Seven Helps For Small Group Prayer

This list was inspired by experiences in group prayer, and by Evelyn Christianson’s What Happens When Women Pray.

There’s no wrong way to humbly pray, but these tips help!

1.     SMALL GROUPS pray well.  When we break into groups of 3-4, we spend time praying in an intimate way, but we have the strength of the larger group around us.  It is very encouraging to hear many voices going up to heaven at once.

2.     SHUT UP and START!  If you simply begin praying with someone else, you will eventually come to the confession or request that has really been burdening your heart.  When you pray about it before you talk about it, you will still have the special bond of sharing it, but now it will be in prayer—and with the hope that comes through knowing that you’ve entrusted it to God.  Bring an empty notebook or prayer journal to write down requests (even in the middle of praying!) that you don’t want to forget.

3.     Pray about one SUBJECT.  It’s okay to have two or three people pray about one subject until the group feels led to move on.  Prayer lists are to help us, not rule our prayer time!

4.     Pray SHORT.  Matt. 6:7-8 says that we aren’t heard because of our many words—and since we aren’t God, we don’t have to think of everything.  Pray about one concern. Someone else in the group may lift up other needs instead of us.

5.     Pray SIMPLY.  If we use big words or ideas in group prayer, they can be intimidating. 

6.     Pray SCRIPTURE. The Psalms are meant to be prayed and sung in prayer to God, and we can use written prayers instead of making each prayer an original thought. It’s fine to grab your phone and Google scripture to help you pray the Lord’s prayer or one of Paul’s prayers.

7.     SILENCE is okay!  Once we stop feeling uncomfortable about it, we recognize that Holy Spirit can be glorified while we are quiet. Silence can become an expression of trust. Waiting on God may increase our responsiveness to him. Romans 8:26 says we don’t know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit helps us in our weakness and prays for us. Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus always delights to make intercession for us.

A helpful progression to follow as you pray is ACTS or CATS—Use the Bible or your own words to first Adore God, then Confess to God, give Thanks to God, and finally Supplicate (ask God about needs). Or, try Rejoice, Repent, and Request as the pattern for your group prayer.