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.