Consider the importance of Corporate Prayer. This is when the family of God meets together in unity and prayer.
A church is never more like the New
Testament church than when it is praying.
A congregation without a prayer meeting is essentially defective in its organization, and
so must be limited in its efficiency. The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
A dynamic praying church must be built from the inside out, employing all four levels of
prayer: the secret closet, the family altar, small group praying and finally, the
congregational setting. Developing your Secret Closet of Prayer, Richard Burr, p 19.
An ounce of believing prayer is worth a ton of edifying talk. John Cowan
A prayerless man is proud and independent, and any church that neglects corporate
prayer is sadly no better. Only God's humble and needy children take the time to pray.
Everyone else is just going through the motions and naively trusting in their own
strength! David Smithers
As prayer meetings fail in a congregation, so will the ministrations of the pastor become
unfruitful, the preaching of the word fail to convert sinners and promote holiness in the
professors of religion. The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
At other times what divine impressions of holiness have you felt in public worship in the
congregation when this has been performed with holy skill and fervency and prayer you
have received more solid edification than from the whole sermon? How dead have you
been to all sinful temptations, and how much devoted to God? Do you not long to be
able to pray in this way in your households and in your own room?
A congregation without a prayer meeting is essentially defective in its organization, and
so must be limited in its efficiency. The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
A dynamic praying church must be built from the inside out, employing all four levels of
prayer: the secret closet, the family altar, small group praying and finally, the
congregational setting. Developing your Secret Closet of Prayer, Richard Burr, p 19.
An ounce of believing prayer is worth a ton of edifying talk. John Cowan
A prayerless man is proud and independent, and any church that neglects corporate
prayer is sadly no better. Only God's humble and needy children take the time to pray.
Everyone else is just going through the motions and naively trusting in their own
strength! David Smithers
As prayer meetings fail in a congregation, so will the ministrations of the pastor become
unfruitful, the preaching of the word fail to convert sinners and promote holiness in the
professors of religion. The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
At other times what divine impressions of holiness have you felt in public worship in the
congregation when this has been performed with holy skill and fervency and prayer you
have received more solid edification than from the whole sermon? How dead have you
been to all sinful temptations, and how much devoted to God? Do you not long to be
able to pray in this way in your households and in your own room?
A Guide to Prayer, Isaac Watts, 174
By importunity something else is meant than passionate dictation and stormy
pertinacity--imposing our egoist will on God, and treating Him as a mysterious but
manageable power that we may coerce and exploit. The Soul of Prayer, P.T. Forsyth
Even though we may not take part audibly in the action, yet if we are there in a right
spirit - there really to wait upon God, we marvelously help the tone of a meeting.
CHM
Far less of the disbelief in prayer is due to a scientific view of nature's uniformity than to
the slipshod kind of prayer that men hear from us in public worship; it is often but
journalese sent heavenwards, or phrase-making to carry on.
By importunity something else is meant than passionate dictation and stormy
pertinacity--imposing our egoist will on God, and treating Him as a mysterious but
manageable power that we may coerce and exploit. The Soul of Prayer, P.T. Forsyth
Even though we may not take part audibly in the action, yet if we are there in a right
spirit - there really to wait upon God, we marvelously help the tone of a meeting.
CHM
Far less of the disbelief in prayer is due to a scientific view of nature's uniformity than to
the slipshod kind of prayer that men hear from us in public worship; it is often but
journalese sent heavenwards, or phrase-making to carry on.
The
Soul of Prayer, P.T. Forsyth
Five young college students were spending a Sunday in London, so they went to hear
the famed C. H. Spurgeon preach. While waiting for the doors to open, the students
were greeted by a man who asked, “Gentlemen, let me show you around. Would you
like to see the heating plant of this church?” They were not particularly interested, for it
was a hot day in July. But they didn’t want to offend the stranger, so they consented.
The young men were taken down a stairway, a door was quietly opened, and their
guide whispered, “This is our heating plant.” Surprised, the students saw 700 people
bowed in prayer, seeking a blessing on the service that was soon to begin in the
auditorium above. Softly closing the door, the gentleman then introduced himself. It was
none other than Charles Spurgeon.
God has appointed prayer as his way of dispensing, and our way of obtaining all
promised good. The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
History confirms the truth that wherever evangelical and vital religion flourish, there lives
the earnest gatherings for social prayer.
Five young college students were spending a Sunday in London, so they went to hear
the famed C. H. Spurgeon preach. While waiting for the doors to open, the students
were greeted by a man who asked, “Gentlemen, let me show you around. Would you
like to see the heating plant of this church?” They were not particularly interested, for it
was a hot day in July. But they didn’t want to offend the stranger, so they consented.
The young men were taken down a stairway, a door was quietly opened, and their
guide whispered, “This is our heating plant.” Surprised, the students saw 700 people
bowed in prayer, seeking a blessing on the service that was soon to begin in the
auditorium above. Softly closing the door, the gentleman then introduced himself. It was
none other than Charles Spurgeon.
God has appointed prayer as his way of dispensing, and our way of obtaining all
promised good. The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
History confirms the truth that wherever evangelical and vital religion flourish, there lives
the earnest gatherings for social prayer.
The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J.
B. Johnston
If added power attends the united prayer of two or three, what mighty triumphs there will
be when hundreds of thousands of consistent members of the Church are with one
accord day by day making intercession for the extension of Christ's Kingdom.
John R. Mott
If one Jacob can prevail over the angel, then what could several Jacobs accomplish?
If you want to see how popular the church is, attend Sunday morning worship. If you
want to see how popular the pastor is, attend Sunday evening. if you want to see how
popular God is, attend the prayer meeting.
If added power attends the united prayer of two or three, what mighty triumphs there will
be when hundreds of thousands of consistent members of the Church are with one
accord day by day making intercession for the extension of Christ's Kingdom.
John R. Mott
If one Jacob can prevail over the angel, then what could several Jacobs accomplish?
If you want to see how popular the church is, attend Sunday morning worship. If you
want to see how popular the pastor is, attend Sunday evening. if you want to see how
popular God is, attend the prayer meeting.
Everything
by Prayer Armin Gesswein, Fred Hartley, page 123
If we pray among a select society of Christians, we draw near to God with holy
boldness, something like what we use in our duties of secret worship. We have reason
to take more freedom among fellow saints and whose hearts have felt many of the same
workings as our own. A Guide to Prayer, Isaac Watts, p 58
I have often said it would be a thing very desirable and very likely to be followed with a
great blessing, if there could be some contrivance, that there should be an agreement of
all God’s people in America, that are well affected to this work, to keep a Day of Fasting
and Prayer to God; wherein we should all unite on the same day…Some perhaps may
think its being all on the same day, is a circumstance of no great consequence; but I can’
t be of that mind…It seems to me, it would mightily encourage and animate God’s saints,
in humbly and earnestly seeking God, for such blessings which concerns them all; and
that it would be much for the rejoicing of all, to think, that at the same time, such
multitudes of God’s dear children, far and near, were sending up their cries to the same
common Father, for the same motives. Jonathan Edwards, 1742
In the prayer meeting, as nowhere else, are Christian graces thus brought together with
powerful reactionary and reflective force.
If we pray among a select society of Christians, we draw near to God with holy
boldness, something like what we use in our duties of secret worship. We have reason
to take more freedom among fellow saints and whose hearts have felt many of the same
workings as our own. A Guide to Prayer, Isaac Watts, p 58
I have often said it would be a thing very desirable and very likely to be followed with a
great blessing, if there could be some contrivance, that there should be an agreement of
all God’s people in America, that are well affected to this work, to keep a Day of Fasting
and Prayer to God; wherein we should all unite on the same day…Some perhaps may
think its being all on the same day, is a circumstance of no great consequence; but I can’
t be of that mind…It seems to me, it would mightily encourage and animate God’s saints,
in humbly and earnestly seeking God, for such blessings which concerns them all; and
that it would be much for the rejoicing of all, to think, that at the same time, such
multitudes of God’s dear children, far and near, were sending up their cries to the same
common Father, for the same motives. Jonathan Edwards, 1742
In the prayer meeting, as nowhere else, are Christian graces thus brought together with
powerful reactionary and reflective force.
The Prayer Meeting and Its History, J. B. Johnston
Let methods be changed, therefore, if necessary, that prayer may be given its true
place. Let there be days set apart for intercession; let the original purpose of the
monthly concert of prayer for missions be given a larger place; let missionary prayer
cycles be used by families and by individual Christians; let the best literature on prayer
be circulated among the members of the Church; let special sermons on the Subject of
intercession be preached. By these and by all other practical means a larger, deeper,
wider spirit of prayer should be cultivated in the churches. John R. Mott
Nothing is more calculated to begat a spirit of prayer than to unite in social prayer with
one who has the Spirit himself. Mighty Prevailing Prayer, Wesley Duewel
Oh Christians, go more to the prayer meetings… Brownlow North
Prayer is the proper work of the heart; yet in this present state, in secret as well as in social prayer, the language of the lips is an excellent aid in this part of worship.
Let methods be changed, therefore, if necessary, that prayer may be given its true
place. Let there be days set apart for intercession; let the original purpose of the
monthly concert of prayer for missions be given a larger place; let missionary prayer
cycles be used by families and by individual Christians; let the best literature on prayer
be circulated among the members of the Church; let special sermons on the Subject of
intercession be preached. By these and by all other practical means a larger, deeper,
wider spirit of prayer should be cultivated in the churches. John R. Mott
Nothing is more calculated to begat a spirit of prayer than to unite in social prayer with
one who has the Spirit himself. Mighty Prevailing Prayer, Wesley Duewel
Oh Christians, go more to the prayer meetings… Brownlow North
Prayer is the proper work of the heart; yet in this present state, in secret as well as in social prayer, the language of the lips is an excellent aid in this part of worship.
A Guide
to Prayer, Isaac Watts, p 68
Why not join us this evening at 6:30pm for an experience in worship and prayer? Hope to see YOU.
