Leadership Thoughts: Some of My Best Friends, I’ve Met on Bended Knees.

Dear Friends,

Some of the greatest friends I have, I’ve made on bended knee. There are few things that will forge a friendship faster than praying with one another brother or sister.

I am blessed to meet for prayer with a dozen brothers and sisters every Thursday morning. We meet at the church at 6:00 am, and for the next hour we spend time praying for each another, our church, and our world. 

Those who gather know that in praying they are doing the most important work of the church. They understand the church moves forward fastest on bended knee, and that kingdom business is best accomplished when it’s done through prayer.

Just as we would always close our football practice with a team huddle, we too close our time together with a “holy” huddle.

We conclude our time of prayer with a ‘holy hug.’ We gather together forming the tightest circle possible, and with body against body and arms embracing one another, we close out our time with a final exhortation and a hearty Amen. What a feeling of unity we share as that final amen is sounded.

During these times of prayer, friendships are being forged that will last forever.

I believe the greatest barometer of a church’s effectiveness will be determined by the number of its people who are engaged in prayer.

Charles Spurgeon said, “the condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings. The prayer meeting is a ‘grace-ometer,’ and from it we may judge the amount of divine working (being done) among a people. If God be near a church, it must pray. And if He is not there, one of the first tokens of his absence will be a slothfulness in prayer. You can tell how popular the church is by who comes on Sunday mornings. But you can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meetings.”

Fresh Wind Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala, p. 29.

It was S.D.  Gordon who said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

Want to forge lasting friendships, join a prayer group.

Want to fashion a church on fire, fall on your knees.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget you and I grow best on bended knee.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom