My three prayers for our church

1. Lord, whoever you send to us we will send out

May we become a people who are convinced that our main focus of ministry lies outside the four walls of the church building in response to the Great Commission. Whoever God sends into our care, we shall teach, disciple, train, resource and send out to be salt and light in the world outside, whether it is one person, one hundred or one thousand that God sends.

2. Lord, give us empty churches and we will fill them with people

May churches in our land once again be filled with Christ-glorifying, gospel-centred, Spirit-empowered, missionally-minded people. May the decline in church attendance and religious apathy that sweeps across our land incite a holy jealousy within us for God’s glory, to see empty church buildings as a calling and huge opportunity to reclaim and restore what is broken and decayed, turning churches around to the praise of the thrice-holy name of God.

3. Lord, send us to places where your glory will be displayed most vividly

May God open up opportunities for us to plant churches in areas where it has never been done before; areas that have traditionally been declared off-limits by the evangelical church. All things belong to God and therefore nothing is off-limits to him. His gospel transcends cultures and has the power to break down entrenched politico-social divides.

These are my prayers for our church. The question is: will you join with me and make them your prayers?