Monday, August 26, 2013

Attending Prayer Meetings, Part 2 - The Biblical Warrant

This chapter is not really a review of Beeke's chapter, since I was really uncomfortable with many of the Scriptures he cited as proof for the necessity of corporate prayer meetings. As I believe the Puritans were often guilty of, there was - in my opinion - a little too much eisogesis (reading into the texts), and not enough exegesis (drawing out of the texts).

However, despite the fact that Beeke and the Puritans read more into many of the Scriptures he cites as proof of corporate prayer meetings (e.g. Genesis 4:26; 21:33; Psalm 66:16; 137:1-2, etc.), it does not mean that the Bible is silent on this issue. In fact, as we read the Bible intelligently, we see that it has much to say about the discipline of corporate prayer, especially in the NT, where it seems to be a normative practice of what fellow Christians naturally did when they gathered together as a community.

The Bible, both the OT and NT, assumes that God's people pray. Immediately, we who are engulfed in the world we live in assume that this refers to individual prayer (which of course it does). However, when one remembers that the people of Israel were a corporate nation that did life together (much like many of the "tribal" areas of the world), prayer was not merely an isolated practice, but often a corporate form of communion and fellowship. Often, then, when people prayed, they prayed together - as families, tribes, and as prescribed by the law, they prayed together as a nation at least 3 times a year.

For example, when Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray (see Matthew 6:5-15), it is interesting that Jesus' answer assumes a corporate setting of believers praying together (all the verbs and pronouns are in the plural: for example, we pray "Our Father", not "my Father", etc.). Not surprisingly, the early church assimilated "the Lord's Prayer" into their corporate liturgy in public gatherings and services.

Though Jesus often and consistently prayed alone, the gospel narratives show that Jesus also prayed much with His 12 disciples (e.g. Luke 9:18; John 17, etc.).

However, I think that the clearest biblical warrant for the practice of regular, scheduled, corporate (i.e. church) prayer meetings is found in the book of Acts and Paul's epistles.

After Jesus' ascension back to the Father, Luke tells us in Acts 1 that the apostles were "with one accord devoting themselves to prayer, together with the woman and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers" (verse 14). The Greek tenses of the verbs used here emphatically tell us that this was an ongoing, habitual practice, and not a one time ordeal. When they needed to make a decision as to who would replace Judas, they did not go their separate ways into their personal prayer closets, but rather prayed together to seek the Lord's will (1:24-26).

In the very next chapter, after the Spirit had fallen on Pentecost and over 3000 people were converted under Peter's preaching, Luke again tells us that corporate prayer was normative for all the believers: "And [the believers] devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (2:42). As in 1:14, the Greek tenses of the verbs emphasize that these were not one-time events, but became the lifestyle of those converted to Christ.

When Satan afflicted the early church with fierce persecution, the NT church met corporately for prayer until the Lord heard their cries. Luke tells us that "they lifted their voices together to God" (4:24).

When deacons were required, again their selection comes about in the context of believers gathered together to seek the Lord's will (see Acts 6:1-7).

When Peter was unjustly put into prison, the church did not merely send out a prayer chain. No, they gathered together for prayer (Acts 12:12).

When Paul and Barnabas were set apart by the Holy Spirit to take the gospel to the nations, it was done in the context of a church prayer meeting (Acts 13:1-3; note that the Greek is very, very similar to what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:8-11). Merely asking for prayer on Facebook (which is not a bad thing of course) was not enough. They gathered together to seek God's will in united prayer. Any time a major decision was to be made in the church life, the church prayed together.

Acts 16 tells us how the first church in Europe was born in a women's prayer meeting as Lydia's heart was sovereignly opened up to the true gospel of Jesus Christ as preached by Paul (Acts 16:13-15).

Intentional, corporate prayer was normative in the early church. This is the only explanation for why there was such explosive growth in the church. Which should cause us to pause and ask, "Why have we abandoned this essential grace as churches in the 21st century?"

Finally, passages such as Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 very likely (again, plural verbs and pronouns) refer to prayer meetings of gathered churches. Other passages would include 1 Corinthians 16:19; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2, 5; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Philemon 12; 1 Peter 4:7).

If the Bible, especially the NT, shows that this was an essential feature of Christian life together, why has this foundational means of grace been neglected and forsaken by the modern church? I believe that there will be no real revival in Christ's church until the church's corporate prayer meetings are resuscitated.

Perhaps a good dose of persecution would be the best thing for our churches, as it seems that prayer was not merely a tack on for the super-spiritual older people of the church, but rather a way of life for all those who were baptized into the body of the local church. As John Piper so aptly put it, "We will not know what prayer is for, until we know that life is war."

Dear reader, is corporate prayer a must on your calendar? If not, why?

In Christ, and for the expansion of His kingdom through His [praying] church,
Pastor Ryan



P.S. feel free to read the OT passages such as Daniel 9, Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9, 1 Kings 8, etc. for national gatherings to worship and pray to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

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

Thursday, August 15, 2013

The Family at Church, Part 5 (Practicing the Preached Word, part 2)

How are we to put into practice what God's Word commands us to do? To answer this question, Beeke offers four more practical suggestions to help us to be better doers of the Word, rather than merely being hearers.

1. Listen carefully to sermons that teach us how to live.

Like the Bereans (Acts 17:11), we need to check with the Scriptures to verify whether what is being preached is truth. The first question we must ask is, "Is this true?"

But we must not stop there. If what is being preached corresponds to the truths of Scripture, we must go on to ask a second question: "How can I put this sermon into practice?"

For example, if the pastor is preaching on fleeing from certain sins, we should ask ourselves, "How can I shun the sins that the Word is pointing out in my life?" Or perhaps the pastor is preaching on evangelism. If so, we need to be actively praying, "Lord, give me grace to intentionally plan on sharing the gospel with someone this week."

Idly nodding our heads in affirmation and approval is not enough.

2. Ask older, more experienced Christians for advice.

After the sermon, do not be afraid to ask more seasoned Christians what this looks like in everyday life. Or perhaps the sermon was a bit confusing to you. Again, seek the godly counsel and wisdom of those who have been pilgrims longer than you.

This is one of the greatest benefits for attending Community Groups. If you are a new convert, you especially ought to take advantage of this glorious means of grace God has given His church.

3. Thank God for all you receive in the sermon.

How often do we thank God for instructing us through the preaching of His Word? Here is an encouragement to read Psalm 119. It is true that we are to be grateful for the promises of God's Word. But notice how thankful the psalmist is also for the instructions and commandments of God's Word.

Beeke confesses, "Often, I fear, we receive little because we are not grateful for what we receive." Let us then leave thanking God for the fact that He seeks to guide and govern us through His Word. What a privilege to put into practice His commands, instructions, ordinances, laws, testimonies and statutes!

4. Lean upon the Holy Spirit.

Beg God to accompany His Word with the effectual blessing of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 10:44). If this is ignored, the preached Word will bring more harm than good. As Thomas Watson wrote: "The Word will be effectual one way or the other; if it does not make your hearts better, it will make your chains heavier."

How may we know if the Spirit of God is applying the Word to us? Simply put, the fertilizer of the Word will cause the fruit of the Spirit to abound in our lives.

Beeke closes this first section of his book with the following searching words:
Are you an active hearer of God's Word? Are you a doer of that Word? Or do you listen to sermons half-heartedly? If so, repent of you sin and begin to actively listen to His Word. It is not enough for you to attend church, as Thomas Watson spoke: "Dreadful is their case who go loaded with sermons to Hell." Therefore, let us, in the words of Jesus, take heed how we hear!
The next section of Beeke's book will deal with attending prayer meetings.

May God use this for His glory in His church!

Pastor Ryan