What is a Prayer Chain? A prayer chain is the alarm system for the needs of the congregation. It makes possible a concentrated prayer effort on any specific concern or issue, including emergency situations. The information is passed along by phone, and those who receive the call immediately make the concern a part of their prayers and pass it on to others.
"Carry each other's burdens," Scripture tells us in Galatians 6:2. Spreading news of a special need through a congregational prayer chain makes this kind of caring possible; everyone in the church can be involved in praying for a particular concern.
Not only does a prayer-chain ministry encourage extraordinary prayer for extraordinary needs, it also keeps a congregation praying regularly for daily or weekly concerns. "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests," God's Word tells us. "Be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18). A prayer-chain ministry is an important way to help the congregation carry out this command.
Guidelines for Prayer Chain members
- Write the message exactly as you have received it-then verify the information by repeating it to the person who called you. This may seem a bit unnecessary at the time, but it will help prevent misinformation, partial messages, expanded messages, or unrecognizable messages at the end of the line. The prayer-chain captains, who receive the message initially, shall write the message in clear, concise language.
- Pray immediately. Don't leave the phone until you have actually prayed for the request you've received. That's one of the main purposes of the prayer chain - immediate attention to a specific need. Besides, it's easy to forget to pray later on.
- Repeat your prayer throughout the day, every time you think of it. Make the request a matter of persistent, faithful prayer to God. Shoot up "arrow prayers" if you don't have time for longer, more intense prayer. Put the prayer on a couple of "sticky notes" where you can see them easily and frequently.
- Share the prayer-chain message with others in your household. Make it part of your mealtime devotions, your family prayers, your children's bedtime prayers. And make sure everyone also hears about the answers to prayer that come later on. This is especially important for children.
- Use the information as a matter of prayer, not gossip. This is especially important in cases of family trauma, relationship problems, or sensitive areas of concern within the church.
- Report answers to prayer soon after they happen. This is one of the most important-and most neglected-elements of a prayer-chain ministry.
- Never make a prayer-chain call after 9:00P.M. unless the emergency warrants it or unless you are sure that the person you are phoning will welcome a late-night call.
- Those who are part of the core group should inform the prayer captains when they are on vacation or when they'll be gone for long periods of time.
What to pray for?
A Prayer chain can be used for more than just emergencies. Here is some suggestions for use:
- All emergencies: illness, injury, death, hospitalization, divorce, family crises
- Stages of life when families or individuals have greater needs: birth, surgery, wayward family members, profession of faith, marriage, and so on
- Congregational, committee, or council meetings at which key issues are discussed, crucial decisions
- Special ministry efforts of outreach teams, Coffee Break, Men's Life, youth groups, church education, small groups, evangelism calling, church retreats, work trips, and so on (including problems as well as special events)
- Plans for the church's future (needs for new development, new ministry for the church, and so on)
- Needs of the pastor and church leaders in the areas of counseling, busy schedules, new preaching series, leadership challenges
- Needs of people supported by the church - missionaries, long-term volunteers, volunteer work teams, and so on
- Needs of the broader community: community events, denominational events or concerns, broader ecumenical movements, efforts of neighboring churches, national or international needs
Who and How?
I propose that we consider everyone in the congregation - every member of Trinity to be part of the prayer-chain. Since this reflects the ideal that Trinity is truly one body, Everyone can be a part of this prayer ministry; each member can love and serve others through prayer. Including everyone also emphasized each member's responsibility to make his or her needs known and to pray for others' needs.
A Prayer chain ministry helps to build a healthy dependence within the body of Christ that counteracts our culture's spirit of independence and individualism.
-Let us make this a HOUSE OF PRAYER!
Amen.
