Attending Prayer Meetings, Part 1 - The Need for Prayer Meetings

In Beeke's second section of his book "The Family at Church", he focuses his attention on the importance of prayer meetings within the local church.

"We shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general till the prayer meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians."

So wrote legendary prince of preachers Charles Spurgeon in his famous address, "Only a Prayer Meeting." By "the prayer meeting" Spurgeon meant a formal meeting of members of a Christian congregation at stated times for the purpose of engaging in united prayer.

Prayer meetings in America [and Canada] have fallen on hard times. Beeke informs us that less than 10% of members now meet for prayer in churches that once had vibrant, Spirit-led meetings.

This is unfortunate, especially if the following statement by Beeke has any merit or truth to it: "the church that does not earnestly pray together cannot hope to experience reformation and revival." Any one who has read D.M. Lloyd-Jones on revival knows that revival is not something we can manipulate God into by some kind of formula. Yet Lloyd-Jones is quick to instruct us that before the Spirit sends revival to a dry and parched land, He first revives Christ's church to a spirit of personal and corporate prayer. (Also see Colin Hansen's "A God-Sized Vision", where he chronicles some of the greatest revivals of all time; not surprisingly, they all started with - yup, you guessed it - personal and corporate prayer)

If our churches are not praying, we should not be surprised that they are so dull when it comes to spiritual things. As an encouragement and example, let us realize that the Reformed churches in South Korea have experienced more revival than anywhere else in the world. Their secret? Not flashy preachers or cheesy gimmicks. Nope. They simply gather 365 mornings a year for prayer (at 5 a.m. in the summer and 6 a.m. in the winter). Wow. That's what I call glorious!

For those of us who are longing for true, Spirit-led revival (both personal and corporate), let us pray that our churches begin to pray.

In the next five articles, we will review and assess the following chapters of Beeke's book:

1. The biblical warrant for prayer meetings
2. The history of prayer meetings
3. The purposes of prayer meetings
4. Implementing prayer meetings
5. The importance of prayer meetings

May God see fit to stir us all up to a greater urgency to revisit this neglected practice, and may He, in the words of Jeremiah, be found by us when we diligently seek Him with all of our heart! (cf. 29:12-14)

In Christ, and for the glory of God through His church,
Pastor Ryan