You guessed it! The prayer meeting. Treating the prayer meeting as optional cannot continue if we are going to be strong and healthy assemblies. A minority of readers might wonder what the fuss is about. In these rare assemblies, most of the believers are out to the prayer meeting. But sadly, a majority of local churches find significantly fewer believers at the midweek prayer meeting than attend the Breaking of Bread, considerably less than their Family Bible Hour.
Surely there are legitimate reasons why all cannot attend prayer meeting. But even after factoring in all these numbers there is no explanation for poor attendance that does not give us cause for alarm.
Why is it fewer folks attend prayer meeting? We still believe in prayer, don’t we? The prayer meeting is still a New Testament authorized gathering, isn’t it? God still answers prayer, doesn’t He? Whatever the explanation, we need a fresh vision of the prayer meeting to stir us up. Here are some reminders of the value of the prayer meeting:
1. The prayer meeting emphasizes how much we have in common. Christians can become preoccupied with differences rather than agreements. Actually, there are far more areas where we agree than where we differ. In the prayer meeting, we pray for the salvation of the lost. We agree on that. We can pray for building up of the saints. We agree on that. We can pray for crises and sorrows of one another. Surely we agree on that. We can pray for missionary work and outreach. We agree on that. Prayer has a way of binding us together.
2. The prayer meeting reminds us of how much we need the Lord. The healthy functioning of the local assembly is a work of God. While we are laborers together with God, the assembly cannot do anything without Him. When we think the mere arrangement of meetings and organizing routine is enough–without dependence on the Head of the church–then we have lost sight of what the local church is all about. What better time to remind ourselves of our need of Him than the prayer meeting?
3. The prayer meeting is a time to review how much we have already been blessed of God. The old hymn had it right::
Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one,
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done.
It would be a good idea sometimes to simply pray in thanksgiving without asking for anything. To acknowledge, list, and remember all the many years that faithful and consistent blessing has been poured out upon us. It keeps things in perspective. “…but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6).
4. The prayer meeting is one of our weapons against the enemy. Ephesians 6 teaches us about the “spiritual wickedness in high places” militating against believers. While disproportionate occupation with the enemy is unwise, to ignore his reality is foolhardy also. It is prayer that has such power to equip us against that wily enemy. Notice how comprehensive Paul is in this matter of prayer. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication…for all saints” (Eph. 6:18). Let’s not leave ourselves unprotected from the enemy.
5. The prayer meeting gives us opportunity to praise and worship. The spiritual atmosphere of the assembly will go to a higher plane when we are worshipping people. It is a privilege to be able to break from the defilement of the world in our daily business and meet with the saints to worship. It preserves us.
Well, what keeps me from the prayer meeting? Is it business? Or bowling? Or basketball? Or…? Is it more important than the above?
Public prayer should be the fruit of private prayer. If I am not a praying saint in private, then it is unlikely that I will be a praying saint in public. What a New Year’s Revolution there would be if we had a New Year’s Resolution to all be at the prayer meeting!