Stronger Together

The Prayer Huddle

They all joined together constantly in prayer… Acts 1:14

This month the Network Leadership Team is traveling the state to pray with our pastors, missionaries, and local church leaders. I anticipate that over 450 will join us at one of our stops to simply pray together for our churches and communities. Praying together is powerful. 

Let me suggest that this is something that should be engaged in weekly in our local churches no matter the size. I call it a “Prayer Huddle.” The name isn’t as important as the practice. It is simply a brief pre-service prayer time for pastors, staff, and volunteers. I highly recommend that it be a part of your service schedule. 

In my first pastoral assignment, this was not the practice. The outcome was often seen as miscommunication, disjointed services, and a lack of cohesiveness and unity on the team. A few years later, I had the privilege of serving with a pastor who made it a habit to meet prior to every service to review the schedule and have prayer time with the team. Those few moments made a huge difference in the outcomes of the day.   

Not long ago I was invited to join a lead pastor as he met for his Sunday morning “prayer huddle” with his staff and scores of volunteers. We stood in the lobby in a circle as the pastor inspired us with the theme for the day and provided last-minute directions for the service. Then we joined together in a brief time of prayer. As each person moved to their assigned place, the excitement and expectation of the team were very evident. This one regular habit has set this local church into a new season of growth and impact. 

So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 13:3