Dear friends in Christ,
Do you pray for your church? If so, wonderful! And if not, it’s never too late to start.
It’s easy to be disappointed by the church at times. After all, Jesus has delegated the leadership of his church on earth to sinners! Lay leaders, bishops, priests, and deacons all fall short occasionally. And, of course, they also often lead well against all odds. That’s human nature at work.
I’m not just talking about the Episcopal Church or your local church. All of us Christians are together in Team Jesus. While we might be divided into denominations, we’re all one body. So when “other” Christians succeed or fail in their ministry, we’re all affected.
Sometimes I talk with leaders who wish for a thriving church, who wonder what they can do. Our hope for the church finds its beginning, its ending, and its continuation in prayer. We can pray for our leaders. We can pray that God sends seekers to join us. We can pray that ministry opportunities present themselves. We can pray that no church leaders accept the supposed inevitability of decline. We have a mandate to make disciples of all nations, and we can pray for the strength, courage, and wisdom to accomplish the Great Commission.
Let us pray.
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
More from our ministry:
Learn more about what helps churches thrive: RenewalWorks
Finding health in your spiritual life: Vital Signs of Faith
Pray every day with Forward Day by Day. New issue begins on Friday!