8 Short Prayers for the Church
Are you looking for ways that you can actively pray for all areas of your church? Here are 8 short prayers for the church that can guide you.
The church, or rather the body of Christ is very important in the life of the believer. We’ve often heard it said that the church is not only a building, but the gathered people of God.
That’s absolutely true. We know that the church is important to Christ because it is His bride, and who He laid His life down for. In the same way, God calls us to love His church, and one of the best ways we can do that is through prayer.
8 Short Prayers for the Church
1. Prayer to Persist in Teaching God’s Word
“Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.” – 2 Timothy 4:2
Father,
Thank You for the message of the gospel. Thank You that we as a church have all come together through the power of the gospel, that has convicted our hearts, and led us to repentance.
My prayer is that we will not get weary, or become complacent in teaching Your word. I ask that You would help both the leaders of the church, and fellow believers to proclaim the gospel boldly.
May we not only do so when it seems convenient but in every season. Please help us to persist, especially in the face of rejection and persecution. Your word teaches, corrects, rebukes, and encourages, please help us to share it with others.
Please grant the leaders of the church patience, as they teach and encourage both believers and unbelievers who You have brought into the church. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. Prayer to Share Christ & the Gospel
“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.” – Acts 4:12
Lord,
We cannot thank You enough for Your love, and Your Son, Jesus, who is the Savior of the world. You have created each one of us with a God-shaped hole in our hearts that nothing else in the world can fill apart from You.
Though the world may promise fulfillment, and promote many different paths that lead to life and peace, it all ends in separation from You and ultimate destruction.
In Christ alone, who lived the life we couldn’t live, and who died the death reserved for us, we find our hope, life, and salvation. Help us to preach that Jesus, and Him alone, as the way the truth and the life.
Please open the eyes of the world to see that the things of this world are passing away, but Your word remains forever. Help them to see Christ as He is, and to honor Him as Lord. May our lives be a testimony to the world of the beauty of Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
3. Prayer to Worship God Alone
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:24
God Almighty,
There is none like You in all the earth. So many have created a false image of who You are, and many times we worship a God of our own making, rather than You, and who You have revealed Yourself to be in scripture.
Please forgive us for our ignorance, and how we often place You in a box that we have created in our own minds. I ask that You would let Your Holy Spirit fill us with true knowledge and understanding of You through Your word.
Help us to respond to who You are with true worship, that is done in spirit and in truth. Remove any barriers that we have created for ourselves, and human traditions that keep us further away from You.
Teach us, and help us to seek Your face, and grow in the knowledge of Your character. May the way we live and think be directly affected by the truth of who You are. In Jesus’ name, amen.
4. Pray for Commitment to Prayer
“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” – Colossians 4:2
Lord,
We are so grateful that You have not left us as orphans, but have given us Your Spirit who guides us, and shows us the way in which we should go. Thank You, for the gift of prayer, and that we have the privilege to talk to You, and commune with You daily.
Sometimes it can be so easy to become complacent when it comes to prayer. We often forget the incredible gift You have given us to be able to fellowship with You, no matter the time of day, or what we are facing. You are always there.
Please help us as a church to grow in our devotion to prayer. Remind us that it is more than a practice, but it is a big part of how we communicate with You, and You with us, and how we grow in our relationship with You.
May we be alert in prayer, and sensitive to what You are saying or the convictions that You are bringing about in our hearts. In all things, help us to express thanksgiving for all that You are and do for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
5. Prayer for Discipleship
“We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.” – Colossians 1:28-29
Lord,
Thank You for the bride of Christ. Thank You for Jesus, who laid down His life for the church, and who is our example in every area of life. Thank You for His example of discipleship, and that we get to learn from His earthly life through scripture.
My prayer for our church, and leaders, is that You would make proclaiming Christ the priority. May all the extra things take a backseat to the importance of preaching Christ, and Christ crucified.
Please fill the hearts of those who teach and lead in the church with humility and wisdom. Help them to present the gospel without any compromise, warning and teaching those who are under their teaching.
May they strive to present believers mature in Christ through dedicated discipleship. May the church live out our role of discipleship through the power of Your Holy Spirit, and make disciples who make disciples. In Jesus’ name, amen.
6. Prayer for Church Leaders
“Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will; not for the money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” – 1 Peter 5:2-3
Father,
You have placed a great responsibility on the shoulders of those who are shepherding Your flock. In their own strength, wisdom, and ability, they can do nothing. You alone can work in their hearts, and through them to bring the gospel to broken and hardened hearts.
I ask that You would raise up the leaders and teachers that You have chosen to equip Your people. May their hearts be for Your glory, and not for their own. May they know You, and seek You for themselves first, before trying to lead others.
Please give them the compassionate heart that Christ has for His flock, and help them lead by example. May they not oversee over Your people out of compulsion, but freely, according to Your will.
May they grow to become Christlike shepherds, not for personal gain, or benefits, but out of love for You and for people. Remind them that the church is ultimately Yours, who You have entrusted them to for a short time. In Jesus’ name, amen.
7. Prayer for Church to Be Equipped to Serve One Another
“And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.” – Ephesians 4:11-12
God,
It is amazing how You have brought different people together to serve as one body. We live in a world that often values certain skills, personalities or abilities. But in Christ, there is no part that is greater than another, or that is not as needed as others.
My prayer is that the church would grow to know the gifts that You have given each person, and that there would be an opportunity for each member to serve in that role that You have given them.
Help us see that serving others is ultimately serving You. Please help the leaders of the church equip members to serve one another, and to function in the areas where You have given them strengths.
May there be no competitiveness, but only a common goal to serve each other and to serve Christ. May we be givers and not only takers, knowing that Christ came not to be served but to serve and save the lost. In Jesus’ name, amen.
8. Prayer for Workers in God’s Kingdom
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” – Matthew 9:37-38
Lord,
Sometimes we look around to the world and think that there is nothing but hatred for Christ and the Kingdom. We can get discouraged by worldliness and its ever increasing godlessness.
Yet, Your word tells us that the harvest is plentiful. There are many people who are seeking, or desire the truth, and whose hearts You are working in, who can come to faith in Christ.
But the workers, who are meant to preach the gospel, and to share Christ with them are few. Many of us have forgotten the important work that You have given us as workers in Your harvest.
Please help us as a church to take this important work seriously, and to understand the urgency of the matter. May we be those workers who go out into Your harvest, rather than praying for others to go out. Please equip us as a church, and help us to overcome any barriers that keep us from the harvest field. In Jesus’ name, amen.
