God has made us for both personal and corporate prayer. Our life is rich and full when we connect with God. Personal time with the Lord builds closeness with Jesus; corporate prayer that is unified and sincere releases a blessing from heaven, whether it is two, three…, or fifty people meeting together (Psalm 133; Joel 2:15-7, 28-32; Mat. 18:20). We can all do corporate prayer. The goal is to start small and doable. Praying with our families or small group is corporate prayer. It doesn’t have to be a large gathering. But it does take time to learn how to pray enjoyably and effectively together! Here are three simple tips when doing corporate prayer. Give them a try with your next gathering.

THE GOAL IS TO START SMALL AND DOABLE.

Pick a Focus

A focus allows us to develop God’s heart in a specific area. When we wait on Him and speak out prayers, our heart changes over time to be like His. When someone else prays, it may cause us to hear something from the Lord which we can then pray. A focus could be for a particular people group or issue for an agreed upon amount of time.

Use the Scripture

While we could choose any Scripture, Paul’s apostolic prayers are a great place to start. He actually lists his own prayers for the Church in his letters. Because they are in the Bible, we know they are God’s will. Also, every Christian can agree with them. (For Example, Phil. 1:9-11; Eph. 1:17-19; 3:16-19; 1 Thess. 3:10-13; 2 Thess. 1:11-12, etc…)

Incorporate Worship and Music

By worshipping God and declaring the truths of WHO HE IS, it paves the way for us to pray in confidence! Music also helps prayers flow better. There are many formats one can use. We use the“Harp and Bowl” model at IHOP-KC. (See my website under “Teachings”.)

I encourage you to start small and doable. As a family, we pray and worship an hour a week, besides our mealtime and bedtime prayers. Some times are easier than others. But every time we are more aware of God’s presence than when we started. We have started small and doable.