The following is advice I modified and added to from Donald Whitney's excellent book Spiritual Disciplines within the Church.
1)
Participate in congregational prayer. You may not have the freedom or fluency in
public prayer that some enjoy. Begin
with one-sentence prayers or thanksgivings for specific blessings. Soon you will grow and become comfortable
saying more.
2)
Listen and agree in your spirit when others pray.
Actively listen – don’t just
check out and let your mind wander. As
you listen carefully, say “Amen” to God in your heart and out-loud when they
express something that is a desire of yours as well.
3)
Attend designated prayer meetings and training events for prayer. Determine to grow together in prayer with
other people so that you can strengthen the ministry and outreach of your
church.
4)
Volunteer to help your church’s prayer ministry. Work with other people to mobilize prayer in
your church. Churches do this in
different ways, depending on their needs and calling. Most pastors would be delighted to have
someone(s) to help organize a prayer ministry.
5)
Become a part of
– or start – a small prayer group. You may have a few other people who would be
willing to meet with you before work during a weekday, before church on Sunday,
or one night of the week for prayer.
Most movements of God in history or in churches were preceded by much
prayer from small groups.
If
you long for more of the blessing of God upon the preaching of the Scriptures
and the ministry of your church and for more of God’s grace upon your life,
meet with other believers and pray for it.
Will God reject the united prayers of His people who ask Him to bless
His own Word and work? In the midst of
the contemporary church’s search for sophisticated methods, let’s not forget
the pleasure God takes in the confluence of His children’s voices. – Donald Whitney
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