell prayer groups in homes at various times throughout the week. And I think it would be a good idea to make sure that every group includes at least one mature Christian who is experienced in and dedicated to prayer to serve as leader or facilitator — that way the groups can function as a form of discipleship and training in how to pray and how to pray with others. Besides, a group of entirely inmature Christians will likely just make a show of praying and spend most of their time chit-chatting.
As far as the gossipy thing, I don’t see anything wrong with addressing that upfront and out in the open — and the group leaders can also steer things back on track if they start to get too tedious or gossipy. I think learning to pray according to the elements of the Lord’s Prayer — not reciting it word for word, but following it as a model for good prayer — is an excellent place to start. Some other cool prayer experiements I’ve participated in include corporate prayer focused on praise and thanksgiving, learning to pray thoroughly for each important issue before moving on to something else, prayer sessions that are part listening to what the Spirit might be saying and then praying out loud according to what you think you’re hearing, and what I call the “hot seat”, where people take turns sitting in a chair in the middle of a circle, share something they need prayer for, and then the rest lay hands on and pray for this person regarding this specific issue.
If you should form prayer groups like I’ve described, I would advise church leadership not to try to micromanage everything that goes on in them — but rather leave some space for each group to take on a life and direction of its own.
And if what I’ve described here is a little too “out there” for your church, then feel free to disregard it and seek something more conventional.

]]> By: brian k http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516426 brian k Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:56:18 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516426 I have been thru a service where they used the "open" prayer format you have described and after the prayer request the congregation would SING "Lord hear our prayers", I thought it was very beautiful way to present our prayer. i felt like I was in a musical! I have been thru a service where they used the “open” prayer format you have described and after the prayer request the congregation would SING “Lord hear our prayers”, I thought it was very beautiful way to present our prayer. i felt like I was in a musical!

]]> By: brian k http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516412 brian k Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:18:54 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516412 Great, I hope you will have some Quaker Quotes! (I know it's bad). In my times of leading prayer I have found the best way to keep people from being to "talkative" in their prayers is to have times of silence between each prayer request. It take longer but people seem to see the need to keep their prayers shorter & to the point. But I always error on the side of people sharing their concerns & prayers, wordy or not. Great, I hope you will have some Quaker Quotes! (I know it’s bad). In my times of leading prayer I have found the best way to keep people from being to “talkative” in their prayers is to have times of silence between each prayer request. It take longer but people seem to see the need to keep their prayers shorter & to the point. But I always error on the side of people sharing their concerns & prayers, wordy or not.

]]> By: Father Robert Lyons http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516395 Father Robert Lyons Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:57:52 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516395 Whenever I have a deacon serving with me, it becomes his role to offer these prayers. My preference at smaller gatherings is to have the people offer their own brief prayers, but in larger gatherings I would prefer the deacon to view them ahead of time and edit them for "TMI" syndrome. Most folks I minister to, either in the hospital or in parish settings, are flamiliar with the process, and they are usually very good about it. Teaching good, solid, intercessory prayer skills to our youth is also vital. Rob+ Whenever I have a deacon serving with me, it becomes his role to offer these prayers. My preference at smaller gatherings is to have the people offer their own brief prayers, but in larger gatherings I would prefer the deacon to view them ahead of time and edit them for “TMI” syndrome.

Most folks I minister to, either in the hospital or in parish settings, are flamiliar with the process, and they are usually very good about it.

Teaching good, solid, intercessory prayer skills to our youth is also vital.

Rob+

]]> By: Susan http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516365 Susan Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:52:24 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516365 I have, and I much prefer the Prayers of the People at my Anglican Church. Members can call the church office with personal prayer requests. Certain ones (people in the hospital, people who died) will be in the Prayers of the People. Other requests go on the church prayer chain, the Daughters of the King prayer list, and the Order of St. Luke prayer list. I've NEVER heard any gossiping about prayer requests at our church. Everyone who needs prayer, gets prayed for. No one is shanghaied to listen to details they don't want or need to hear. I have, and I much prefer the Prayers of the People at my Anglican Church. Members can call the church office with personal prayer requests. Certain ones (people in the hospital, people who died) will be in the Prayers of the People. Other requests go on the church prayer chain, the Daughters of the King prayer list, and the Order of St. Luke prayer list. I’ve NEVER heard any gossiping about prayer requests at our church.

Everyone who needs prayer, gets prayed for. No one is shanghaied to listen to details they don’t want or need to hear.

]]> By: Wolf Paul http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516331 Wolf Paul Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:55:49 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516331 Of course that is common practice in charismatic circles, except that there you don't understand what everyone else is praying. It is also common in (non-charistmatic) Korean churches. In other groups I have been to one person prays and everyone else "Amens" and moans and groans and sighs. In non-charismatic evangelical circles here in Austria, only a very subdued version of that last description or complete silence from everyone but the one praying are the only acceptable forms -- everything else brands you as one given to unhealthy enthusiasm. Of course that is common practice in charismatic circles, except that there you don’t understand what everyone else is praying. It is also common in (non-charistmatic) Korean churches. In other groups I have been to one person prays and everyone else “Amens” and moans and groans and sighs.

In non-charismatic evangelical circles here in Austria, only a very subdued version of that last description or complete silence from everyone but the one praying are the only acceptable forms — everything else brands you as one given to unhealthy enthusiasm.

]]> By: Rick http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516319 Rick Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:30:35 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516319 My wife and I started going to our AMiA church 5 years ago from a free church tradition. Prayers of the People has been a particularly fulfilling part of our experience there. Lay people read that liturgy and invite the congregation to participate either silently or out loud after each section. Sometimes no one prays out loud, and some times many do. We pray for the church, for the world, for our leaders, for those in need, and give the Lord praise. The hardest part of leading prayers is really taking the time to be silent. In our former church time for silent prayer was always accompanied by music and was relatively short. It is a real blessing to share these prayer times with the larger body. My wife and I started going to our AMiA church 5 years ago from a free church tradition. Prayers of the People has been a particularly fulfilling part of our experience there. Lay people read that liturgy and invite the congregation to participate either silently or out loud after each section. Sometimes no one prays out loud, and some times many do. We pray for the church, for the world, for our leaders, for those in need, and give the Lord praise. The hardest part of leading prayers is really taking the time to be silent. In our former church time for silent prayer was always accompanied by music and was relatively short. It is a real blessing to share these prayer times with the larger body.

]]> By: JoanieD http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-evangelical-liturgy-18-the-prayers-of-the-people/comment-page-1#comment-516316 JoanieD Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:22:20 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=4863#comment-516316 That last sentence is very funny, L Winthrop! Thanks for the chuckle. That last sentence is very funny, L Winthrop! Thanks for the chuckle.

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