Every once in a while I hear from a leader who says, “We don’t any need more ideas/strategies/conferences … all we need to do is pray.”
Well actually, writing this blog, quite often I hear from people like that.
Maybe you have people like that at your church.
You even know the conversation. Every time you suggest, “Why don’t we try reformatting our services/changing our kids ministry/reaching out into the community,” they shoot back with “what we really need to do is just pray” (or “what we really need to do is get back to the Bible …”) as though that settled the discussion.
It puts you in a horribly awkward position.
If you disagree, you sound like you’re coming out against prayer.
If you agree, you’ve just mothballed any productive strategy conversations.
I mean who really wants to come out against prayer?
Not me. Not you.
And so, not sure what to do, we shut down the leadership conversation and all the potential that comes with it.
Can it be that something that sounds so spiritual can actually stop some very spiritual work?
In the name of God, some leaders might end up opposing the work of God.
And it’s all done in the most holy-sounding way.
Who’s right? How should you respond?
We Need to Pray
So before you freak out, I haven’t become an atheist.
Far from it. It’s not an exaggeration to say I pray every day. I also read the scripture daily and love it deeply.
I also believe I need to pray more. I agree that the church needs more prayer.
Finally, I believe all authentic, effective ministry is rooted in prayer.
But saying, “All we need to do is pray” really misses how God actually works.
If all we needed to do was pray, we could lock ourselves in a closet and never come out. But I’m not sure that’s how God has moved historically.
What begins in prayer should usually end in some kind of action.
