You might find it helpful to split your prayer for the church may be split into three : concerning global, national and local church.
On the global scale, there are a number of areas to pray for.
Firstly, we can pray for the church in other parts of the world. The culture and
context will be different to our own, and we may benefit from becoming more informed about
the needs of the church in these places. This will help us pray more specifically.
Some data is provided at www.teal.org.uk\stats\fbframe.htm
Other data can be gleaned from searching the web. Maybe there is a particular country that
is close to your heart.
Other global topics for prayer include the evangelisation of the world and the role of the
church as peacemakers.
On a national level, you might pray for national church leaders - those who are able to have an influence on those governing the country. Pray that they might be able to shape the way that society evolves, as new laws are put in place, that Christian values might be at the centre of society. The national church will also need prayer in its structures and government.
Having explored the prayer needs of the
national and international church, it is clear that for many Christians it is their local
church that will be easiest to pray for specifically and with an earnest and fervent
desire. However, a recent global survey on prayer found that less than half of Christians
pray for the work and ministry of their local church. Forty four per cent of those
answering the survey prayed for the work of their local church. In general those who
prayed for more than an hour a week prayed frequently and for longer periods of time for
the work of their church. Yet church growth studies have shown that there is a clear
correlation between the prayer life of a church and the growth in membership. A growing
church is likely to be a praying church.
Some of the things you might like to pray for include : your leaders, those who
minister faithfully week in, week out, many of whom doing low profile roles, for those
working with young people, for the young people themselves, for the outreach programmes of
your church, for areas of your community where the church doesn't seem to reach.
