Prayer is the Job

We all know that prayer is important. We all know that setting time aside to pray, be it a regular rhythm, a time of prayer with others, or an occasional retreat, is vital for our health, the health of the ministry, and for spiritual breakthrough. Different people and traditions will do this differently: variations will be in style, regularity, time spent, quiet or loud etc. etc. There are infinite variations, but all will know that prayer (of whatever form) is important.

However, having prayed most will then go about the activity of ministry - whether it is organising and running an event, intentionally meeting people, sending out resources or whatever. The interesting thing is that in people's minds, and in the organisational mindset, these activities (which are all good and entirely appropriate) are seen as the key fulfilment of the 'ministry job description', but not the prayer! Rarely have I seen a ministry role description put right at the top something like: "Intentionally devoting yourself in prayer for the sake of the ...".

We all know that prayer is important ... and yet functionally do we not squeeze it to the margins?

Over the past year I have had the privilege to gear time, activity, and priorities differently. This has allowed a lot more time for prayer, most of it wandering and wondering as I prayer-walk streets of the estate over and over. Spurred on by the conclusions of other disciple making ministries, I have learnt that 'Prayer is the Job', i.e. that this time spent praying (rather than activity-ing) is right up there at the top of the role description. It deserves some of my 'best' time, in terms of when I am most alert and functioning, and even in comparison with what else I might be doing in those timeslots (e.g. planning or running a group).

Inevitably in ministry we meet people that reveals brokenness and spiritual blockage - both in individuals and at wider community/society levels. These fractures will not be healed, nor blockages un-blocked, by 'activity' alone, but by prayer and then prayer intertwined with activity. We therefore cannot afford to allow prayer to be squeezed to the margins. Organisationally it should be the priority in plan and mindset, with time allocated accordingly.

Ministry will for sure involve and require activity ... but first and foremost prayer is the job.