Quite a few Chinese pastors share a consensus that prayer is the driving force for the church’s growth; it also tells the prosperity of a church.
For churches and Christians, prayer is the breathing of spiritual life. Once prayer stops, spiritual life won’t proceed. Therefore, prayer ministry is the top priority among various ministries in the church. But what kinds of prayer ministries do churches typically conduct in China?
Morning Prayer
The famous song "Morning Prayers of China" best interprets the morning prayer ministry of various churches and vividly portrays the faith life of countless devout Christians. Before dawn, quite some churches begin their morning prayers, with nearby congregants arriving one after another. Led by a prayer leader, they read the Bible, reflect on God's words, and then enter into prayer. During prayer, they align the messages of the Scripture with their own lives, while entrusting their daily tasks and responsibilities to the Lord. Meanwhile, morning prayer also covers public prayer topics, such as intercessions for the nation, society, the church, and needy believers.
In today's world, starting the day in serenity before God and receiving His grace and strength enables Christians to face the challenges ahead with more energy of the day and walk with Him. Some churches adjust their morning prayer times based on the season or the needs of their congregants, with some choosing to delay it until 7 or 8 o'clock.
Prayer Meeting
Some churches hold special prayer meetings, usually on a midweek evening. The prayer session often comes after a simple sermon. Compared with morning prayer, prayer meetings tend to be longer, with a greater emphasis on public concerns, such as intercessory prayers for the nation, the city, lost souls, and various church ministries. Additionally, themed prayer meetings are often organized, such as those dedicated to students taking the college entrance examination, special prayers on Good Friday, and the World Day of Prayer.
Through prayer meetings, believers can pray for their own spiritual growth and personal needs, but more importantly, they foster care for their fellow members, concern for the development of the church, and focus on the kingdom of God, thereby experiencing continuous spiritual growth.
For example, a church in Ningbo held a Good Friday fasting and prayer meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The service focused on the Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross, with the leader guiding participants to reflect and pray on each message, one at a time. The congregation responded with praise, prayer, and tears. At noon, The Passion of the Christ was also shown.
All-Night Prayer Meeting
Some churches also hold all-night prayer meetings, often on New Year's Eve. For example, a church in Hangzhou hosts three all-night prayer gatherings yearly, with the first on Good Friday, the second on Christmas Day, and the third on New Year's Eve.
In addition to the above prayer meetings, some churches have established a 24/7 prayer ministry throughout the year, which means someone is praying at all times. Such ministries are typically initiated when the church is promoting important initiatives, such as building a new construction. While daytime and evening hours are usually well covered, the early morning hours, especially around 3 or 4 a.m., are the most challenging, with the most struggling to rise. During these times, it is often the elderly Christians who step up to take on the responsibility. After the ministry or project is completed, some endeavors stop while others continue, with the prayer focus changing for other ministries of the church and the needs of believers as intercessory topics become more diverse.
Given the importance of prayer, some churches have dedicated prayer rooms, and numerous are equipped with prayer benches. Even in some churches lacking such facilities, the sight of believers in prayer is still a touching scene. In one church in northwest China, after the sermon, the congregation kneels on wooden benches to pray for the church’s construction ministry and for those who are weak or ill.
- Edited and Translated by Poppy Chan
不少牧者有这样的共识：教会是靠着祷告推动前进的，一个教会兴不兴旺，主要看祷告。
对于教会和基督徒来说，祷告常被比作属灵的呼吸。祷告一旦停止，属灵的生命也就停滞。故此，在教会开展的各种事工中，祷告事工是重中之重。那教会一般都有哪些祷告事工呢？
晨祷
一首《中国的早晨五点钟》是对众多教会晨祷事工的最好注解，也是无数敬虔的基督徒信仰生活的真实写照。不少教会开展晨祷事工的时候天还未亮，附近的信徒陆续来到教堂，在主领人的带领下读经、默想神的话语后开始祷告。在祷告中把圣经真理对应在个人生活中，同时也把一天的生活工作向主交托。同时晨祷也会分享一些公共祷告题目，比如为国家社会，为教会，也为有需要的肢体。
在这个时代，倘若在一天的开始能够安静在神的面前，得到恩典和力量，也会更有精力去面对一天，过与神同行的生活。有些教会也会根据季节和信徒情况，调整晨祷时间，有些会推迟到7点或8点举行。
祷告会
有的教会专门设有祷告会，一般在周中一天的晚上，祷告会一般会有简单的讲道，随后是祷告。相比晨祷，祷告会的时间更长，祷告题目也相对偏重于公共事务，如为国家和所在城市祷告，为迷失的灵魂祷告，为教会各项事工祷告等等。此外也会安排一些特定主题的祷告会，如为中高考的学子举办专题祷告会、受难节专题祷告会、妇女公祷会等。
通过祷告会，信徒一方面可以为自己的灵命和需求祷告，但更重要的是，可以关心身边的信徒，关心教会的发展，注目神的国度，从而灵命不断成长。
如，宁波一教堂的受难节禁食祷告会，从上午8点半一直持续到下午3点，礼拜主要围绕十架七言，主领人带领大家一句句默想祷告，大家一边赞美一边祷告一边流泪。中午还穿插放映了《耶稣受难记》。
通宵祷告会
有些教会还会举行通宵祷告会，一般是在跨年。杭州一教会每年会举行三场通宵祷告会，第一次耶稣受难日；第二次是12月圣诞节；第三次是跨年有四场祷告会。
除了以上祷告会之外，有的教会还专门设置了全年全天7*24祷告事工，即每时每刻都有人祷告。类似祷告事工一般是因为教会当前有重要的事工在推动，类似建堂。一般白天和晚上还好，但凌晨三四点是最难的，很多人起不来，这个时候常常是老年弟兄姐妹挺身担当了。事工或项目完成后，有的祷告就停掉了，有的则继续保持，改为教会其他事工和信徒的需要进行祷告，代祷事项也开始多样化。
正是因为祷告事工如此重要，所以有教会有专门的祷告室，不少教会的也配有祷告凳。即便有的教会条件不足，但信徒祷告的身影仍让人感动。西北一教会，讲道分享结束后开始祷告，所有人直接跪在木质长椅上为教会的建堂事工和软弱生病的信徒祷告。
教会要兴旺，离不开祷告——记教会里的那些祷告事工
Quite a few Chinese pastors share a consensus that prayer is the driving force for the church’s growth; it also tells the prosperity of a church.
For churches and Christians, prayer is the breathing of spiritual life. Once prayer stops, spiritual life won’t proceed. Therefore, prayer ministry is the top priority among various ministries in the church. But what kinds of prayer ministries do churches typically conduct in China?
Morning Prayer
The famous song "Morning Prayers of China" best interprets the morning prayer ministry of various churches and vividly portrays the faith life of countless devout Christians. Before dawn, quite some churches begin their morning prayers, with nearby congregants arriving one after another. Led by a prayer leader, they read the Bible, reflect on God's words, and then enter into prayer. During prayer, they align the messages of the Scripture with their own lives, while entrusting their daily tasks and responsibilities to the Lord. Meanwhile, morning prayer also covers public prayer topics, such as intercessions for the nation, society, the church, and needy believers.
In today's world, starting the day in serenity before God and receiving His grace and strength enables Christians to face the challenges ahead with more energy of the day and walk with Him. Some churches adjust their morning prayer times based on the season or the needs of their congregants, with some choosing to delay it until 7 or 8 o'clock.
Prayer Meeting
Some churches hold special prayer meetings, usually on a midweek evening. The prayer session often comes after a simple sermon. Compared with morning prayer, prayer meetings tend to be longer, with a greater emphasis on public concerns, such as intercessory prayers for the nation, the city, lost souls, and various church ministries. Additionally, themed prayer meetings are often organized, such as those dedicated to students taking the college entrance examination, special prayers on Good Friday, and the World Day of Prayer.
Through prayer meetings, believers can pray for their own spiritual growth and personal needs, but more importantly, they foster care for their fellow members, concern for the development of the church, and focus on the kingdom of God, thereby experiencing continuous spiritual growth.
For example, a church in Ningbo held a Good Friday fasting and prayer meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The service focused on the Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross, with the leader guiding participants to reflect and pray on each message, one at a time. The congregation responded with praise, prayer, and tears. At noon, The Passion of the Christ was also shown.
All-Night Prayer Meeting
Some churches also hold all-night prayer meetings, often on New Year's Eve. For example, a church in Hangzhou hosts three all-night prayer gatherings yearly, with the first on Good Friday, the second on Christmas Day, and the third on New Year's Eve.
In addition to the above prayer meetings, some churches have established a 24/7 prayer ministry throughout the year, which means someone is praying at all times. Such ministries are typically initiated when the church is promoting important initiatives, such as building a new construction. While daytime and evening hours are usually well covered, the early morning hours, especially around 3 or 4 a.m., are the most challenging, with the most struggling to rise. During these times, it is often the elderly Christians who step up to take on the responsibility. After the ministry or project is completed, some endeavors stop while others continue, with the prayer focus changing for other ministries of the church and the needs of believers as intercessory topics become more diverse.
Given the importance of prayer, some churches have dedicated prayer rooms, and numerous are equipped with prayer benches. Even in some churches lacking such facilities, the sight of believers in prayer is still a touching scene. In one church in northwest China, after the sermon, the congregation kneels on wooden benches to pray for the church’s construction ministry and for those who are weak or ill.
- Edited and Translated by Poppy Chan
Roundup of Prayer Ministries in China's Church
