5 Tips for Starting a Prayer Group

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Romans 15:5–6 ESV)

Have you ever been asked to a prayer meeting and wondered how to get out of it? I am ashamed to say that I have. As I have studied prayer recently, I have realized the joy and privilege it is to join in prayer with fellow saints.

Praying in groups can be difficult but it doesn’t have to be. I want to encourage you to find brothers and sisters to pray with. I want people to join Church prayer groups, pray with their small groups, or find a prayer partner. I have considered making a network of prayer groups across the U.S. that are able to unite at various times in prayer.

The fact is, I think a lot of people think they don’t have time for a prayer group, or they simply aren’t interested. However, I believe a prayer group can steer the course of world history. It is for this reason I have put together several suggestions on how to make a prayer group that is effective and that will get people excited to keep coming back.

1. Whether it’s you or someone else, make someone the group organizer. The group organizer will  manage the logistics of your prayer group. Organizing the schedule, assigning a topic, designating people to open and close the prayer time, all of these kinds of things would be put together by your organizer.
2. Have a start and stop time. This can be flexible, but having a set time gives people the ability to plan their time, make sure kids are fed and/or are getting to sleep on time, lets people know how long to get a babysitter for if need be, and allows people understand when social times will be.
3. Designate a person to start and end the prayer time. Having one or two people that will start and end a time of prayer allows there to be more structure and helps people know when things are wrapping up.
4. Start and end with a Scripture reading. Find something that pertains to your topic or simply choose a short Psalm. You can also print out a passage so everyone can read along.
5. Make a topic for your time. I know this might sound obvious, but simply getting together to pray can lead to a group meeting that has no organization and makes people wonder when your time will end. Here are some suggestions on topics your organizer can choose:
   • Needs within the community
   • Stronger marriages
   • The children within a community
   • Individual health needs
   • Prayer for the nation
   • Prayer for Church leadership
   • Prayer for a specific ministry
   • Prayer for Guidance in a specific area

The list could go on but you get the point. Having a topic will focus people and their prayers.

When we unite our voices in prayer we come as a community of saints to the living God. We unite in faith and in service to the King. I encourage, you are not already part of a prayer group, to join one or start one.

Photo by Pedro Dias