Is Prayer First For Your Team?

I need to constantly remind myself, and maybe you do too, about the crucial role prayer plays when we’re together as a team. It’s way too easy to get swallowed up by the busyness of church life, diving headfirst into our tasks and discussions, and forgetting to pause for prayer. Yet, it’s this very act of prayer that holds us together, guiding our actions and decisions, even though, I’ll admit, it often ends up on the back burner for many church teams.

If you’re sensing that the prayer vibe among your staff could use a refresh, it’s time to dig deeper. Maybe prayer has become an afterthought because some of us aren’t feeling too confident about our prayer skills. Or is our prayer practice thin because we’re stuck repeating the few prayers we memorized as kids, unsure how to move beyond them? It could also be that we’re just not sure when or how to fold prayer into our everyday routines.

Consider taking the following steps:

• Taking a moment to pray for guidance when we’re on the cusp of a big decision or find ourselves in a tricky conversation.
  
  
• Coming together to pray in anticipation of major events — doing so either the day before or on the morning of, asking for blessings on both the people involved and our planning.
  
  
• Setting aside time each week specifically to pray for our congregation and the missions we’re undertaking.
  
  
• Planning a yearly or twice-a-year retreat focused on reconnecting with and deepening the vision God has entrusted to us.

While we might look to those in leadership to steer these changes, the truth is, any one of us can ignite this shift. It doesn’t matter if you’re leading teenagers, catechists, ushers, or any group within our church; start by praying together. Make a commitment to prioritize prayer above all else for a while and watch the difference it makes. I'd love to know your thoughts:

Has making prayer a priority changed anything for you and your team?