Let’s be honest: group prayer times can be a mixed bag. I’ve experienced rich times, like when my college friends united to intercede for a friend with cancer. I’ve also experienced times where I struggle to stay awake and focused. A comfortable chair, closed eyes, and a well-intentioned saint passing the ten-minute mark of his prayer is often more soporific than enlivening! Occasionally, prayer doesn’t happen at all because we spend too much time sharing requests.
Corporate prayer will be a greater emphasis at Antioch as we enter 2026. While there is not one right way to structure group prayer, I’ve been impacted by the ministry of Daniel Henderson, whose material is a mix of scriptural principles and practical tips from years of experience. Over the coming months, you’ll notice these elements incorporated into prayer times at Antioch.
First, corporate prayer is healthiest when our prayers are rooted in scripture. Daniel writes, “Have you ever noticed whoever starts a conversation directs it?” Praying from a passage of Scripture lets God start the conversation and immediately unifies the group around a theme rather than a patchwork of requests. Daniel calls this first aspect “Scripture-fed.”
Another key element Daniel emphasizes is letting the Holy Spirit lead. Imagine a community group night with some dedicated prayer time. In my season of life, the events preceding that prayer time would be something like this: a taxing final meeting of the workday, a quick supper with kids, and a tumultuous entry into community group. I may be physically present for prayer, but my mind is saturated with the preceding hours. Does the Spirit work during chaotic days? Absolutely! However, by starting with scripture, we begin to lay aside our own thoughts and fill our minds with God’s thoughts. The word provides the fuel for the Spirit to ignite in fervent prayer. Daniel calls this aspect “Spirit-led.”
The third element is the incorporation of worship and adoration. Daniel notes that when Jesus taught us to pray, His example prayer essentially contained two parts – reverence for God and requests for us. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. . . give us this day. . .” Prayer, whether individual or corporate, is at its healthiest when worship is an essential component. My default is to jump to whatever requests or burdens are on my mind. When worship is a regular pattern in my prayers, it breaks my self-fixation and allows me to see the bigger picture of praying in line with His will as the Spirit leads. When we follow the example that Jesus gave us, prayer becomes a marvelous act of adoration and communion with God that naturally flows into requests. Daniel calls this aspect “worship-based.”
As I pondered these three elements, it struck me that private prayer and corporate prayer differ from one another in the same way that private worship through music differs from a Sunday service. When I worship alone in my room, I can choose the song, the key, and the tempo based on my preference. On a Sunday morning, however, I do my best to sing in unison as we praise God. Our corporate praises would be marred if we all maintained our own preferences. Group prayer is similar! When we are alone, it is appropriate to pray as long as we want on topics that are on our minds. However, it is not edifying when we bring these practices into a group. Long prayers cause minds to wander and can intimidate reserved members who barely feel comfortable saying a few sentences. While there is more nuance to explore in this area, the scriptures clearly affirm that being part of a body necessitates give and take, and corporate prayer is no exception. There is no magic formula for group prayer, but I find these to be helpful guiding principles.
Group prayer is powerful when based on the biblical principles of Scripture-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based prayer and when there is a give and take for the mutual edification of the body. Will this come overnight? No, but I am incredibly excited to see what God does at Antioch as we step further into corporate prayer!
How to engage more deeply:
1. Attend Antioch prayer meetings – We aim for two all-church prayer meetings a semester, and the next is February 11th.
2. Discuss this material in your CG – take one week to discuss this short article. Daniel Henderson’s 5-session teaching on Leading Life-Giving Prayer (~90 min total) would also make an excellent multi-week group study.
3. Attend January Prayer Conference (Men) – Daniel Henderson is leading a men’s workshop on prayer at Grace Church in Eden Prairie (Jan 16-17).
4. Grab coffee with a prayer team member – Our team aren’t “prayer experts,” but we are united by our commitment to pray for Antioch and encourage others in prayer.
5. Consider joining the prayer team – our mission is to pray for the church and encourage the church to pray. Reach out to James Christenson or any of the elders if you are committed to growing in prayer and want to serve in that way.