The church of Christ should be characterised individually and corporately by prayer. Prayer expresses our relationship and dependence on God, following the pattern of Jesus and his apostles.

To listen to Mark Ventham preaching from Acts 2:42 at Christ Church on Sunday morning 3rd June 2012 use the player above..

Below is the text from a handout Mark gave

12 Things to pray for our church:
PRAY….
1. that hundreds of people would come to Christ (Rev 7:9-10)
2. that our unity and love will always be genuine (Eph 4:1-3)
3. that old animosities be removed and forgiveness sought (Eph 2:13-14)
4. that families and marriages be reconciled, renewed, strengthened
(Eph 5:22-6:4)
5. that wayward children would come home (Lk 15)
6. that long-standing slavery to sin be conquered (Roms 6:6)
7. that spiritual dullness be replaced by vibrant joy ( Ezek 36:26)
8. that weak faith be replaced by bold witness ( Acts 4:29, Col 4:3-6)
9. that disinterest in prayer be replaced by fervent intercession, (Col 4:2)
10. that boring Bible reading be replaced by a passion for the Word
(Hebs 4:12; Col 3:16;)
11. that a disinterest in global missions be replaced by energy for Christ’s
name among the nations, (Matt 24:14)
12. that lukewarm worship be replaced by zeal for the greatness of God’s glory.
(Rev 3:14-21; Col 3:23)
Adapted from John Piper: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/04/30/some-things-topray-
for-an-awakening-in-your-church/

31 Things to pray for your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, godchildren, youth group, children’s group [and you could just pray them for one another!]

1. For their moral purity (Proverbs 5:7-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)
2. To obey and respect the authority of you / their parents (Exodus 20:12)
3. That God would draw them to himself at a young age (John 3:3)
4. That they would be protected from the schemes of Satan (Ephesians 6:10ff.)
5. That they would be know and love God’s word (Psalm 119:9-11)
6. That they would glorify God in whatever health of circumstances he gives them, rejoicing always (1
Thessalonians 5:18)
7. That they would be wise in the wisdom of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7)
8. That they would have and be a good friend (David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20)
9. That they would endure hardship in fellowship with Christ (Colossians 1:24)
10. That their ‘yes’ would be ‘yes’ and their ‘no’ would mean ‘no’ (Matthew 5:37)
11. That they would ‘Keep their spiritual fervour, serving the Lord’ (Romans 12:11)
12. That they would be humble and desire God’s glory (2 Timothy 4:18)
13. That their conversation would always be ‘full of grace and seasoned with salt’ (Colossians 4:6)
14. That they would understand grace and so live a godly life (Titus 2:11-14)
15. That she (if she’s a girl) would have a quiet and gentle spirit (1 Peter 3:4); that he (if he’s a boy)
would be self-controlled (Titus 2:1-10)
16. That they would have a heart for the world, and not just a tribal god (Luke 11:2)
17. That they would devote themselves to persistent prayer (Luke 18:1-8)
18. That they would hate evil and avoid evil and get caught when they disobey (Proverbs 4:14)
19. That they would forgive as the Lord has forgiven them (Matthew 18:21-35)
20. That they would think biblically (Romans 12:1-2)
21. That they would encourage others in the Christian life (Hebrews 10:24-35)
22. That they would ‘clothe themselves with love’ (Colossians 3:14)
23. That they would never be self-righteous (Luke 18:9-14)
24. That they would be secure and content in God’s plan for the world and where they fit into it
(Ephesians 1)
25. That they would know they are deeply loved by God (Psalm 103)
26. That they would love the Lord their God will all their heart, mind, soul and strength (Matthew
22:37-39)
27. That they would be honest with the Lord, themselves and others (1 John 1:5-9)
28. That they would be faithful stewards of all the treasures and talents that God entrusts to them (1
Timothy 6:6-10)
29. That they would hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness (Matthew 5:6)
30. That they would keep their eyes fixed on heaven (Philippians 3:20)
31. That they would persevere to the end (Hebrews 10:35)

Adapted from Byron Peters, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina: http://www.bscnc.org/downloads/31.doc

Series: The Church (2012)