Have you ever been reading your Bible and noticed how Paul prays such rich, kingdom-saturated prayers for churches?
- For the church in Thessalonica: “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power” (2 Thess. 1:11).
- For the church in Colossae: “We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:9–10).
- For the church in Ephesus: “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” (Eph. 1:16–17; see also 3:14–21).
- For the church in Rome (Rom. 15:14–33) and the church in Philippi (Phil. 1:9–11).
Personal Membership Prayer:
Lord, my church is one of the most important things in my life, because it brings me closer to you. I ask for your blessings on it, and I lift it up to you. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to be a part of this congregation — and a part of you. In your holy name, Amen.
- The truth that rings through all is this: “Keep on praying” (Matthew 7:7), “Pray at all times” (Ephesians 6:18), “Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
1. That we would have unity amid diversity—loving those with whom we have nothing in common but the gospel.
2. That a culture of discipling would form in which making disciples is viewed as an ordinary part of the Christian life.
3. That faithful elders would use Scripture to train members to do the work of ministry.
4. That a hunger for studying the gospel would form among members so that they can guide and guard one another in it.
5. That transparent, meaningful relationships would become normal and remaining anonymous strange.
6. The preaching of God’s Word—that it would be biblically careful and Holy Spirit imbued.
7. That elders would remain above reproach, kept from temptation, complacency, idols, and worldliness.
8. That the church’s songs would teach members to biblically confess, lament, and praise.
9. That the church’s prayers would be infused with biblical ambitions, honesty, and humility.
10. That adult members would work to disciple teenagers and not just leave it to programming.
11. That the church’s primary teachers grow in dedication to God’s Word even when no one’s watching.
12. That it would grow in beingdistinct from the world in love and holiness, even as it engages outsiders.
13. That members would share the gospel this week—and see more conversions!
14. That members would be prepared for persecution, remembering to love, not curse, their persecutors.
15. That hopes for political change would be outstretched by the hope of heaven.
16. That giving would be faithful, as well as joyful, consistent, and sacrificial.
17. That more members would use their careers to take the gospel to places it’s never been.
18. That members would be good and do good in their workplaces this week.
19. PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED
If you have spent any time in a church that cares about missions and assisting churches around the world, you know of countries that persecute Christians for their faith in God or refusal to conform to other religions. While we can be so thankful for our freedom to worship freely without fear of persecution, our hearts are burdened for our brothers and sisters around the world who risk their lives to proclaim Jesus and the Bible.
Here are some specific areas of persecuted Christians that we can pray for:
- North Korea- pray for the growing church here and for God to be made known to the leaders of this country.
- Afghanistan- Pray for the converts from Islam here to have the courage to share the gospel with others and for peace from the increasing violence in this area.
- Somalia- Pray for the Somali people to turn to the God of the Bible and find hope in Him in the midst of violence.
- Libya- Pray for the safety of the Christians here to be able to worship freely without fear of attack from Islamic militants.
- Pakistan- Pray for the government of this country to be more accepting of Christian practices and put laws in place for their protection.
20. PRAY FOR THE UNREACHED
God’s Word tells us that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2). Some ministries proclaim that there are still over 7,000 unreached people groups around the world. These are people who don’t have any or very few Christians or resources in their geographical location with their same language to spread the gospel.
There are many great ministries that have and continue to pave the way for the Bible to be in every language and for everyone to hear the gospel in their heart language. Let’s make it a habit to pray for those who don’t know about Jesus and the price He paid on the cross for their lives:
- Pray for people who don’t have the Bible in their heart language yet.
- Pray for diligence for the ministries, like Wycliffe and the Joshua Project, who are working in the fields to translate the Bible and equip others.
- Pray for the unreached to encounter God in miraculous ways.
- Pray for the political and cultural climates of unreached people groups to be open to accepting the gospel.
21. PRAY ABOUT GIVING AND GOING
It is because of the generosity of fellow church members and believers that I have been able to travel the world.
We, as Christians, have the responsibility to spread the gospel. What that looks like in each of our lives is different, but we know giving financially is one way to further the gospel, if going to other parts of the world isn’t what we feel like the Lord is calling us to do.
- Pray that your eyes be opened on how you can be a part of the Great Commission.
- Ask God for wisdom and humility when deciding what actions to take.
- Pray boldly for God to take away any fear or anxiety you might have fulfilling what He is calling you to.
22. Pray for the financial success of your own church.
The Lord calls us to tithe! The Old Testament set the standard at 10%, but Jesus set the example for today, because he gave it all.
