Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church
1948 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
San Jose, CA 95126
Effective congregations are spiritually alert, regular, and intentional in their prayer life and activity. They seek Jesus’ power, guidance, and direction in their planning and ministry.
In Wondrously Sheltered, a collection of writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he writes of prayer:
Prayer is a person’s strength.Indeed prayer is “the heart of Christian life” and the heart of Christian congregations. And so it is only fitting that prayer is one of the core values in the Discovering Hope process for congregations. Holy Redeemer can find hope in the midst of a failing economy, declining populations, the lack of young families, and whatever the challenges might be within our particular ministry setting. However, this hope has only one source — God!
And so, in order to discover hope and build hope and grow hope and share hope, Holy Redeemer must be connected to God in prayer. [Now you know the reason for the Prayer Insert, Prayer Walking, Praying and Sharing, the Prayer Wheel and constant questions about whether you have an intentional prayer life. It is foundational to what you are doing and what Holy Redeemer is doing!]
Prayer needs to be practiced at three levels:
Individual Prayer: Are you engaged in prayer for your congregation and its mission and ministry. Are we encouraging members to pray for each other? Do we remember our shut-ins and those in the nursing home?
Small Group Prayer: Are there prayers at the beginning of small group meetings: choir practice, Business Leadership Team, Visioning Team, fellowship activities, etc?
Public Worship: What kind of intercessory prayer is a part of the worship service? Are people able to request intercession for specific people, concerns or thanksgiving during worship? Are people comfortable in doing this? How are they invited to do this?
It is clear, and needs to be unequivocally stated again. Prayer is a crucial ingredient for effectiveness in congregational mission and ministry. Without a strong focus on prayer, a congregation cannot be truly transformed. A praying church is a vital church. A vital church is a church meeting the needs of its members and a church in mission to its neighbors.