Prayer and Worship in ChristCare Groups

Words by Rodney and Friends

Prayer and worship is one of the four main elements in a ChristCare Group meeting. ChristCare Groups' prayer and worship is different from individual prayer and worship because it takes place in a small community of Christians. Participants are blessed by one another's faith, needs, and creativity. Group members can experiment with different styles of prayer and ways of worshiping. As group members meet Christ along new pathways, their relationships with him will deepen and expand. ChristCare Group prayer and worship can be exciting! Many group members find that it is one of the most meaningful experiences in their lives. They enjoy thanking and praising God in a community of people they know well and care about deeply.

It is difficult to separate the subjects of prayer and worship. Both occur when we turn our attention to God and address him, expressing love, thanks, sorrow, awe, or joy. Prayer is a way of worshiping: planned worship almost always includes prayer.

Put simply, prayer is a conversation with God. When you pray, you tell God your feeling, fears, needs, and joys. Prayer is a deliberate way of drawing closer to God.

The Apostle Paul explains,

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. (Romans 8:26-27)

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20)

First, praying is important because it is a way of showing obedience. Prayer is how we bring our needs, hopes and fears to God. Doing this opens the door to God's intervention. Second, prayer is a way to know and love God more deeply. Third, prayer is valuable for group members as they grow to love and trust one another more. There is something about praying aloud with others that helps cement your relationship with them. Fourth, prayer in a ChristCare Group helps groups remember where their focus needs to be. ChristCare Groups are called "circle of care with Christ at the center." Finally, praying together as a ChristCare Group is valuable because it gives individual Christians practice with prayer, helping them grow in this skill.

People can pray about anything they wish to bring to God. Most prayers, though, fall into one of the broad categories of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, lament, or petition.

When Christians think of worship they most often envision the congregation's weekly worship service. That is an important part of worship, but worship is even more. Worship includes singing, praying, praising, listening, meditating and hearing or reading about all God has done. Worship can take place in church, in a ChristCare Group, as a family, or even alone. The Scriptures say that every time we respond to God with love and obedience-that is worship. King David had professional singers and musicians become an important part of worship. King Solomon built a magnificent temple that was the center of the nation's worship.

Just as the Scriptures show many different ways of worshiping God, so ChristCare groups can worship in many ways. The point is always to express the praise and thanks that God deserves from us. Prayer and worship are very intimate activities. When we pray, we come face to face with God. As much as possible, we take off the "masks" that we wear in public to face God honestly, presenting, to Him, the truth about ourselves.

This is often much easier to do either when alone or in a large crowd, where no one is likely to notice what you are doing. But people often become self-conscious about their words or actions in a small group setting. For this reason ChristCare Groups need to develop a high level of trust and intimacy in order for group members to pray and worship on more than a superficial level. Yet this is another way that community building pays off.

Building community and trust in your ChristCare Group is key to developing a good worship and prayer life. When I first got into a group it was difficult for me. Now, today, with help from many different communities, I can pray and worship with joy like never before. Thanks be to God.

Your friend in Christ,
Rodney

Copyright Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 2003.