Over the last several weeks, there has been more than one occasion for our church to join in united prayer as a congregation in various different ways. Some of them have been ways that we do not see very often. I thought it might be helpful for me to address in a blog article some of the practices that were in evidence as we prayed together.
Praying for Eric and Magda
This last Sunday, we had the privilege of praying for Eric and Magda and family as we commissioned them for short-term mission service in Romania. As pastor, I asked for many to gather around them in front at the altar rail as we laid hands on them and prayed for them. One might ask, “Why do we lay hands on them?” The short answer is simply that it was done that way in the book of Acts. For example, when Barnabas and Saul went on their first missions trip the Bible says that the church at Antioch laid hands on them. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Ac 13:2-3 NIV). IN the NT, the laying on of hands is also done in conjunction with prayers for receiving the Holy Spirit and prayers for healing. Since a successful missions trip can only happen as the Holy Spirit empowers, it was natural also to lay hands on them as we prayed for the coming missions trip.
As we prayed for Erica and Magda I suggested that we all pray out loud at the same time. This kind of prayer is used by Korean churches, among others. It gives everyone a chance to vocalize their own prayers and creates the united sound of prayer ascending to God for the person being prayed for. It is a way of audibly expressing our unity and prayer on one subject. Remember that Jesus gave us a powerful promise for united prayer. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Mt 18:19-20 NIV).
Praying for the sick
On one Sunday a couple weeks ago, I learned ahead of service that an older female member of the congregation was struggling with severe physical ailments. Her mobility was limited. I knew her well enough to know that she would welcome prayers from the congregation. So when the time for our morning prayer came, I asked the leader of our ladies class, also a lady, to go back to where she was sitting and pray for her. I also gave this leader my vial of olive oil and told her to use some if it was okay with the one being prayed for. This class leader took the oil, went back to where the older lady was sitting and explained quietly to her concerning healing prayer. Immediately, as is encouraged in our church, many other ladies gathered around and lifted up the sick one in prayer. Later that week I touched base with the one who had been prayed for by phone. She was exuberant; telling how wonderful it was that her church had lifted her up in prayer so personally, how God had answered her prayers, and how she was telling others about what God had done for her.
I learned later that some wondered why I asked the lady class leader to take the oil rather than sending the assistant pastor. It is a good question and I would offer the following reasons. First, over my years as a pastor, I have found it beneficial to encourage women to pray for women and men to pray for men. This encourages prayer leadership and responsibility in both sexes. It also allows those praying to freely engage in natural hugs, handholding, in short — displays of Christian affection and care that can quickly get awkward or be misinterpreted when those praying are of the opposite sex. Second, I knew that the person I was asking was gifted in faith and prayer and was also very comfortable using oil for prayer. One of the roles of the pastor is to discern who has various gifts and press those gifts into service for the benefit of the body as a whole. Third, I lean upon my understanding of the early church in the NT. They had elders and deacons. Though most were probably men, it is very likely as in the case of Phoebe (Romans 16:1 GWT and NIV 2011) that at least some were women. These leaders did not restrict their job descriptions as can be seem in the case of Stephen who was appointed for what seems like a deacon’s charitable work but was an evangelist and the first martyr. So, though we think of elders today as only the pastors, in the early church there were several appointed for each church and they were likely more equivalent to our church leaders—board members and class leaders. So I appointed a church leader to lead the prayer. Fourth, all was done under the guidance and authority of the pastor. This is a key factor as well. In the Wesleyan Church as in most Christian churches, the pastor’s authority over ordinances and sacraments is very strong. Operating in submission to that authority is part of the respect due to the one whom God has placed “over you in the Lord (1 Thess. 5:12).
