Let me get straight to the point: the second prayer in our church services (after the sermon) often does not measure up. I realize that this is quite a statement.

Prayer is a sensitive subject. I also do not know about all our church services. Maybe I do no justice to certain situations. I sincerely hope that that is the case. But in the course of many years I have gained a lot of churchgoing experience, in many places. And heard many esteemed pastors, who have left me coming out of church feeling that prayer had been somewhat neglected. On the basis of that experience I dare to put down my position that our church prayers often are too meagre. If anyone wants to get angry about this statement — so be it! If someone thinks that you are not allowed to talk about prayer in a critical way, my counter-question is: why not? In many homes people talk every Sunday about the sermon. Why not then about prayer? Ultimately the sermon is the ministry of God’s Word to us. The church prayer is “only” the ministry of our words to God. When we are allowed to talk critically about the service of God’s Word to us — the line from above to below — then shouldn’t it be much easier to talk about our words to God — the line from below to above? Talking about prayer has to be easier for us than talking about the sermon. So I will risk it.

To be clear: I am talking here about the so-called “second prayer”: the prayer that — especially in the morning service — usually happens after the sermon. It is therefore not about the prayer for grace and enlightenment from the Holy Spirit that is spoken before in the service. That prayer I leave aside here. Because my trouble is with the other, that prayer of intercession. What is striking? In that prayer the weal and woe of the congregation is often raised in detail. The summer or winter camp of the young people; the wedding anniversary of bro. and sis. So-and-So; the admission to the hospital of sis. A. And rightly so. We may bring each other before the throne of grace. But when the amen of the minister is heard at the end of his prayer, you still think: Was this it? Where is the world? Where is the world church? Oh, sometimes a plane has been shot down or ISIS has been in the news — then the world enters in the prayer for a moment. But after a few Sundays the world disappears again.

Breadth⤒🔗

Abraham prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:22-23). Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem for God’s people over the breadth of the whole world, in the present and the future (1 Kings 8:12-53). Daniel prayed for all Israelites, near and far away (Dan. 9:7). Our Saviour prayed for his disciples and everyone who through them will believe (John 17). Paul urged Timothy to pray for kings and all who are in high positions (1 Tim. 2:1, 2). It is on the ground of these and similar places in the Bible that the church always has said that its prayers of intercession have to be worldwide. In which at least three things always have to be mentioned: the world and the government; the church over the whole earth, her task and her needs; your own church and her office bearers as part of the holy catholic church. That is the breadth the prayer of intercession has to have. From a lot of literature to refer to in this context is one quote (from Paul Oskamp): “Responding to the apostolic word, the congregation does ‘supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving for all people, for kings and people in high positions.’” Oskamp continues: “According to Van Ruler, the whole world is mentioned in the service of prayer. ‘The one pole is formed by the government … the other by those who are dying …. In between these two poles lies everything else: the church, mission, social labour, the economy, education, science, art, and anything else that is in the world.’” And a little further Oskamp says: “According to Gunning prayer teaches us ‘to see God in the world and the world in God.’ … The greatness of prayer of intercession is described by Gunning as follows: ‘Yes truly, God rules the world through the prayers of his children.’”

Worldwide←⤒🔗

If what is mentioned above is true, it requires that every prayer of intercession in the church service has a worldwide view. In which the hospitalisation of br. or sr. So-and-So for sure should get attention, but the needs of the global church may not be forgotten. Indeed: that comes first! For sure at this time. Because so much is going on across the world, with regard to the church and her suffering. At the same time, you may plead with God that kings and people in high places, nationally and internationally, may receive wisdom from God to maintain justice. Sermons have to be timely, and prayers even more! As far as that goes I always have to think of the late Reverend W.G. Raven, from whom I once learned that a minister should listen to the eight o’clock news every Sunday morning. It is possible — Raven said — that there may be something that is important to pray for! With that it is of course important to keep within bounds. In German it says: Im Beschränkung zeigt sich der Meister. Which means: In limitations the master shows himself. Once a minister prayed at such great length that a fellow elder whispered to my father in the consistory bench, “He only forgot the caretaker and the fire department!” Such praying bends over backwards to the other side. Good prayer-planning is therefore a requirement: the preparations for prayers of intercession have to be spread over a period of several weeks. A good prayer calendar can therefore be useful. As long as church and world are being brought before God’s throne every Sunday. Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:1 urge, “First of all then [!!], I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all [!!] people.” If that does not happen, then the church neglects one of her core tasks. She is then, as far as prayer is concerned, not the salt of the earth any more, and she is, because of her lack of intercession for church and world, herself partly a cause of the secularisation of society.

Open Door←⤒🔗

The question comes to the fore how it is possible that the prayers of intercession are often so limited. I think that there are three possible reasons which have to be considered in Christian self-examination. First this: sometimes you notice that there is little interest concerning what happens in the world. Everyone is so busy with themselves and their own environment that we do not know what is going on. On top of that, so much bad news has been poured out, that we become dulled. But God loves the world!

A second possible reason is this: when we go to church, we like to be comforted and encouraged, and we do not want to be “saddled” with the sorrow of the world. There is already trouble enough: give me a nice and comforting hour in church! My church and I as a tranquil little Sunday island in the wicked world. But we are called to be of service the world!

Another — third — possible reason is this: a generation ago the prayer of intercession was moved from before to after the sermon. Liturgically, you can defend that. But could it also be that a minister, who has given all his energy to the preaching of the Word, just like that has too little strength of mind left for a sincere and good prayer? That is a risk that, in my opinion, you can only remove through a thorough and good preparation for prayer. Because prayer is still the most important part of thankfulness that God asks from us. That has also something to say for the liturgy.

And now I hope with all my heart that when you have read all this, you will disdainfully put aside what you have read and say: “What it says here is totally unnecessary. For this is how prayer is done in our church every Sunday. This article is kicking against an open door.” I sincerely hope that that is your reaction. But even more, I hope that next Sunday this open door may be opened again in every church: the door of prayer, through which church and world are brought before the throne of God.