Prayer Helpers

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.”
-Jesus Christ; Revelation 2:4 (NIV)

While walking amongst mankind, Jesus established the church. Without a doubt there are numerous denominations regarding worship style and doctrine focuses. The early church was merely established off of the specific direction of Christ. “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age” (Message Version). Offering a prayer for church is vital for the life and growth of the entire Christian community.

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Some of the harshest words Jesus has been documented as saying are directed to some of the early churches. In the book of Revelation, Jesus confronts some of the early churches for straying away from the original passion they endeared when they began. He went so far as to state that if they did not rediscover their initial passion that he would remove their lamp stand. This is the same as implying that he would no longer continue to be with them day after day. When a church walks away from the principles of Christ, then Christ is no longer part of the church. A prayer for church should become a significant focus for every Christian.

Not only was Jesus addressing the early churches at that time, but also on a larger scale to “the church” as a whole. In God’s eyes there is only one church. Individuals might cling to certain denominations, but Jesus established “the church”, which was one body of Christian followers. Mankind might look at individuals and see denominational differences, but God merely sees “believer” or “unbeliever”. God knows who he has a personal relationship with, and who he desperately wants to have a personal relationship with. Christians need to remember that in offering a prayer for church that it can be for an individual church, but also the entire Christian community as a whole.

Discord is one of the major factors that can rip a church apart. Quickly hurt feelings can spin out of control and create divides that seem unimaginable to overcome. The focus is removed from Christ and placed on the individuals with the hurt feelings. One main focus regarding a prayer for church should be that of unity. If any discord arises that through constant prayer and petition, God can help heal hurt feelings and close wounds so that unity can once again be restored and the focus is thus on Christ again.

The current economy of the world has plummeted to lows unseen since the Great Depression. Countless individuals are losing employment, retirement, and personal stability. It is difficult enough for members of the congregation to maintain food on their tables, yet alone charitable giving. This prayer focus is twofold. On one hand prayers for the church should be for the actual members of the congregation and how the economic hardships are affecting their personal lives. The other focus should consist on the economic stability of the church itself. In order to minister to the members of the congregation as well as the surrounding communities, finances become a major factor.

Churches today are facing a major shift in cultural environments. In the 50’s, America was known as being a predominately Christian nation. Today this environment has drastically changed. Churches are closing their doors at alarming rates. In the past children would grow up in the church, go off to college, and then gradually drift back to the Christian community. Statistics show that this isn’t happening anymore.

This generation voices that they feel that “the church” is unapproachable and more like a social organization that requires membership. This sentiment is far from the vision that Jesus commanded for the early church. The key for any prayer for church needs to establish a passion in the hearts of congregation members to connect with the individuals around them, for the effort of not forsaking the first love of the early church that Jesus established.

When standing before God it won’t matter how many committees one served on, or the location of the pew you knelt in faithfully. “The church” is a living body of believers and not a building. Society today identifies a church as an actual location, made of brick and stone. The church that Jesus established was a body of followers, and the purpose was specific. A prayer for church need to be for the churches of today to draw nearer to God and build upon the foundation established by Christ.