Leading In Prayer

by Pat Farish

To be called on to “lead in prayer” imposes a real and significant responsibility. It is not a matter of performing before humans; but of recognition of what is going on: a Christian is speaking to God the Heavenly Father; he is making requests and petitions on behalf not only of himself, but also of those he is “leading” in prayer; and those being led are endorsing those requests and petitions with their “amen.” There are considerations that seem to be overlooked, in some cases.

First, in prayer we are talking, not to each other, but to God. The apostle Paul said it this way in Romans 10:1, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God … .” Often we hear someone leading in prayer explain (to God?) the nature of the sickness or injury about which appeal is being made, so that any in the audience who did not know about this late breaking development might be informed. Basically what has happened is that the leader has turned from speaking to God, to instruct some in the audience. Such rude conduct indicates that we really do not understand to Whom we are speaking, and that perhaps we think we are performing for the audience in the room with us. When we pray, whether in public or in private, we are talking to God, and that realization should control our attention. Save the announcements for the announcer.

Then, as we lead in prayer, we are expressing not only our own hearts desire but also that of those gathered with us. We, perhaps having taken time beforehand to gather pertinent information, are going to God to petition Him concerning these matters of congregational interest and concern. Jesus said, “if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven” (Matthew 18:19) and this is the process (acknowledging 1 John 5:14, 15) that comes into play here: we join our hearts to take it to the Lord in prayer. Once I witnessed a visitor, a former member of the congregation, who was invited to lead prayer. Apparently having said everything he thought appropriate for those he was leading, he then said “on a personal note-and offered an extended petition regarding his family and their personal circumstances. This was certainly informative to the audience but was that why he was speaking? Certainly we should “let (our) requests be made known to God” but personal requests or expressions are inappropriate when one is supposedly leading the church in prayer. We may and should let our requests be made known to God “in everything” as we go to Him in prayer in private; but when we are leading others we must be certain that we in fact are leading them, and not turning away from them to express our private petitions.

The model prayer of Jesus is recorded by Matthew (6:9-13) and Luke (11:2-4). Each of these passages has Jesus beginning by saying, “Father.” All our prayer is to be to our Father. Notice, however, that Jesus does not use the word “Father” again. In a statement of roughly fifty words, “Father” is used only that one time. Contrast that with petitions so often offered today, where the leaders use “Father” repeatedly, again and again, sometimes more than once in a sentence. Why is this done? In prayer (public or private), we are talking to God. Prayer is an opportunity of expressing our heart’s desire, of telling Him of our concerns and aspirations. In a real sense prayer is a conversation we are privileged to have with God. It is not necessary to repeatedly be saying “Father”. If you are in conversation with me, and you begin by saying “Pat …” and then begin every succeeding sentence with “Pat” and sometimes when you have to pause for breath to put “Pat” in again - well, you wouldn’t do that, would you? Why then is it thought needful or appropriate to talk that way, to God? Jesus said the Gentiles do that sort of thing, “for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7). Amid the other problems with this, is that for the people who are wishing to be led in prayer, such repetition of “Father” is very distracting.

Possibly the reason underlying all these questionable practices has to do with nervousness associated with speaking publicly. Nervousness is greatly diminished when we do not feel that we are speaking with a stranger. Get in the habit of praying to the Father in private - in the morning, at meal-time, in the evening, whenever - and the unsettling feeling of trying to speak to a stranger will be dissipated. Then we will be better able to truly lead in prayer.