People praying together

Prayers of the People

Throughout history the covenants that God made with people and nations were always corporate. While God encourages individual moments of devotion and ongoing acts of worship throughout all of life, God also calls us to gather and be in community with each other. As members of Christ’s body we need to be connected with a larger group of Christians for ongoing discipleship and the learning and encouragement we get from worshiping together. 

When we come together in worship, we are encouraged to lift up our prayers together. We intercede for those in our worshiping community, and we express our thanksgiving for answered prayers in their lives. But scripture calls us to expand our intercession to include prayers for other worshiping communities, for the places we live, work, go to school, and enjoy leisure time, for all levels of government, those in authority, and those who serve us, for our nation and the nations of the world. As God’s people we are also united with Christians across the globe and so ought to be concerned about the places they live and what may affect them as well. Scripture teaches us to pray for the oppressed, the lonely, suffering, poor, hungry, refugee, and the alien residing in our midst. 

These prayers have a tendency to be long, but there are ways to break them up and think creatively to keep everyone engaged. It is also fair to say that the prayer during any one service cannot encompass all that ought to be prayed for. Yet, it doesn’t hurt to check your congregation’s specific prayer list as well as the news—local to international—as you prepare to pray. The diversity of needs and expressions of prayer is also a good reason to encourage different people from your worshiping community to take turns in leading this prayer. 

Prayers of the People Resources

Prayers of intercession for the gathered community, the world, and all of creation

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