Praying Together

“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you….” (1Samuel 12:23)

  

The need: One day not long ago I met and prayed with a group of pastors from around Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. These are all godly men for whom I am thankful. On many fronts I am encouraged by this group of shepherds dedicated to caring for their flocks and spreading the good news about our city. Yet, I came away from this month's gathering with a strong sense of our human frailty; the great susceptibility of our families to deep debilitating hurt; our inability to make any impact in and through our own power; our ignorance of the cultural conflicts that inhibit our effectiveness for the gospel; and most importantly, the insurmountable challenge of the spiritual battle being waged for the heart of Dearborn and Greater Detroit. Later that afternoon I surfed real estate web sites looking at facilities and church buildings available in Dearborn. I was looking for an adequate facility for Christ Community Church to begin meeting in when we launch. The prices for leasing commercial spaces are overwhelming. The thought of lugging equipment in and out of a school building every Sunday morning is unappealing. More importantly, how do we decide via our own human reason which is the most optimal location for the greatest impact? Only God knows the answers to these questions along with a thousand other questions about facilities, about demographics, about approaches, and methods for church-planting in general that daily swim around in my head.

Bottom line: we must pray! We cannot do this in and of our own power. Only God can bring CCC into existence. So, only through prayer can we, feeble, frail, men of limited understanding align our hearts with God’s heart and make such decisions and discernments. It is only by the Holy Spirit’s guidance and God’s singular provision that we ever come to those places that we “know that we know” without a doubt which road to take when presented with so many question marks in any Kingdom task laid before us. Testimonies abound about how when men humbled themselves and prayed together, God provided answers and met the needs of his people. Then I am reminded that God wants to plant his church in Dearborn infinitely more than I do. Will our Heavenly Father not provide when we ask in accordance with his will? Let us delay no longer.