A prayer model creates space for the practice of healthy expectations between those ministering in prayer and those receiving prayer. These expectations create a sense of trust that is present in the ministry moment because people behave themselves well and demonstrate compassion towards those receiving prayer. 

One of the reasons to have a prayer model is that the model invites everyone to participate in prayer ministry. The idea of the priesthood of all believers was strong in many of the movements that arose in the 17th and 18th century as a reaction to the strong hierarchal structure of state churches in that time. The Quakers, Moravians, Methodists, and Anabaptists were some of the movements that emphasized the priesthood of all believers.

There are at least four sound reasons to have an established prayer model for prayer ministry. These four reasons form a healthy framework and foundation for practicing prayer ministry that reflects well on the community. This is one healthy way that practices rooted in sound principles with broad application regardless of the doctrinal beliefs can reflect well on the church.

Why use a prayer model? It seems like everyone should be able to use prayer however they want to exercise prayer ministry. There are several good reasons to use a model for prayer and the idea of using a model is not new to the five step prayer model. In fact, as long as people have been praying, there have been shared models and patterns of prayer exercised with faith communities…

In the Bible, there are verses that address belief and faith in relationship to prayer and seeing God at work in our lives. A helpful way to understand belief and faith in our contemporary society is through the lens of expectation. What do we expect to happen when we pray? Do we really expect that our prayers are going to change things?

The Lord’s Prayer, maybe the most well-known prayer of the church, is a response by Jesus to the disciples’ request, “Teach us how to prayer…” The anchor that Jesus used at the beginning of this prayer is set in the foundation of relationship, a declared relationship with the Father who is our Father and the Father of Jesus. Relationship takes primacy and sets the tone for the prayer. What is requested, why it is requested, and how it is requested is shaped by relationship.

Have you ever asked yourself, “How can I create deeper friendship with the Holy Spirit?” or “How can I better understand God and his plan?” Understanding God, how He works, and what He is doing are questions that emerge in the minds not only of Christians, but most of humanity. Most people have a curiosity and desire to connect with the Divine.

How do we turn off the negative voices in our head, the ones we invite there? When we invite negative inner dialogue and voices, is there an inevitability to it? Isn’t negativity just part of life and part of living in a broken world?

We like power – power impresses and dominates. Compassion takes every vestige of power that we can access in the Kingdom economy and uses it to alleviate the pain of others.

Prayer ministry is a lived experience. What does that mean? It means that prayer ministry is one way to invite that “God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6).

The man raised his head and looked straight at me, “I have never been prayed for with such gentleness and kindness – and I have received many prayers for my problems over the years!”