Introduction
It’s no doubt challenging, but enriching, too, to lead the people of God in prayer during worship. The prayer leader has the task of putting into words the thoughts and focus of the day, and of bringing these both to the attention of those gathered for worship, and to God.
The Church of Scotland sits mid-way between the formalism of some denominations whose prayers are, generally, fixed and written, and the free-flowing extempore style of charismatic and evangelical churches. Of course, there is space to be led by the Spirit, but for the most part worshippers in our tradition value prayers which have been crafted, and thought about, and prayed over.
Likewise, for all that we have no explicit liturgy – or so we might think – prayers are, at different points in the worship service, aiming to address different features of the experience of adoration or confession, of petition or thanksgiving.
The resources below are meant to help you gain further insight into the business of leading God’s people in prayer in worship settings.
Resources
Joel Snider offers four helpful and readily understood principles for those leading in prayer.
There is slightly more detail in the background paper on the role of prayer in public worship from Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.
The Church of Scotland Guild, some time ago, prepared a reasonably lengthy booklet to encourage prayer as part of worship at Guild meetings. Although originally written for that slightly different setting, there’s much in this booklet of continuing value.
An example of one way a reasonably well-organised church arranges its prayers for others can be seen from St Mark the Evangelist Church in Melbourne (you can’t say we don’t go far to seek out resources)! This does, though, offer insight into how prayer might be developed in a congregation’s worship life and gives some general pointers, too.
Finally, a further guide to some of the history of prayer in Reformed worship services can be found in the Christian Library.
Practice
You can read all you wish, and much is helpful. The best way to learn, though, is by practising and reflecting, often with others, on your (and their) experience of being led in prayer.
It’s possible to arrange a small group of people who covenant to provide honest but affirming and constructive criticism, and this may be done by a group who each take on the responsibility of leading in prayer. In this way, individual effort meets collective reflection and encouragement.
Learning Life 