Most leaders tend to shy away from group prayer because we feel like it’s our responsibility to ensure the prayer time isn’t awkward or lengthy. Because group prayer is almost inevitably awkward and lengthy. But like it or not, group prayer will always be a part of ministerial leadership. Even if you don’t think it needs to be, there’s a high probability that everyone else on your team feels like you should pray together whenever you get together. Because you probably should. So here are some quick tips and tricks for making group prayer suck less and even—dare I say it—a healthy and enjoyable part of Christian ministry.
Group prayer strategies
- Pray through a psalm out loud together
- Pick a portion of scripture to pray throughout the week
- Stop and pray immediately for someone in crisis
- Have a focused prayer time (instead of taking prayer requests)
- Have group members write requests on 3×5 cards, place them in a hat, then
each group member take a card and pray for it that week
How to pray for others when they haven’t told you how to
- That they will understand God’s will
- That they will gain spiritual wisdom
- That they live a life pleasing and honorable to the Lord
- That they will do kind things for others
- That they will know God more intimately
- That they are filled with God’s strength
- That they endure in patience
- That they stay full of Christ’s joy
- That they are always thankful
- That they can recall God’s forgiveness for their sins
Adapted from A Handbook For Hellfighters, Page 132-133