A Church Devoted to Prayer
Pastor Calvin Cook
September 29, 2026 — Day 16 of 30
Praying for the Church
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42
Today, our thirty-day prayer journey turns toward praying for the Church.
I know that some of you close to me are thinking I knew that we would see Acts 2:42 in these devotionals. I can’t help it. These words are my drive as a follower of Jesus, a Pastor, a lover of the Church movement and everything in between. If I were to get a tattoo the words Teaching-Learning, Fellowship, Breaking Bread, Prayer would be tattooed somewhere for all the world to see. So instead, I speak these words freely and strive to live them out.
When it comes to referring to Church, we are not talking only about a building, denomination, worship service, or religious organization as in some ways we have been programmed to think. The Church is the people of Jesus Christ—called, redeemed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent into the world to continue the mission of God.
Acts 2:42 gives us a picture of the Church immediately following Pentecost. Thousands had responded to Peter’s message, repented, been baptized, and began a new life together.
What did they do next? “They devoted themselves.” Can you imagine with me what would happen if we were as devoted to Acts 2:42 as we are to some other things. Like our little screens we carry around, sports, partying, and the list could go on. This would be life changing in our homes, our communities, our world. This would set the course that the Holy Spirit is calling us to.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. These were not occasional activities that fit into an already crowded schedule or a focus of an hour a week. They became the pattern of their shared life.
The word devoted describes continuing steadfastly, persisting faithfully, and giving oneself wholeheartedly to something.
The early believers did not merely believe that prayer was important. They prayed.
They gathered for prayer. They prayed in homes and at the Temple. They prayed when making decisions, facing opposition, sending missionaries, appointing leaders, enduring persecution, and caring for one another.
Prayer was not an opening exercise before they moved on to the “real work.” Prayer was the work that prepared, directed, strengthened, and sustained everything else they did.
That raises a challenging question for us: Are we truly devoted to prayer, or do we simply believe that we should pray more?
Churches can become busy places. We plan worship services, hold meetings, maintain buildings, organize programs, prepare budgets, raise funds, and discuss what needs to happen next. All these things may be necessary, but activity alone does not make us spiritually alive.
We can become so busy doing things for God that we fail to spend time with God.
Sometimes we make our plans and then ask God to bless them. A praying church begins differently. It asks, “Lord, what are You doing, and how can we participate?”
A praying church listens before moving. It seeks God’s will before making decisions. It carries people’s needs together. It expects the Holy Spirit to speak, guide, convict, heal, and send.
A praying church also understands that prayer is not reserved for pastors, leaders, or a few spiritually gifted people. The entire Church is called to pray.
Some will pray aloud with confidence. Others will pray quietly. Some prayers will be carefully spoken, while others will come through tears, silence, or groans too deep for words. What matters is that we come together honestly before God.
Prayer changes the atmosphere of the Church.
Where there is division, prayer can lead us toward reconciliation. Where there is fear, prayer reminds us that God is present. Where there is uncertainty, prayer teaches us to listen. Where there is spiritual dryness, prayer opens us to the renewing work of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer does not mean we avoid action. The believers in Acts prayed—and then they witnessed, served, gave, taught, crossed boundaries, cared for the poor, and carried the Gospel into the world.
Prayer prepares us for faithful action.
Imagine what could happen if our churches became known as places where people prayed with one another—not only during worship but in homes, restaurants, workplaces, prayer groups, altar spaces, and ordinary conversations. This was once the sign of being a Methodist. There was a method to everything even gathering outside the walls of the church in prayer. (more on this later)
Imagine people knowing they could bring their burdens without fear of gossip or judgment. Imagine small groups gathering each week to listen to God, pray for one another, and ask what faithful step Jesus was calling them to take.
The Church does not need prayer to become one more program.
The Church needs prayer to become part of its identity again.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach Your Church to pray.
Forgive us for the times we have depended upon our plans, experience, resources, and strength more than we have depended upon You.
Make us steadfast and devoted in prayer. Teach us to listen together, carry one another’s burdens, seek Your will, and respond faithfully to the Holy Spirit.
Let prayer shape our worship, decisions, relationships, ministries, and mission. Make our churches places where people encounter Your presence, receive healing, discover hope, and are sent into the world to share the Gospel.
Begin this work within me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Today’s prayer step: Pray specifically for your local church by name. Ask God to make it a church devoted to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. Then contact one or two people and arrange a time to pray together this week
Leave a comment