A little boy was misbehaving in worship.  He just wouldn’t sit still and kept mumbling, disturbing others around his family.  The father reached the point of having all he could take.  Yanking him up out of the pew, placing him in his arms, he moved up the aisle toward the exit.  Sensing he was a bit in trouble, the young lad shouted back at the congregation as they exited the doors, “You all pray for me, please!”

We all call out for prayers.  We ask our family and friends to “pray for us.”  This is a great privilege we have as children of God and as members of the family of God.  We call out to God for his intervention in all sorts of situations, anticipating and trusting his touch.

On Sunday, April 29, I called out to the congregation to pray.  My request is not out of fear or frustration but out of a sense of God’s leadership and an overwhelming feeling we need his touch.  I am calling you to intense and committed prayer for the life and future of our church.

The kind of prayer I’m talking about is begging God’s intervention on all levels of our congregational life together; like, outreach, hunger for the Word, encouraging attitudes rather than a critical ones, financial support through offerings, children’s and youth workers and teachers, strategic missions planning, facilities issues, leadership development, coordination and communication improvements, and on I could go.  We need his direction.  We need his wisdom.  We can no longer live as a church as “business as usual” mentality.  There has to be a breath of renewal among us. I invite you to join me in asking his Spirit to invade us, penetrating each one of us to grow in our faith and commitment to Jesus and his calling.

There is so much to be done in so many areas, and we will not accomplish what the Lord has in store for us unless we pray, pray earnestly, and pray now!  I am asking you to prayerfully build one another up, evaluate if what we are doing is for the Lord, and ask him to show you where you need to grow. Nothing of value occurs in church ministry without humble prayer. Our Christian witness is only as effective as our humility before him in prayer.

So, “You all pray, please!” and do not stop.  Pray like you have never prayed before.  Every Monday before you take lunch, would you bow before the Lord and pray for your church, its leaders, and its membership?  He will hear and intervene for his glory.