Offering Public Prayer as an Act of Worship

Offering Public Prayer as an Act of Worship

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In light of Jesus’ counsel to pray in secret, I was once asked if public prayer is sinful. Do you break Jesus’ command when you pray with and for your family?  In our corporate worship services, we offer many prayers. Sometimes the minister prays and other times we pray together. Should we stop doing that? Should we stop holding mid-week prayer services?

If you’ve ever wondered about this, you may find Jesus’ instruction in the Lord’s Prayer helpful (Matthew 6:9-13). He said, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” (Matthew 6:9). The Lord’s model prayer begins: “Our Father.” When I pray by myself, I never address God by saying, “Our Father.” Instead, I might say, “My father.”

True Corporate Worship Must Emphasize the Unity of the Body
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True Corporate Worship Must Emphasize the Unity of the Body

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Nehemiah 8-9 join Leviticus 10 and Hebrews 12 as significant to our development of a theology of worship. In verse 1, the people of Israel are described as gathering “as one man into the square before the Water Gate” (Nehemiah 8:1). When the people gathered before the Lord for corporate worship, they did so “as one man.” That moment focused on the individual as part of the body. Together, God’s people stood, listened, answered, said “Amen”, lifted their hands, bowed their heads, and worshiped (Nehemiah 8:6).