The church I grew up in held evening services on Sundays. My favorite segment of these services was when the pastor would step away from the pulpit and hand a microphone to a volunteer. The volunteer would move among the pews, encouraging people to share their prayer requests. The volunteer would offer a prayer aloud, representing all of us. Being in the same space, at the same time, and hearing the same prayer while people prayed aloud for me made me feel cared for and loved.

Public prayer, such as asking the blessing for a church-hosted dinner, offering prayers during weddings or funerals, or leading communal prayer and intercession during a worship service, plays a crucial role as God’s people are gathered together. These spoken public prayers hold a profound significance as they demonstrate unity and support within the church community and our total dependence on God and his grace.

Praying as a community

Your public prayer during a church service can take many shapes depending on your church’s tradition. You might pray during an extended time of thanksgiving, pray for requests for healing, or lead the people into an awareness of God’s presence. Hughs Oliphant Old, pastor and theologian, wrote: “One of the distinctions between public and private prayer is that in public prayer we pray as a community for the community and for the concerns of the community” (Leading in Prayer, p. 175, emphasis added).

Public prayer is a powerful tool for communication, guidance, strength, and unity in the church body. It allows believers to corporately connect with God, seek his guidance, confess sins, express gratitude, and intercede on behalf of the surrounding community. Prayer is a vital aspect of the Christian faith that plays a significant role in nurturing the spiritual well-being of individuals and the collective community.

Encouragement for communal prayer in Scripture

The Bible gives numerous examples of how important it is for believers to pray corporately for each other, their leaders, and their communities. Here is just a small selection:

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care (Psalm 95:6-7).

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God…After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly (Acts 4:23-24,31).

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-19).

Praying out loud

So, what if somebody hands you a microphone and asks you to pray out loud in front of a gathering? Do you feel excited and energized, or nervous and intimidated? Or perhaps, a combination of all of these? In any case, it can feel like a big responsibility to lead public prayer. If you are nervous,it helps to remember that God loves to listen to his people, and it is such a beautiful gift of grace to pray for someone else. If you would like some helpful suggestions on how to pray out loud, check out this blog: How to Pray Out Loud.

We, us, and our

When we offer a public prayer, we are praying on behalf of the whole group, so it’s important to use inclusive pronouns, like we, us, and our, rather than I, me, and my. Leading a prayer of intercession is a gracious act of service to your church and community. As you prepare to pray in a corporate setting, think about this:

It is in the prayers of intercession that we continue the ministry of intercession that Christ gave to the Church to perform in his name. One of the reasons we come together in assemblies of worship is to pray for the coming of the Kingdom, for the progress of the Gospel, the reforming of society, and the building up of the Church (Leading in Prayer, p. 175).

Suggested outline for a public prayer

Leading In Prayer suggests dividing up your prayers into four easy-to-remember topics: pray for the church’s ministry, people in the world, the civil authorities, and the specific needs of individuals in your church or community. Sometimes we’re asked to pray off the cuff, but if you have time to prepare, use these prayers as templates to compose your own:

1. Pray for the church, its ministry, and its mission: Almighty Father, we pray for ______ (name of church/ministry), that we may honor your Word, be obedient to your leading, and be a church of grace as we serve our neighbors. We pray for _______ (name of minister and/or leaders) as they serve your people. Give them joy in their work, wisdom as they teach us, and confidence to lead. We pray for our missionaries/ministries (share their names and the locations where they serve). We pray that you give them strength and courage as they are lights in dark places. We pray a blessing upon the believers and your church scattered across the earth and may all of us be bold as we live out our faith.

2. Pray for people in the world: Creator God, we pray for our world. We pray for those who are in the midst of conflict and difficulty (share a specific place/country and name the emergency or struggle). We pray for peace and physical protection. We pray for those who do not know you and for those who feel angry and abandoned. Bring peace and grace to those who are heartbroken.

3. Pray for the civil authorities: King of Kings, we pray for our leaders (name local and national leaders). We pray that our leaders may lead with peace and justice. May they be filled with a sense of dedication to the land and people they serve.

4. Pray for special needs of the congregation: Gentle Shepherd, we praise you for your tender mercy and healing touch. We are thankful that you are a God of compassion. We pray for those who are weighed down by sadness and loss and those who need healing (name them and share concerns). We give you praise for your grace and your perfect faithfulness in meeting our needs (share praises and thanksgivings from the group).

May you be bold in your prayers and remember that God hears you. May you pray with authority, humility, and love when you pray as a community for the community and for the concerns of the community.