AN EAR TO THE GROUND

The phrase of putting ones ear to the ground is thought to have originated during early colonial America among the Native American tribes. As the phrase suggests, they would carefully listen to any rumblings on the surface of the earth in order to gauge how far an attacking tribe or army was from them. Today, the phrase simply means paying careful attention to all of the details that are going on around you so that you can make an informed decision. This gets us to our point. In my mind, one of the most significant roles that an elder is supposed to employ, in service to Jesus’ Church, is having an ear to the proverbial ground.

What I mean is that an elder is supposed to carefully consider all of the things that Scripture rumbles about, and all of the groanings and convictions the Holy Spirit shakes up in us, and then interpret that seismic activity in prayer and faithful decision making. But this of course begs the question, what do we think the Scriptures and the Spirit are rumbling about?

THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER IN THE CHURCH

According to the Bible, prayer is not only essential to the individual believer, but it is the life blood of the church. For instance, the church began in an upper room when the Holy Spirit came down on those who were praying (Acts 1:14). After Pentecost, churches regularly gathered to learn the Word of God, as preached by the apostles, and to pray with one another (Acts 2:42). As the church began spreading out and accomplishing the mission Jesus gave her, she continued to pray! The church prayed when they faced trials and persecutions (Acts 4:31). They prayed when they installed elders and deacons (Acts 6:6; 14:23). They prayed when they sent out missionaries (Acts 13:2-4). They prayed when they shared the Gospel (Acts 8:14-16) or did church discipline (Acts 8:19-24). They even gathered for special times of prayer when the apostles were in trouble (Acts 12:5-12). The book of Acts alone makes the point with crystal clarity that prayer was as vital to the early church as oxygen.

We know that this emphasis on prayer continued because Paul frequently mentioned prayer when writing to the churches. In the beginning of every letter, he lets them know that he is fervently praying for them (e.g. Col 1:9). He also encourages them to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17) at all times (Rom. 12:12) with all perseverance (Col. 4:2) as a way of honoring God. They are to cast their anxieties on God in prayer (Phil 4:6). They are to confess their sins in prayer (James 5:16) and supplicate for one another in prayer (Eph 6:18). They were to pray for the nation and its rulers (1 Tim. 2:1-4). They were to pray with confidence to God (Heb 4:16) knowing that God hears them and cares for them (1 John 5:14).

To say it frankly, the church was founded on prayer, lives on prayer, and will die if they become prayer less.

THE PRESENT RUMBLING

I say all of this to make the point, if we want to be a healthy, faithful, and God glorifying church, then we must be a praying church! If we want to resemble the earliest church in Scripture, then we must be a praying church! If we want to see the earth shake beneath our feet and revival to break out in this land, then we must be a praying church! And that goes beyond the elder led prayers that we have permeating our Sunday morning gatherings. We must be a holistically praying people!

THIS IS HOW WE GET THERE

Beginning on January the 5th, The Shepherd’s Church will add a midweek prayer service to our weekly rhythms. This will be a church service. We will gather each week to sing a few Psalms. There will be a short sermon delivered from one of the Psalms. And there will be time dedicated for the entire congregation to pray using the Psalms as a template for prayer.

This will be educational in that it will help everyone in the congregation grow in the practice and discipline of prayer. It will be relational, in that these times of prayer will bind us together as a family of grace. And it will be encouraging, strengthening our resolve, conviction, and capacity for prayer, watching God use this little church to proclaim His glorious Gospel in New England and beyond!

Be on the lookout for more details! Love you all!